Do you think winning the lottery would bring you happiness? Research shows that the winner’s happiness increases for only about 6 months and then goes back to its previous level. Circumstance and possessions can only temporarily boost our happiness.
It’s also been shown that we go back to our normal happiness ‘set point’ after good or bad news. Even after the worst news, we can bounce back to our normal levels of happiness. The downside is that we can’t reach a state where constant happiness is guaranteed.
However, we CAN boost our everyday happiness set point. It requires constant awareness, 21 days to formulate the positive habits and continued creativity. Here are 8 suggestions to increase the happiness levels:
1 – Savor the ordinary moments in life: The smell and taste of your first coffee. The feeling of sunshine on your face. The moment when you climb into your soft, warm bed at night.
2 – Start a dinnertime ritual of saying three things you enjoyed or appreciated that day. Gratitude is connected to happiness. Keeping a gratitude journal is another good option.
3 – Practice small acts of kindness. Put a funny card in the mail to cheer up a friend. Express some appreciation to a colleague who tends to be overlooked. The happiness boost we get from helping other people is often far greater than the pleasure they receive.
4 – Do not compare your life to anyone else’s. Your best friend may have just bought an apartment you would love to live in. You feel happy for her, but jealous at the same time. Remember focusing on the differences between your lives will reduce your happiness.
5 – Make time for a regular walk or exercise you enjoy. People who exercise regularly are happier than those who don’t.
6 – Have a meaningful goal to work towards. It doesn’t have to relate to work or study. Put together a digital family album or grow vegetables. If it’s important to you, it will boost your happiness.
7 – Keep a rein on your tendency to ruminate. Bad things happen to us all, but the happiest amongst us keep their focus on the present, rather than dwelling on the past.
8 – Invite your best friend out for a coffee no matter how busy you are. Go to that bbq even if you don’t feel like it. Socializing with people we care for on a regular basis provides the biggest happiness boost of all.
Homework: Mix it up. Finding new ways to engage in happiness habits will give you the biggest boost!
Reiki Kudos!
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