5 Simple Ways to Increase Happiness

Photo by Marion Michele on Unsplash

Happiness.

Happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being which can be defined by, among others, positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

I don’t think there is a person around that would not enjoy more happiness in their life. I’ve been thinking more about what are some simple things you can start today that will increase that emotion. Here are 5 easy ways to do it now!

1. Do something kind for others– It doesn’t have to be big or luxurious. You don’t have to donate money or spend a half day on a project. Doing some thing nice for others could be as simple as a compliment or asking if a friend needs any thing from the grocery store. When you do some thing kind for others, you are helping yourself reach a higher level of happiness.
2. Move your body-Of course this made the list! Whenever I think about exercise and happiness, that quote from Legally Blonde pops in my head. “Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy, happy people don’t kill their husbands!” It’s true though, well about the endorphins making you happy. When you move, your brain perceives this as a positive feeling, and it will keep wanting more!
3. Practice Gratitude-I’ve seen this and heard it so many times. It really does make sense. Negative thoughts seem to come very natural. So we have to take control of that and change the way we “see” things. One quick way to do this is having a gratitude journal. Every morning or night, write down 5 things you are grateful for. It could be for that day or for every day!
4. Practice good sleep hygiene-If you want to be happier, take your sleep more serious. All day long your body is in a catabolic state. You are, very much in a sense, being “broken down”. If you add workouts to it, that’s even more break down (the good kind). We have family stressors, work stressors, food stressors etc. Sleep is a very easy way to bring your body to an anabolic state and build it back up! More on sleep here.
5. Do something about it-Research shows that happiness is about 40% within your control. So let’s start today and make some conscious decisions towards more happiness. You can just start with being more aware.

Health and Happiness,

Morgan