We all know the benefits of being happy, and we all want to be happy, but sometimes we need a little help with remembering how to be happy, and a little reminder that we can choose to feel happy now. So here’s 8 ideas to help remind you to foster joy in your life every day.
- Talk to someone face to face, change a routine, learn a new skill or have sex
What these four things have in common is that they bring your focus to the present moment. Research has found that people are happier when focusing on the here and now than they are when their mind is wandering because our mind often wanders to negative thinking and worry. - Do something for someone else.
This doesn’t have to be a big gesture, it could be something as simple as holding a door open for someone, buying a workmate a coffee or offering to pick up your friend’s children from school. When we do something for someone else we feel happier ourselves. - Listen to music you love
Play upbeat music to lift your energy and softer acoustic music to soothe you. - Change your physical perspective
Changing our physical perspective can often change our mental one. This can be a simple as looking out a window and watching clouds in the sky or trees moving in the wind, or something more active like going for a walk beside a river, or in a park or on a beach. - Leave a ‘you’re beautiful’ note on the bathroom mirror for others and yourself
- Move your body
Exercise helps to bring our attention into the present moment. It also reduces stress and releases feel-good endorphins. The principal function of endorphins is to inhibit the transmission of pain signals and they may also produce a feeling of euphoria very similar to that produced by other opioids. Add some music, or chat with a friend while you are exercising and you can boost your mood even further. Even 5-10 minutes of active movement can be enough to get you feeling happy vibes, and of course, hula hooping is a very convenient way to do this. - Smile
Physically move your face into a smile and your emotions will move upward with the corners of your mouth. Even better, laugh, as this can also release endorphins. - Say thank you
Gratitude is a great joy booster. Remember to thank people often through your day. You may wish to record at least 3 things you are thankful for in a notebook to put positive thoughts in your head before going to sleep. When someone compliments you, respond with a simple thank you and smile. You can also try the following rephrasing exercise: instead of saying “I’m sorry’, say ‘thank you’, for example, instead of saying “I’m sorry I’m late” say “thank you for waiting for me”, or instead of saying “sorry for being such a mess” say “thank you for caring about me unconditionally”.
An interesting thing about this list is that it helps clarify why many people find that hula hooping causes them to feel good as it is a form of exercise which often makes you smile and laugh, which you normally do to music and which usually involves learning new skills.
Happy Hooping : )