5 Ways to be Happier
Throughout the 17 years I've lived, I've discovered some tricks that have made me a happier person and perceive life in a positive way. Here are a few tips that you can use to become the happiest version of yourself.
-
Exercise
I know this seems like the most typical thing to say but exercising really does improve your mood and reduce stress and anxiety. Your body releases endorphins while you exercise and make you feel good. Exercising makes your brain release chemicals that can ease depression. At the end of the day, exercising just makes you feel good, energized and more confident, thus making you happier.
2. Keep a Gratitude Journal
Now this one sounds weird but hear me out. It is so easy to be distracted with the long list of tasks that we are focused on completing every day, that we can lose perspective on the important things in life. When we feel that the world owes us something or we don’t get what we want, this can obviously take a huge toll on your mood. Start with writing down ten things you are grateful for. It can be anything from your cell phone to loved ones or even that you have a roof over your head. Each day you can challenge yourself to write more things down than the day before. You will notice that your perspective will start to change. You might even notice you complain less. At the end of the day, looking at the long list of things in your life that you are grateful for, you will truly be happy.
3. Drink Water
You might be wondering what water has to do with your mood and overall happiness. You know you need to drink it in order to survive but that’s about it, right? Wrong! Research shows that the more water you drink, the better your mood is. Water aids in digestion, treats headaches and migraines, relieves fatigue and flushes out toxins. No wonder it makes you feel better! If you are always feeling tired and stressed, dehydration could be a factor. So make sure you’re drinking the recommended amount so that you can improve your mood and be happier.
4. Positive Affirmations
An affirmation is just what it sounds like, the action of affirming something. Sometimes as humans we can go down a negative road and constantly be telling ourselves negative affirmations such as “I know I am not going to get the job” or “today is going to be awful”. This is extremely toxic thinking and it doesn’t make anyone happy. In order to stop negative thoughts from ruining your mood, you have to replace them with positive ones. You can even go as far as writing them down on sticky notes and placing them throughout your house so that you don’t forget. Write whatever kind of affirmations you need in your life. An example could be “today is going to be amazing” or “I will do great in that interview”. It sounds silly however changing your thought process to be positive can alter your mood completely. By doing this, you will notice a change and be a happier person.
5. Fake it till you feel it
If there is something going on in your life that makes you sad or angry and you can’t seem to shake that feeling, of course it is going to decrease your happiness. This could be anything from a break up, a fight with a loved one or just not feeling confident about yourself at all. “Fake it till you make it” is a common term used when dealing with confidence issues but I believe it can work with other emotions such as sadness and anger. This term basically means fake the attitude (happiness or confidence) until you actually reach it. When we pretend that we feel this way, we gain the tools and experience that are necessary to make this a reality. If you are feeling unhappy then act as if you are until you gain the knowledge on what changes you can make in your own life in order to be the happiest you can be.