14 Healthy Habits for a Happier Life

15 Benefits of Banana Juice

How to Be Happy

Happiness means different things to different people. For you, it may be an admiration of your looks, for others, it may be the secure network of friends they have, while for others, it may be their level of productivity at work. And of course, all of these things might entail some people`s entirety of happiness. For whatever realistic thing that makes you happy, attaining achieving it is within reach, and there are habits that will get you there faster and more easily. Let`s talk about them.

14 Habits for a Happier Life

Exercise

Although there are bodily advantages of exercising, there are also benefits to your mood. Regular exercise can help to reduce stress, feelings of anxiety, and symptoms of depression while boosting self-esteem and happiness. You don`t need a strenuous activity to exercise for happiness; you only need to engage in some physical activity and you`re all right. Basic exercises you can do include:

  • Start your day with five minutes of stretching.
  • Take a walk around the block after dinner.
  • Sign up for yoga.

Get Adequate Sleep

The need for adequate sleep cannot be overemphasized. You need about eight hours of sleep every night. Trying to increase your productivity by sleeping less will do more harm to your body physically and psychologically. People who regularly get enough sleep are usually happier people. Struggling with getting enough sleep? Here are tips to help you:

Keep a journal of how much sleep you get each night and how rested you feel afterward.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.

  • Take a bath, read, or do something relaxing before going to bed.
  • Reserve the hour before bed as quiet time.
  • Avoid heavy eating and drinking after 7 p.m.
  • Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet.
  • Get yourself some good bedding.
  • If you consistently have problems sleeping, then you might need to speak to your doctor.

Eat Purposefully

eating lightYou have to deliberate about your food choices because they have an impact on your health and state of mind. Carbohydrates, for instance, release serotonin, which is a “feel good” hormone. Try not to consume carbs excessively though because the resulting energy surge may affect you terribly. You may also consume complex carbs such as beans, vegetables, and whole grains. Foods such as dairy, lean meat, legumes, and poultry are high in protein and release norepinephrine and dopamine which boost energy and concentration. You will likely feel down when you eat highly processed or deep-fried foods. You also shouldn`t skip meals, particularly breakfast.

Smile

Smiling shouldn`t only be a result of happiness. You can also smile to be happy. Smiling causes the brain to release dopamine, which makes us happier. So when next you feel low, find a reason to be happy.

Be Grateful

Being grateful and showing gratitude can boost your mood, as well as benefit you in some other ways. Be deliberate about gratitude at the start of each day. The reason for your gratitude may be an activity from the previous day or something you look forward to embarking upon. Also, as you continue in the course of the day, keep your gratitude alive, no matter how seemingly small the reasons are. Even things as little as the snack you a colleague offers you is a reason to be grateful. Gradually, your attitude of gratitude will develop, and you will be a happier person.

Give a Compliment

Virtually everyone likes to receive compliments. But how often do you give them? Try giving more compliments and see how brighter the recipients, but even yourself. So when next you see someone wear a beautiful dress, look into their eyes and tell them you love their dress. Chances are that they will say something good about you too, and make you happier; a win-win situation, isn`t it?

Breathe Deeply

Sometimes, life can be frustrating; you`re not alone in this. Art such times, as unimportant as this may seem, just take deep breaths. Close your eyes, try to envision a fond memory or a beautiful place, then take a slow, deep breath in, and then out, slowly too.
Repeat this process a number of times until you feel calm. Counting to five in your head may help you breather slower and easier.

Keep a Journal

Keeping a journal will help you organize your thoughts better, as well as make more concrete and realistic plans. And of course, you can keep a journal without being a great writer. Try planning your day a night before, sleep over the plans, and wake up to execute them. You will work better that way. You can also write about your feelings, thoughts, and wishes.

Acknowledge the Unhappy Moments

Positive events and a happy attitude are great, however, downtimes are inevitable; they’re simply part of life, and there`s nothing we can do to avoid them. So we will all hear bad news, make mistakes, fail, get disappointed, among other forms of negativity. And there’s no need pretending you`re happy at such times. Acknowledge the feeling of unhappiness, and allow yourself to experience it. It is in this that healing will come, and you`ll feel better. If you want, you might talk to a trusted and dear person about how you feel, take deep breaths or go on a walk.

Ditch your Phone

Dedicate at least an hour each week to turn off all your gadgets and just meditate. Allow your mind to wander away from its regular routine. You may even read a hardcopy book, take a walk, or just interact with nature in some way.

See Friends

youthReach out to your friends, plan a date, and just hang out together to catch up and have a great time. For those you can`t visit physically for distance, have long phone conversations with them. Just be sure that there are people you do life with, and share memorable moments together. Even as you have human friends, you should also keep pets and have a great time with them also.

Get Therapy

Life hits hard on us in different ways and varying degrees. When it`s beginning to seem unbearable, reach out to a therapist. Sometimes, we need someone who isn`t our friends, that is one who is trained to give professional support because they`re trained for it. Be entirely open to your therapist, and practice what they advise you.

Face Stress Head-on

You`ve lived long enough to agree that trying to avoid stressors in life is quite stressful in itself. Life is full of stressors, and that`s okay. By all means, try not to get overwhelmed with all the stress. As much as you can, face the stress head-on. This is quite uneasy, however, you should do it. It may be some extra work, a long drive, a difficult boss, just face the stress!

Declutter

This sounds like a lot of work, right? Yes, it does, however, dedicate some time each week to declutter. Tidy up your space, arrange your stuff, give out items you don’t use anymore, and just get your surrounding fixed.

Now that you Know…

Being happy isn`t as difficult as you probably thought. So there you have it: 14 simple ways to lead a happier life at no cost. Will you start practicing them already?