There’s never been a better time than now to look at the bright side of life and choose happiness over everything else. We’re giving you enough ways (and reasons) to turn that frown upside down.
Remember Forrest Gump, a loveable simpleton you couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for? Now revisit the movie and learn some life lessons from him—about never being afraid to be honest, loving deeply, appreciating the little things, but above all, about being you. A research by the UK-based organisation Action for Happiness revealed that self-acceptance is one of the top 10 habits that contribute to happiness but also the least practised. That’s because we often let self-judgement come in the way of it. You’ll build yourself up, make better health decisions, stress less and perform better—if only you embrace who you are. The key to finding happiness, according to Jay Shetty, motivational speaker, is to look within. “We look for happiness in everything outside us as opposed to what’s inside us. Happiness is inside out as opposed to outside in.” And that is step one in completing your own happiness project. Concurrent steps are as follows:
DAILY STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO PUT YOURSELF IN A HAPPIER MOOD
Turns out, you can tune yourself to reach a happy state of mind. These scientifically backed exercises don’t require much, except your attention and conviction. And a little bit of love…
1. Start your day right
It could be as simple as waking up with a smile or making your bed. “It starts a chain reaction of other productive habits throughout the day. When you achieve the first task of the day, you are ready for everything else,” says Shetty.
2. Maintain a gratitude journal
When psychologists Dr Robert A Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr Michael E McCullough of the University of Miami conducted their research on gratitude, they divided participants into three groups to maintain a journal each week—the first wrote about things they were grateful for, the second about daily irritations, and the third on events (negative or positive) that affected them. After 10 weeks, the gratitude-list maintainers were more optimistic, felt better about their lives, exercised more and had fewer visits to the physician’s than the other two groups.
Do this: End your day by writing down at least three things that you’ve been grateful for, that day. Acknowledging the goodness in your life will make you realise you have a lot to be thankful for—tangible or intangible. You’ll sleep with a sense of calm and wake with a hopeful, positive attitude to take on a new day.
3. Exercise
You’re well aware of the lifelong benefits of being physically active; here’s a scientific reminder of just how happy it can make you: exercise triggers the release of endorphins—a chemical that interacts with brain receptors to reduce the perception of pain—also known to release happy feelings. Think of exercise as the medium to release the natural euphoric drug in your body—it doesn’t take much, just some squats and stretches. Try it.
4. Come back… to the present
According to a study by psychologists Matthew Killingsworth and Daniel Gilbert of Harvard University, adults spend only 50 per cent of their time in the present moment. They found that when we are in the present moment, we are also at our happiest. Indulge yourself a 100 per cent in whatever activity you’re doing (mundane or exciting). The present will make you happy, because by immersing yourself completely in the experience you’re in a state of flow. Train your mind to be more attentive and refocus every time it goes astray. This will also make you highly productive, thus satisfied.
5. Rise and shine
A study conducted by scientists at the University of Toronto suggested that early risers often felt more alert, happier and motivated, with their immune systems boosted, while ‘evening-type’ people suffered from ‘social jet lag’, where a person’s biological clock was ‘out of sync’ with social activities. Wake up with the sun, and let its energy push you to rise up.
6. Food for good mood
“The gut is where 80 per cent of your serotonin levels—the happy hormone—is secreted,” says Rashi Chowdhary, nutritionist and diabetic educator. Keep calm and feed your gut. Start your day with ‘fat first’—a tablespoon of ghee, butter or coconut oil to sensitise your body to insulin. “Most people have a problem with insulin resistance—the root cause of excess weight and hormonal issues that make us feel anxious and unhappy. Stable insulin levels ensure stable energy, mental clarity and fewer mood swings,” explains Chowdhary.
The good fat list: Avocados, coconut chunks, raw nuts, almond butter, organic peanut, butter, olives.
IT’S OKAY TO…
Do nothing
Let your mind wander, then bring it back to the present. Literally let yourself be—without any digital or human distractions.
Pat yourself on the back
You will do, and have been doing, great things in life, but today just be proud of your little achievements—whether it’s finally getting the consistency of that power smoothie right or acing that cat eye in one flick.
Spend Friday night at home
In your favourite cosies when you could be at three parties. Party for one with your favourite Netflix binge does not make you old, just wiser with your decision to not drown in toxic beverages.
Write sad poems
Or happy ones. And blast ’em on social media. Don’t let the trollers troll your art. Your #InstaFame awaits.
FOLLOW POSITIVE PAGES ON INSTAGRAM
@Buddhadoodles… for encouraging quotes paired with cute illustrations of the always-smiling big-bellied Buddha.
@Happster… because how can fluffy lolling puppies not make you smile?
@HumansofNY… to get inspired by real-people stories and how they cope with struggles and success.
THE UNIVERSE HAS A MESSAGE…
Subscribe to TUT.com for their daily short words of wisdom that’ll keep reminding you just how magical your life really is. Like the one I received today: “Changing what you have, Sneha, comes from changing who you are. And changing who you are comes from changing what you think. Which is why I made the latter so easy. Visualize.”
The post Ways to bring positivity and happiness into your life every single day appeared first on VOGUE India.
