There are a few things to keep in mind about being happy: happiness is a choice, it requires reflection, and it is worth the effort. Here are a few tips on how you can be happier in your everyday life:
- Learn to say “No” – do not spend time with people who do not treat you well and empower yourself to say “no” to activities and events that do not deliver value. This can be the hardest part of maintaining happiness, so put some effort into evaluating relationships and patterns that are anchoring you in a less than happy state.
- Eat better – your diet is the fuel for your body’s engine and if you put in low-grade fuel you are absolutely going to feel the effects. As a kid, you may have been able to eat junk food and thrive, but that is no longer the case. You need to set your self up for success in the fridge, on the table, and at the grocery store.
- Prioritize sleep – 8 hours of restful sleep each night gives your body the recovery time it needs to feel refreshed and ready to attack the next day. Lack of sleep makes us irritable, lethargic, mentally drained, physically weaker, and more susceptible to disease.
- Be good to others – not much makes us feel better than making someone else happy. Look at every encounter as an opportunity to better someone else’s day. It doesn’t take much. Often simple things like remembering someone’s name, asking about their pet, discussing their day, etc. is all it takes. The best part is both people benefit so it is a true win-win.
- Reflect on where you are – too often we dwell on where we want to be or what we do not have yet. Spend more time really thinking about what you have already achieved, how lucky you are, what you have now. Reframe the future by changing a few words. For example, instead of what you ‘need’ or ‘have’ to do at work, think of what you ‘get’ to do at work. We take so much for granted that we need to occasionally remind ourselves of how lucky we are!
Cheers,
Joe
