How To Increase Your Happiness: 9 Things You Can Do Now
If there’s one thing you cannot have too much of its happiness. It’s something you want to have in abundance and knowing how you can increase your happiness is a valuable skill to have.
A skill you can put to use whenever you’re having a crappy day, or if you’ve noticed you’ve been feeling a bit down lately.
You don’t need to rely on others to make you happy. In fact, you are 100% responsible for your own happiness (pretty darn powerful when you think about it).
If you’re finding yourself in a bit of a slump, or your mood is just not where you want it to be, try these ideas to shake things up, boost your mood, and increase your happiness:
1 – Declutter
Okay, this seems boring, I know. But I promise this is a brilliant way to clear all the clutter and you may not realise it but physical clutter is linked to mental clutter.
If you have too much ‘stuff’ in your home and you can’t sort through it, then the same will be of your mind.
Clutter can be overwhelming, and it can literally feel like it is weighing us down.
You can feel the difference when you’re in a room that is light, bright, airy, and clutter free, versus a room with piles of clutter everywhere.
Start decluttering – anything, anywhere. Grab a rubbish bag, set a timer for 10 minutes, walk into a room in your house, and go for it.
2 – Practice Gratitude
Even on your worst days, you can always find something to be grateful for.
Express gratitude towards the “little things” in life – that delicious dinner you had, a compliment you received, or your kids behaving for a few hours.
You can even practice gratitude for being able to walk outside, for the fresh air, for your car starting, for the green light on your way to work…
As you get into the habit of practicing gratitude, your overall outlook on life will improve. What we focus on grows – if we focus on the positive things in our life, we will see more of the positive things.
You can also use journaling as a way of practicing gratitude. Simply start a page with ‘Today I am grateful for…’ and write whatever it is you are grateful for.
3 – Exercise
Exercising won’t just help you feel your best physically – it can improve your mood, too.
That’s because working out boosts your endorphins, can help regulate your sleep, and can increase serotonin.
In addition, finishing a workout is an accomplishment, giving you something to feel proud of for the rest of the day. On a nice day, try exercising outdoors. Not only will you get some much-needed Vitamin D, but it can add even more benefits to your workout regimine.
If you rarely feel motivated to get moving, make exercise fun by playing Just Dance, going bowling, or doing something else you enjoy.
You could also do gentler workout routines, like yoga or pilates.
4 – Create Routines
Unpredictability is stressful, even for the most well-adjusted people.
Knowing what to expect from your days can both help you relax and regularly give you things to look forward to.
Develop one new habit at a time – if you overwhelm yourself with a strict, busy schedule right off the bat, you likely won’t stick to it.
You don’t need to sign up for classes or get a gym membership to build a routine.
Start by waking up at the same time every day or buying groceries on the same day each week.
Even the smallest habitual behaviors are better to have than none!
5 – Change Your Work Habits
Are you working more hours than you need to? If so, take a step back and focus on self-care.
Many people feel like they need to cover their coworkers’ shifts when they call out, but they just wind up drained when they do.
Prioritize yourself and maintain boundaries at work – your days off are your days off. Use your free days to relax or spend time with loved ones.
If your boss, coworkers, or work environment are toxic, it’s likely time to change workplaces (or even careers!)
With a well-written resume, references, and your current skill set, you can transition into a position that better suits your preferences.
We spend so much of our time working, so feeling comfortable at your job is important!
6 – Take Note Of What A ‘Happy Life’ Looks Like For You
So many of us are searching for happiness, but not all of us know what we want out of life.
If you haven’t already, think about where you want to see yourself next year, in five years, and in 10. Having clear goals in mind can help you achieve them better.
Once you know what it will take for you to be happy, make a physical or digital note of them.
Create inspirational Pinterest boards, bucket lists, or Post-It notes – whatever it takes to remember the direction you want your life to go in.
As you move closer towards happiness, you’ll spark even more joy when you can see how far you’ve come!
7 – Get Outdoors
We already talked about going outside for exercise, but you don’t need to break a sweat to enjoy your natural surroundings.
Just being outside can help lower your blood pressure and improve your focus.
Incorporate relaxing outdoor activities into your schedule (weather permitting) to manifest happier days.
8 – Connect With Those You Love
Contrary to what you may tell yourself, people do want to hear from you!
Isolating isn’t healthy and can lead to unhappiness if you don’t connect with others often enough.
Spend some time each day talking to friends, family, and others you care about – you may feel less alone afterwards.
Staying in touch with your loved ones is also important for nurturing those relationships.
If you don’t talk to your friends often, they may feel unimportant and make less of an effort to check in or invite you out. When your friends feel cared about, they’ll show concern for you in return.
9 – Take Time Alone and For Self Care
While it’s great to spend time with others, we all need “me time,” too.
Spend some time each day on solo hobbies, relaxing activities, and health maintenance.
Balancing your social life and responsibilities with self-care is important for maintaining happiness – without alone time, you’ll likely get drained.
Saying “no” to loved ones who want to see you can be difficult, especially if you haven’t hung out with them in a while. If you’re not feeling up to it, though, you need to stand your ground. Otherwise, you risk becoming more drained, irritable, or stressed out.
Happiness doesn’t just come to those who wait – it also comes to those who look for it.
Even when you can’t control your circumstances, your habits can help shape your outlook on life.
After a few small changes to your lifestyle, better days will be coming your way!
