Research is showing that bringing more happiness into your life has far more benefits than merely feeling good.
But, why is it that so many of us feel UNhappy? I found it interesting to do a little research on this topic and here are some of the things I found. (Be sure to download my free tool to get UNSTUCK from your UNhappiness here).
Five health benefits that may result from feeling internally happy are as follows:
Decrease in physical pain
An ability to combat stress more effectively
A stronger immune system
A greater amount of participation in healthy activities such as: exercise, healthy eating, socializing, better sleeping habits
Longevity of life
Which health benefit would make you the happiest?
Five work benefits that may result from feeling internally happy are below:
Better decision making
More creative problem solving
Improved productivity as an individual as when working with a team
Improved customer relationship satisfaction
Higher salaries
Which work benefit would make you feel happier?
DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START?
You might find yourself saying something like “This all sounds great, but HOW can I actually achieve internal happiness?”
Great question! I hope you find the below information useful in helping you learn how. Please leave me a message indicating which step feels like the best place for you to start!
Practice gratitude and appreciation. Happiness begets happiness.
Practice gratitude - first with yourself and your family.
Simply saying “thank you” regularly.
Try journaling each morning and each evening to write an expression of 3 things you are thankful for.
I recently read about a mom helping her kids with a grateful, appreciative mindset. They created an “I’d be glad to jar” and each time someone said those words, they put a dollar in the jar. When the jar was full, they were rewarded with an experience or a treat.
Move your body. Exercise is a natural producer of endorphins (the happy hormone). What type of movement makes you feel the happiest? Do the one you love!
Do you love Yoga?
Dance?
Walking?
Running?
Biking?
Spend time outdoors. How do you like to spend time outdoors? Whether walking, hiking, gardening, or simply allowing the sun to penetrate its warmth into your back has been proven to lift your mood and increase your overall feelings of happiness.
Spend time in nature touching the grass, trees, or anything green
Feel the wind, the sun or the rain on your skin
Listen to the sounds of the birds, the crickets, or the ocean.
Socialize with friends. Making time for quality, intentional time with friends and loved ones increases our sense of connection, community and love. Summertime is perfect for outdoor BBQ’s, camping, floating the river, lounging by the pool, and yard games.
Make mindfulness a practice. Being mindful increases your self-awareness, helps you let go of negative experiences, and creates space for more positive experiences and emotions - thereby increasing your happiness.
TAKE AWAY
Following these guidelines and cultivating internal happiness is not meant to be a guilt-trip of things we are ‘not doing’, or something to add to our daily ‘to do’ list. These are meant to be inspirational messages and ideas for areas where you might appreciate an uplevel and tools for how to get there.
Research shows that feeling happier is beneficial for our health, work and relationships, but not if forcing yourself to be happy or if seeking happiness causes you more stress.
Take your time and enjoy the process of identifying areas of life where you could potentially let some more happiness in. Maybe begin with only one thing on the list and once that feels natural, add in one more, etc.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES
What ideas have you used to cultivate greater happiness in your life? How did you do it? Please share your experiences in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!
Need a little help? Be sure to download my free tool to help you get UNSTUCK from your Unhappiness here.
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