Cultivating Happiness

Cultivating Happiness

Whether you’re feeling happy right now or not, we can always be happier and more resilient. There are some simple habits we can create in our life to feel happier pretty quickly. One of the best ways to do this is create happiness habits and make it a daily routine. Below will be a variety of different habits that you can use daily to feel happy and to be more resilient so when the stressful times come (which they will) you will have built a strong foundation that will allow you to move through these times quicker and smoother.

1.?????Every day do a gratitude check – write or say 2-3 things you are grateful for that happened today. I remember for me this was very tough the first week. I was very sick and feeling a lack of control in my life and I had to find things I was grateful for. It seemed impossible. My first day my gratitude check included: I woke up and I’m alive. I remember this day very clearly but within a few weeks my list was growing along with my happiness.

2.?????Every day write or say 2-3 things you like about yourself – most people tell me this is the toughest part. They can give me a list of ten things they don’t like about themselves but to say nice things to our self seems awkward and uncomfortable. So, start with 1 or 2 things if that’s all you got but keep at it. It will grow, I promise.

3.?????At the end of the day write or say 2-3 things that went well today. Review the day and notice what you did well. The little things you put the hard work and effort into it. The times you stepped out of your comfort zone, tried something new and took a risk.

4.?????Random act of kindness- each day do something for someone else without any expectation. Your little act of kindness such as a smile or a compliment could be what makes someone else’s day. Every time you do a random act of kindness you get a boost of happiness and so does the person you helped. It also boosts your self-esteem.

5.?????Mindfulness – is the only natural way to de-stress without side effects. Meditation is one way to get mindfulness. It comes in many forms – guided meditation (there are so many options found on youtube.com or apps such as calm or insight timer). You can also try deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, walking, yoga, sitting in nature, etc. We only need a few minutes a day.

6.?????Are your basic needs met- we can’t feel happy and full of energy if our basic needs aren’t met. For one week, keep a journal/track of what are your eating and when? Sugar can increase the chance of impaired brain functions and symptoms of mood disorders. How much sleep did I get? How much water did I drink? (not coffee, tea or soda) and did I exercise today? After a week of keeping an honest journal of your basic needs, you can usually see why you feel low energy, fatigued and blah.

7.?????Taking risks- How can I challenge myself today? What gives me a little excitement and nerves at the same time? How can I step outside of my comfort zone?

8.?????Money – To cultivate happiness with money, use money to buy memories/experience, time or to help others.

?*Habits 1-3 will also help you re-train your brain for positive. It helps you to focus on what’s good in life instead of what’s bad.

You don’t need to do all the habits. Pick 2 or 3 habits to start and add them into your daily routine. To get the results, you need to be consistent for at least a month. Most of my clients start feeling happier in a month or so.?

For more information, please visit www.dianelang.org or email Diane at [email protected]