7 tips to be happier

Many of us assume that happiness is a state we reach without having to work at it, but the truth of the matter is, that being happy largely depends on our own attitude to life and the way we choose to live. We mustn’t wait for happiness to come knocking on our door. Instead, we have to take ownership of our own happiness and create a lifestyle that fulfils us.

Here are 7 ways you can create your own happiness. These simple tips can make the world of a difference to your mood, your motivation and your wellbeing.

Practice gratitude

One of the key elements to happiness is being grateful. In times when you’re feeling less positive and struggling to feel content, focusing on what you’re grateful for can be very effective. We sometimes tend to forget that there is actually a lot to be thankful for. We tend to take things for granted, when actually, the best attitude to life is always counting your blessings and keeping positive, even in the hardest of times.

Dedicate a moment each day to practicing gratitude. Think about the things that you are grateful for in your life. You can either make a list in notebook, or, you can think about it first thing in the morning, on your way to work, whilst you meditate, practice yoga or on a outdoors walk.

Exercise

Exercising is a simple yet effective way of improving your mood, thus, increasing your happiness. Exercising stimulates the production of feel-good chemicals in the body like endorphins. The release of these chemicals improves mood, confidence and boosts energy levels. Exercising regularly can make you feel happier. It’ll reflect on all aspects of your life.

Eat healthy

Eating healthy isn’t only about taking care of your health; it also influences your mood. It’s well established that what you eat affects your mood, therefore, a healthy diet is going to make you feel better about yourself, thus, will boost your happiness levels. Make sure your diet is based on nutritious wholesome food, and avoid processed and sugar-laden foods.

Dedicate time to yourself

We all need that down time dedicated to ourselves. Do something regularly that makes you feel happy. Everyone has their own taste and interests; therefore, there isn’t a rule that applies to all. The important thing is finding that special moment that allows you to disconnect from your daily events and connect with yourself.

Have a healthy social life

Maintaining healthy and caring friendships is a crucial part of wellbeing. You can eat as healthy as you want, exercise and tick all the right boxes in terms of taking care of yourself, but another crucial aspect of wellbeing is having close bonds with people. We all need to spend time with people who nurture our soul. There’s nothing quite like spending time with people you love, chatting about life and feeling like you have a support system. Make sure to keep close ties with the people who matter in your life and make time for them.

Always look at the positive side in life

There are always different ways of reacting to situations. We’re going to deal with stressful or less favourable situations throughout our life, however, we can decide what attitude we’re going to adopt when dealing with them. It’s always important to look at the positive aspects in life and not focus on the negative ones. If you internalise a positive outlook in life, you’ll be able to live a happier life. Nearly everything has a solution and every difficult situation passes. Everything in life is ephemeral, so always remember that whatever comes your way, it’ll pass and you’ll be able to deal with it.

Express yourself

Saying how you feel is an important factor to feeling good with yourself. Speaking about your feelings is a therapeutic way of letting all those bottled-up emotions out and reflecting on what you’re feeling. They say that a problem shared, is a problem halved. Share your thoughts with your close ones. They’ll be able to give you valuable advice and the support that you need to move past anything that is troubling you.

Including these simple tips into your daily routine will make a huge difference over time. Make it your new year’s resolution to take care of yourself and creating a happy and healthy lifestyle.