Doing These 5 Things Every Day Will Make You Feel Happier

“How do you tell when you’re in a good mood?” Isn’t this a difficult question to answer? What does it mean to you to be happy? An even more difficult question to answer!

You might be shocked to learn that defining happiness isn’t that easy. To various people, it signifies different things. To me, it is knowing my children are happy and safe, but to someone else, happiness might be knowing they are at the top of their career. If you find it challenging to think about what makes you truly happy, think about what is important to you first. Then think about the best-case scenario relating to what is important to you. We all have something to be happy about. It’s only a matter of sitting down for a minute to figure out what that thing is.

I don’t think happiness is just one thing, though; I think it’s a collection of feelings we experience: joy, satisfaction, positive well-being, and a sense that your life is good, significant, and worthy. With this in mind, I would like to share with you 5 things you can do every day to improve your happiness. I do these things myself, and I can honestly say that they have helped shift me to a more positive mindset.

1)Perform a Random Act of Kindness

Have you ever had that feeling of receiving a sincere thank you because you made someone’s day? If you have, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about when I say how amazing it feels to know you truly helped someone. This is the first thing on my list, do something nice for someone.

“It’s better to give than to receive,” as the proverb goes. There are so many opportunities for sprinkling a little kindness into the air. You could surprise the person in front of you by paying for their coffee. Hold the door open for someone and wish them a pleasant day. Make eye contact with someone and smile when you say hi. These things may appear small, but if you give them a go, I can guarantee you it will boost your serotonin.

2) Exercising gratitude

Okay, I know you may have heard this one a million times before, but don’t knock it until you try it. Often, people think this involves writing file pages upon file pages about your day, and they get put off by this idea; who wouldn’t? Exercising gratitude doesn’t need to involve writing for hours on end. It can be as simple as making a quick list of three things you are thankful for. These things do not have to be enormous, expensive, or life-changing; they can be as simple as a sunny day, playing with your pet, or finishing a large job. There are no fixed rules; everything you do counts as long as you show gratitude.

Now, I know we are all busy, and even the idea of taking an extra 10 minutes every morning to write something down might be impossible for those who have a toddler who needs their attention 24/7. So, alternatively, I would suggest doing something as simple as rhyming off three things you are grateful for in your mind before you get out of bed. This is actually what I do most of the time, and I feel like it gets me in a good headspace before I jump out of bed.

3) Play

Yes… you read that right, I said play. Being an adult, as you know, is highly stressful. Your day to day responsibilities are endless, and a lot of things fall on your shoulders. To combat this stress, try not to take yourself so seriously all the time. Take a few moments to relax and have some fun. Jump in a puddle, throw a ball with the kids, or go to the park and swing in the breeze. Experiment with playing a little or a lot but just make sure it’s outside your comfort zone because that’s where you will find your inner child.

4) Choose positivity

Literally, choose positivity. Negative intrusive thoughts can be a pain, but you ultimately have power over your mind. Your mind is yours. The benefits of a positive attitude are endless, including lower rates of depression and anxiety, living longer, better heart health, and lower levels of distress.

You may be thinking, “I’m not a positive person, so how do I make this work?” Just fake it until you develop the habit of a positive attitude. Take a stance against your negativity. Counter it with a positive thought or a positive behaviour for every negative thought or negative behaviour. It may take time, but eventually, you will train your brain to only react positively.

5) Practice Self-Care

I saved the best ’til last! Do you constantly prioritise the needs and desires of others before your own? Putting yourself first does not mean that you are a selfish person. Don’t get caught up in that way of thinking because it’s a trap. Growing up, my mother always said to me, “take care of number one,” and who was this “number one”? It was me. She said that no matter what, make sure you take time out to make sure you are okay and you are being kind to yourself. Now, I’m just taking this one step further and saying actually put it in practice. What does this look like? I can only tell you what it looks like for me, as you will have a completely different version of self-care. Every Sunday, no matter what, I give myself a little facial with a face mask, and I sit and meditate for 15 minutes. Your self-care routine could be an extra slice of cake, spending 10 more minutes in the bath, going to a yoga class, getting your hair done, or even going to the gym. Whatever it is, make sure you make time for self-care, and I promise you will quickly feel the benefits of a more fulfilled life.

I strongly recommend these five measures. Why not set a 30-day goal and keep track of your progress? You can achieve happiness. You’ve earned it.