So you want to be a happier person but you’re not sure where to start?
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Lucky for you, there are many ways in which you can easily boost your happiness. Just a few small changes to your lifestyle can make a huge difference in your level of happiness. The road to happiness is simple if you focus and make an effort to make small changes to your life.
We have compiled a list of 20 small ways in which you can boost your happiness. These tips are easy and simple and can be comfortably executed by pretty much anyone. To see results quickly, try to incorporate some or all of these simple steps into your every day lifestyle and watch your happiness levels soar.
Everybody wants to be happy, right? Make a change to your life today and see how much greater you can feel just by completing a few simple steps towards happiness.
A Bit About Happiness
- Vocabulary.com defines happiness as: “That feeling that comes over you when you know life is good and you can’t help but smile. It’s the opposite of sadness. Happiness is a sense of well-being, joy, or contentment. When people are successful, or safe, or lucky, they feel happiness. The “pursuit of happiness” is something this country is based on, and different people feel happiness for different reasons. Whenever doing something causes happiness, people usually want to do more of it. No one ever complained about feeling too much happiness.”
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What is happiness?
In psychology, happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being which can be defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. It’s a state that every person wishes to be in. To achieve true happiness, you must focus your mind on positivity and let your smile radiate.
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Why is Happiness important?
Happiness is important for your health and well being and can often lead to you living a longer life. By following our steps to boost your happiness, you can fight against negative mental states such as stress and depression, which can be dangerous to your physical health if left untreated. Spend some time targeting your own happiness goals and see how much better you can feel just by focusing your mind on positivity.
20 Simple Steps to Boost Your Happiness
Incorporate these steps in your every day lifestyle to lead a happier and more positive life.
1. Read
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Reading a positive and happy book can be great to boost your levels of happiness. Not only is reading a great way to relax, it’s also a great way to keep your brain active, as well as being a foundation to learn new things.
2. Meditate
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Meditation can help you deal with stress and negative emotions. When you practice meditation, your brain produces endorphins, which are known to increase your mood and fill your body with positive energy.
3. Eat Well
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A nourished body is a nourished mind. When we eat well, we feel much better about ourselves. Our confidence is boosted and we feel overall less bloated and more energized.
4. Get Plenty of Sleep
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We’ve all woken up after a bad night’s sleep feeling groggy and agitated. By getting enough sleep (eight hours being the majority suggested), you will wake up feeling much happier and lot more energized, making you ready for the day ahead.
5. Go Outside
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Spending time in nature has a naturally calming effect. Go outside and listen to the birds, feel the sunshine on your body, look at the stars. Being among nature is a great way to relax and refresh your mind.
6. Be Kind to Others
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Try performing small acts of kindness towards others and see how it makes you feel. Seeing a smile on someone else’s face that’s a result of something you’ve done is really rewarding and something that will make you feel instantly happier.
7. Exercise
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Exercising is one of the best ways to boost your happiness. No matter what form of exercise you choose to do, whether it’s running, dancing, weight lifting – all kinds of exercise results in your brain producing those positive endorphins that make you feel happier, healthier and more self-confident.
8. Face Your Fears
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Doing something that scares you can be an overwhelmingly exciting experience. The adrenaline and positivity boost caused by facing something head on can be extremely rewarding. Some examples might be skydiving, going on a big rollercoaster, bungee jumping or go karting. Try doing something you’ve never done before and see how it makes you feel.
9. Treat Yourself
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Is there something you’ve been meaning to buy for a long time for haven’t got round to it yet? Go get it! Treating yourself to something you really want is a great way to instantly boost your happiness.
10. Spend Time with Happy People
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Happiness is contagious. Spend time with people who are happy and you’re sure to end up just as happy too. Go out with friends, spend time with your family, go to social events. It’s easier than you think to find people to have a good time with.
11. Travel
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Travelling is great for the mind. Having time out from your regular routine and allowing yourself time to relax and see a new place is a great way to boost your happiness. There’s a lot of beauty in this world, go out and see it for yourself!
12. Smile
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When we smile, there are some biological processes that ‘trick’ our mind into thinking we are happy. Our mood is then automatically lifted to reflect this. Smiling for longer periods of time throughout the day is an extremely simple method to boost your happiness and one that is sure to make others happier too.
13. Get a Pet
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It’s a known fact that owning a pet can lead to less stress and a happier life. By owning a pet, you’ll be less lonely and feel overall happier. We’ve all seen those funny pet videos on the internet. Pets can be really entertaining and comforting.
14. Go For a Walk
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Walking is a great way to relax your mind. Spending that time in nature is great. Walking is good for your physical body and your mind. Just one short walk per day can increase your mood substantially as well as helping you to lead a healthier lifestyle.
15. Laugh
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Laughing is an instant happiness booster. What are some ways that will make you laugh? Spend some time with friends who can make you laugh and who you can joke around with, watch a funny movie, read a funny book, look up and watch funny videos on YouTube, read some funny jokes – these are all great ways to get you laughing and boost your happiness.
16. Keep a Journal
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Writing is great for the mind. Try writing down everything you’re grateful for and read it back every now and then to remind yourself of everything positive in your life. If you enjoy writing, try keeping a daily log of everything tht has made you happy that day. Writing down your thoughts is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety and keeping a journal is a fun hobby and something that you can cherish forever.
17. Reminisce on The Past
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Nostalgia is that warm fuzzy feeling you get when something reminds you or takes you back to your childhood. Reminisce on the good times by spending some time with old friends or dig up some old photographs to have a look through.
18. Stop Complaining
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Focusing on the negatives in life and venting your complaints to others not only spreads negative vibes, it also often leaves you feeling sad, angry irate or depressed. Instead of finding something to complain about, talk about something great that’s happened. Change your negative conversations into positive ones and see how much of a difference it makes to your overall mood.
19. Drink Coffee
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I’m sure there are many people out there who will agree – coffee is happiness. Not only is this an opinion, it’s also a fact. Coffee (or any other caffeine based drink for that matter), increases energy levels and makes you feel less sluggish and more energized and happy.
20. Make New Friends
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Studies have show that people with more friends tend to lead happier lives. Try going to social events and chatting to new people, talk to our neighbors, speak to people you see out and about, get involved in local events. These are all great ways to meet new people and could potentially spark some new lifelong friendships.
Are you going to try to incorporate some of these tips into your lifestyle?
If you are, please let us know how you get on in the comments below. We would love to here how these ‘Boost Your Happiness’ tips have helped you in your search for happiness.
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Related Article: Is Happiness a Choice or is it Out of Our Control?