I have no doubt that the items on this list will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step.
1. Volunteer to Help Others
Sometimes we forget that there are others who need our help. When we give to others we come away with a sense of satisfaction that can’t be replicated. Think of a time you’ve been there for someone and you will remember that feeling. Make this notion of serving others part of your weekly routine. You will be providing a life change for two people – yourself and the recipient of your kindness. On a smaller scale you could also make ‘giving compliments’ part of your daily routine – this also has a pleasing affect on your mood and it’s a nice thing to do for others.
2. Wake Up Earlier
Getting up just a half an hour earlier than you need to can help you to feel calmer, more in control and generally happier. Staying ahead of things means your’e avoiding the rush and cutting down on stress. Practise this every day and ultimately you will be happier and healthier.
3. Spend Money on Experiences
Researchers have found that spending money on items isn’t really what makes us happy. It may please us for a short while, but really what makes us happy is to spend our money on experiences. So, go and book yourself a day trip away to somewhere beautiful and cancel that order for the new laptop.
4. Laugh, Cry and Have Sex
Here are three ways to release endorphins (happy hormones) which will lift your mood in no time. Who would have thought that crying could make you feel good. Well, it makes sense in a way as we know already that holding in tears doesn’t make us feel very good. The relief of letting it all out brings about happy emotions – so don’t hold back the next time you feel like blubbing. We already know that sex is good for our health as it’s fantastic exercise but now that we know it’s good for our mood there’s no more excuses not to have a good romp.
5. Drink Almond Milk
Almond milk has many fantastic benefits while dairy milk can wreak havoc on the human body. Stay away from dairy and use almond milk as a replacement – your cardiovascular and skeletal system will benefit and you will also have better skin. This is definitely a small life change that will result in a healthier you.
6. Smile
Smiling releases endorphins or happy hormones which enhances mood. If you put a pen horizontally between your teeth for a few minutes you will be forced to smile and your mood will thank you. This well researched phenomenon is an immediate fix for anyone who’s a bit in need of a lift. A good tool to use here would be to take out an old photo album (that doesn’t contain upsetting photo’s) and flick through the pages. You will be smiling so much you’ll be feeling happy in no time.
7. Surround Yourself with Happy Healthy Folk
Our habits and our moods rub off on one another. We are impressionable beings both on an energy and psychological level. If we are in a group of happy people for the afternoon we will inevitably feel happy as we make our journey home. So choose your company wisely and your mood will escalate steadily.
8. Breathe Properly
People get stressed and their breathing becomes shallow – they forget how to breathe properly. Anytime you notice your breathing speed up and become shallow, stop what your’e doing and inhale deeply – hold for a second and let it out slowly. Repeat a few times until your breathe naturally slows down on it’s own. You will feel relaxed and renewed after this exercise. It’s good for your lungs, your digestion, your circulatory system and of course it’s great for managing stress.
9. Expose Yourself To Humour
Just as with your choice of company – be careful about what other things you are exposed to. Watch lots of good comedy on T.V, read humorous books and listen to happy music. We each have our own taste, but Melissa McCarthy does it for me every time.
10. Write a Pot List
This is like a baby bucket list. It’s a list of the top ten small things you wanna do in the next month. It could be something simple like going sailing or something more lasting like a new tattoo or rescuing a dog. It’s completely up to you. There are so many adventures out there big and small just waiting to be realised. Now it’s your turn to have a little fun.
11. Change Your Sleep Routine
For about a year now, I have been going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning. People compliment me and say that I look really well and I’m pretty sure it’s down to my sleep pattern. I don’t feel tired anymore – I’ m careful to get at least eight hours sleep every night. Of course there will be exceptions to this but as a rule have your set hours for getting up and going to bed.
12. Connect with Something Bigger than Yourself
Connecting with something like a community group, religion, nature or the universe is a surefire way to invite happiness into your life. Get involved in a spiritual group or maybe something of interest to you in the community. There is always very positive energy in activities involving music and dance.
13. Eat, Drink and be Merry
Now don’t get all excited – I mean in moderation. Those endorphins are just so easy to manufacture – turns out we can make even more if we drink wine (a glass a day), eat dark chocolate and spicy food (yummy). Then we have tea – gingseng makes us happy and green and white tea are particularly healthy. Green tea is a great antioxidant. It does a fantastic job of cleansing our systems and it gets to work on those calories too (nice one!). So throw out the coffee (go on just do it!) and buy yourself a few boxes of herbal tea. You’ll feel so much better.
14. Lift Weights
Lifting weights is all the rage now. It is thought to be the best way to get in shape and it has tremendous benefits for your posture and your muscle strength. Getting in shape makes us happy and you guessed it – healthy.
15. Be Grateful
Gratitude can be used as a tool for happiness and good health. Take some time every day to write down your messages of gratitude and see what happens. Many experts on the laws of the universe say that when you make a statement of gratitude you get more of what you are grateful for. So if you state – “I am so grateful for my good health” – you will get more good health. I was very ill for some time and using gratitude everyday was a very big help to me. Happiness and good health are intertwined – you get one then you have the other within your reach. Taking action on even one or two of the above could have a dramatic effect on your life – so why not have a try and see how you get on. The effects of each change will be a reward in itself and you will build momentum as you work your way through the list. Whatever you do – don’t forget to smile.
