When you’re happy in life, it can spill over into your job, relationships, productivity, and resilience. You may also reduce your chances of burning out. If you’re struggling to find your motivation and positivity, your mental health and wellness could be getting in the way of all that you strive for. The following are techniques and activities that can help boost your mood.
Be Thankful
Maintaining your health goes beyond eating right, exercising, hydrating and applying sunscreen liberally. It’s also about taking care of your mental wellness through simple activities. Make it a point to write down several things that you’re thankful for each day. Whether you took your children out for ice cream after work, your boss complimented you on a job well done or the weather was sunny, listing happy things that occurred during the day can increase your positivity.
Keep a Journal
A self-reflective journal can be a way for you to be kinder to yourself. Here you can write down your thoughts, feelings, and reflections. Because it’s for your eyes only, you don’t ever have to worry about judgement. The words that you express can make you feel free and liberated. If your thoughts are still difficult for you to express, and you’re feeling out of sorts, you may need the assistance of a professional. Mental health treatment focuses on core issues, so you can understand the difficulties that may be preventing you from enjoying life. Mental health professionals are also trained to provide techniques that can get to the root of the issue.
Make Time to Exercise
The effects of exercise on your mental wellness are great. Studies have shown that walking, running, biking, strength training, and other physical movements help stimulate serotonin levels. When done on a regular basis, you’re more likely to have a happier outlook on life.
Spiritual Wellness and Meditation
Physical activity is just one part of improving your mood. There are also activities where you can add spirituality and calmness to bring in more happiness. Whether you do it in the morning before work, during lunch or at the end of your day, meditating has numerous positive effects on the brain. Because you have full control over your brain, you can direct it toward your own happiness. This includes redirecting negativity with only positive, peaceful and healing thoughts.
Perform an Act of Kindness
When you perform an act of kindness, the positive effects on your mood can be far reaching. Simple things such as running errands for someone ill, bringing flowers to a friend who’s going through a divorce or taking your store bought coffee money and giving it to an animal organization are all random acts of kindness. You can even up the deeds by volunteering for a homeless shelter, building dwellings for those without or walking dogs at lunch for a no-kill animal shelter.
Be in Tune with Nature
Plants, sunshine, and other gifts from Mother Nature are strongly associated with keeping a person happy. One of the major reasons seasonal disorder affects so many individuals is that they aren’t able to become one with nature during the cold and sunless winter months. Activities such as dining outdoors, taking a walk, gardening and walking your dog can help you become one with nature. It can also greatly lift your mood when you’re out in the fresh air.
Happiness is a skill that is learned, and there are a number of ways that you can educate yourself through the process. But in order to experience this, you need to determine why you want happiness, and the ways you would like to get there.
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