Happiness can sometimes feel elusive, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are a multitude of simple things you can do to cultivate happiness in your life. Here’s a small handful:
- Eating meals outdoors with loved ones
Outdoor kitchens are inside gardens, greenhouses or on your favorite patio space. They are green, sustainable and liveable.
There are numerous physical and psychological benefits associated with cooking outdoors backed by science. For example, research shows that when people share meals together, they’re more likely to feel happy and satisfied with their lives. Combined with the benefits of being outdoors, sharing meals with others outside can do wonders to increase happiness.
- Going for walks
If you have a dog, you know that going for walks is the most exciting part of their day, and it can be that way for you, too. Walking will get your heartrate up just enough to give you some health benefits, and will also make you breathe deeper, pulling more oxygen into your system. This alone can lift your mood quite a bit.
- Deep breathing
The mind is always moving a mile a minute, and when you learn to slow down your thoughts, you experience more peace and lower stress and anxiety. Engaging in deep breathing exercises for just ten minutes a day can do wonders to make you feel happier.
- Sleeping well
You don’t realize how much sleep quality is tied to your mood until you have a rough night and feel irritable the next morning. When you don’t sleep well, your mood suffers. If you can improve your sleep quality, your mood will also improve. Over time, when you get settled into a proper sleep routine where you’re able to stay in the deeper REM cycles long enough, you’ll wake up feeling rested and happier.
- Talking with friends
Sometimes just talking with someone about what’s going on in your life is all you need to feel good. You don’t have to share too many personal details to enjoy a meaningful conversation. Often, it’s enough to just enjoy the company of a friend and talk openly together.
- Helping others
Many people derive a strong sense of happiness from helping other people. If that appeals to you, start volunteering your time with organizations that do the kind of work you support. For instance, you might want to work in a soup kitchen or help a nonprofit organization deliver supplies to homeless shelters. Or, you might prefer spending time with animals living in a shelter. Do whatever excites you the most, because that’s what will make you the happiest.
- Drawing, singing, and other creative acts
Being creative is about more than just creating something fun – it’s an outlet for self-expression. Although art is often appreciated by others, artists need to express their craft to feel alive. If you’re the creative type, but you haven’t pursued anything artistic in a while, try to find a way to express yourself. Sometimes that blocked energy can stagnate and suppress happiness. Once you find an outlet for self-expression and get into your flow, you’ll feel a lot happier.
- Meditating
Just like deep breathing exercises, meditating can have a profound impact on slowing down your thoughts and bringing you into the present moment. During meditation, your brainwaves first enter the alpha state, which makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. When you allow yourself to go deeper, your brain will enter theta, which feels like a blissful experience.
- Spend time at the beach
If you’re fortunate enough to live within a reasonable drive to the beach, start visiting more often and dig your toes into the sand. If you don’t like to swim in the ocean, you don’t have to – just getting your feet wet is enough.
Most people know they feel great at the beach and the smell of the salty air feels uplifting, but can’t explain why. It’s actually because there is an abundance of negative ions in the air created because of the way sunlight and moisture break apart and reform while gaining electrical charge. High concentrations of negative are associated with a positive mood and even higher energy levels. Many people claim going to the beach has helped to alleviate depression, stress, and anxiety.
Happiness isn’t hard to find
Although society constantly trains us to look outside of ourselves for happiness, the truth is being happy is an inside job. Increasing the happiness in your life doesn’t have to be hard. Start small by incorporating a couple of things on this list into your daily routine. With some experimentation, you’ll find something that works for you.
