Boost Your Happiness in 12 ways – Feel Better Immediately
COVID can take a big toll on us, no matter how much we dont want to admit it.
But we absolutely NEED to be happy.
Otherwise, our household would run to crap. Our children would probably pick up on our moods.
Our business wouldn’t thrive.
We wouldn’t have the energy to cook or clean. We may even start to feel sick.
Many scientists agree that when people boost their happiness levels they tend to live longer and healthier lives.
Not only that but pushing aside your worries and just enjoying happiness can make your life and your family’s lives SO much easier.
Yes. It's possible to stay and be happy throughout the entire day. I'll explain...
1. Boost your happiness by living in the present.
When you live in the present, you become more aware of how great your life is.
When you do this, you can be happy and enjoy being in the moment.
When you live in the present, you also don’t have to contemplate about things that have happened in the past or the future.
I often find it difficult to be in the moment when I’m at work but whenever I am at home or doing errands, I tend to reflect on how good my life is. As a result, I tend to be in a more relaxed state of mind.
2. Boost your happiness by laughing.
You know the old cliché, “Laughter is the best medicine”? Well, it’s actually true if you want to feel better.
Research studies have shown that laughing can actually boost your happiness by producing “feel good” chemicals in our body which are the same chemicals that are released when we eat our favorite foods or fall in love.
Putting on a funny movie, watching funny YouTube videos, or laughing with friends are always my favorite ways to boost my happiness levels.
When my daughter throws a tantrum, I first make sure that she is safe and then I go watch a quick funny youtube video so that I remain calm and happy.
3. Get rid of or limit your interactions with negative nancys.
You want to make sure you’re surrounded by optimistic, or positive people.
Being around people who are pessimistic, or people who tend to see the worst in things, can actually rub off on you by affecting your attitude and by making you feel less happy.
You know what they say, misery loves company and people who are pessimists will end up bringing you down with them.
4. Boost your happiness by meditating.
Meditating is not only beneficial for those cool yoga moms or the Buddhist. It can be helpful to everyone that wants to feel better.
Meditation involves training or resting the mind to help promote peacefulness by quieting down negative thoughts.
When you incorporate meditation in your everyday life, you can receive a clear, relaxed and positive state of mind.
A website with good guided meditations that I like using is Inner Talk. It uses audio to direct thought to a more relaxed state.
5. Become surrounded by happy, positive smells.
Some scents are automatically associated with a stress-free vacation due to experiences that you’ve had in the past.
Smells of pine, citrus, sunscreen, flowers, rosemary, peppermint, and baby powder can all invoke memories of times when you were younger or times when you were relaxing on a fun vacation.
6. Boost your happiness by practicing appreciation.
Writing down at least 5 things you’re thankful for and reading them daily can help you feel 10 times happier.
7. Incorporate an act of kindness in your day-to-day schedule.
Studies at Harvard Business School and the University of British Columbia have shown that random acts of kindness can boost your happiness levels.
Even as simple as holding the door open for a stranger can help you get a boost of cheerfulness.
8. Keep happy memories EVERYWHERE.
I have photos of my loved ones on a big poster in my room and a picture of my niece and nephew in my car.
Whenever you’re feeling down can always look at these type of photos and get a sense of bliss.
Reminiscing about happy moments is always a mood booster, according to a research study conducted at the University of Southampton.
No one can feel better when they compare their life to others.
She may have a nice car, a big house, or a seemingly perfect life but everyone is on their own journey. The most important journey is your own.
Also, it’s important to note that most people mainly brag about their accomplishments on social media but keep their problems to their selves.
They are only showing you what they what you to see and most of the time they appear 10 times happier than they really are.
This has proven in the study conducted at the University of Michigan. I will admit. I’m guilty of doing this, but I always try to revert my thoughts back to my own goals and accomplishments.
10. Keep in contact with your loved ones.
Loved ones are like your backbone.
They make you feel better by providing you with support, a new perspective and advice during stressful times.
In any case, they lift you up when you’re down and you always know that you can count on them.
If you’re not close to your family, there are also so many benefits to making new friends.
11. Feel better by exercising.
Even a little 10-minute walk can have an effect by making you feel better.
12. Boost your happiness by getting good quality sleep.
Research by the American Psychological Association (2014) found that people who don’t get the recommended eight or more hours of sleep end up impairing their memory and increasing their levels of stress hormones.
- In the meantime, grab your favorite journal/planner that you use the most often, or a piece of paper that you can stick to your bedroom door or refrigerator.
- Write down one or maybe two of these points as a reminder to help you make an effort to do them every day.
- As you make the one or two points into a habit, add more and rinse and repeat.
- Come back here and tell us about the before and after in the comments below.
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Sources: http://www.apa.org/research/action/sleep-deprivation.aspx
http://www.biospace.com/News/being-nostalgic-can-make-you-optimistic-and/315690Aknin, L.B., Dunn, E.W. & Norton, M.I. J Happiness Stud (2012) 13: 347.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-011-9267-5Lund, D. A., Utz, R., Caserta, M. S., & de Vries, B. (2008). Humor, Laughter & Happiness in the Daily Lives of Recently Bereaved Spouses. Omega, 58(2), 87–105.Lathia N, Sandstrom GM, Mascolo C, Rentfrow PJ (2017) Happier People Live More Active Lives: Using Smartphones to Link Happiness and Physical Activity. PLoS ONE 12(1): e0160589.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0160589Kross E, Verduyn P, Demiralp E, Park J, Lee DS, Lin N, et al. (2013) Facebook Use Predicts Declines in Subjective Well-Being in Young Adults. PLoS ONE 8(8): e69841. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0069841
2 Comments
Ana De- Jesus
I complete agree that limiting your time spent on negative energy really does have an impact on your mental health and mindset. When you are surrounded by positivity and eliminate negative influences in your life this can boost your happiness levels. What a great post!
Cherish Angel
Yes! It makes such a big difference with who you’re surrounded by. Thank you for reading!