1. Striving For Happiness
In my opinion, being happy is a feeling most people strive for. I think
on some level we all want to be happy, otherwise life would seem pretty
bleak. I know I do. When I feel happy, I am productive, motivated,
creative and on fire.
For many, aging can create a lot of unhappiness as things that once felt
in our control, now feel out of control, like our health, our bodies
and even our relationships with others. That's why it's even more important to engage in daily activities that
cultivate happiness and to build that emotional muscle so that you can
experience overall well-being.
2. Can We Choose Happiness?
Happiness is a fleeting emotion. We are dynamic individuals with many
layers to us that feel tons of different emotions in any given minute.
Experts will tell us that you can choose happiness, and although that
may seem logical, I have found that most people struggle with this
concept.
Happiness is not something you capture, and many of us sought to find it in external things like money, cars, big houses, etc, but the bottom line is that none of those things bring true happiness, as
they are just things. I always thought having the fancy house, nice cars
and being able to travel anywhere in the world would bring me all the
happiness I ever desired, but that wasn't the case.
True happiness, contentment and joy need to be nurtured, cultivated and practiced.
Here are my favorite tips on ways you can feel happier in your life;
3. Leave Your Seat, and Move Those Feet
Exercise is one of the best ways to feel happy. Neurotransmitters and
endorphins are released during exercise that support you in feeling
good. Your brain chemistry actually changes when you exercise and new
neurons are created.
Studies have shown that physically active people can recover from
depression more quickly than non-exercisers and it attributes to better
mental health as we age.
Not an exerciser? That's ok...just get up and move, even if it's a walk for 10-20 minutes a day, and work yourself up from there.
4. Connect With Others
Human connection is one of the most important factors in overall
happiness and feeling good. In our busy world today, it's easy to skate
through life with our heads buried in TV, electronics or other
distractions.
Making an effort to deeply and authentically connect with other human
beings will leave us with an overall sense of well-being and meaning in
the world. When we have interpersonal relationships with others, we feel a sense of belonging. It is in our nature to want to be close with others and
connect, so reach out to someone today whether it's an old friend, or a
new one waiting to be made.
5. Be of Service
What I find as I become more and more successful over the years is that
being of service is the one thing that brings me true, authentic
happiness. As I said before, it wasn't the cars, the money or any of
those things, but when I am of service to the people in this world, I
feel a very strong sense of connectedness and inner happiness that I
have never felt from any external thing. My work with the United States Armed Forces and Push Ups for Charity
is some of the most important work I do and brings me joy and a humble
connection with the greater good. I am able to give back to those who
give so much to us each day.
What can you do to be of service today? Even if it's just asking someone
how they are, and listening with your whole heart to what they have to
say.
6. Be Grateful for What You Have Now
Expressing gratitude may sound cliche, but studies have shown
that feeling gratitude for the things we do have, versus focusing on
the things you want or don't have brings a strong sense of internal
happiness if practiced regularly.
So, take a minute right now to think of all the people in your life
you feel grateful for and the experiences you've had that have warmed
your heart. See, it's almost impossible
to feel anything but happy when living in the attitude of gratitude.
7. Spend Time in Nature
Spending time outside has been known to energize us and give us a feeling a vitality. Connecting to nature is almost as important as connecting with humans.
Take some time and go outside. Look around. Listen to the wind blowing
through the trees. Smell a flower. Get lost in the woods. Whatever you
do, get outside as much as you can and see how it starts to change your
happiness barometer.
8. Find a Happy Hobby
Having a hobby that you enjoy is also an important part of cultivating happiness. I love to ski. Skiing makes me happy.
Find something you enjoy doing, and do it as often as you can. This will
begin to spark those inner feel-good feelings and your creative spirit.
9. Put On a Smile
Look, feeling happy every moment is just not possible. We are intricate human beings with a whole network of emotions.
It's okay to experience sadness once in a while, or fear, these are
important emotions too and ones that help to catapult us forward into
seeking happiness. We wouldn't know happiness if we didn't know sadness.
So embrace them all, and begin your practice of cultivating happiness
as
I outlined above. Put a smile on your face and get out in the world. That's a start.
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