There is a popular story circulating about a time when musician John Lennon was a boy and he was asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. Instead of answering with the expected firefighter, police officer, or doctor, young Lennon proudly proclaimed, “Happy!”. Today, many of us can relate to this outlook and in the grand scheme of things, we just want to be happy in life. Thankfully, with a little mindfulness, there are ways we can become a happier person.
For more information, scroll through the following best ways to become a happier person:
Be present.
It’s no secret that many of us are always running from appointment to appointment and never get a chance to disconnect from work, friends, or emails. To be happy, we need to slow down, take a breath, and be aware of what’s happening now. Take a moment to notice the color of the sky, our child’s toothless grin, and enjoy the song playing on the radio.
Reflect.
Take time to be in touch with ourselves and why we do, what we do. Our “why” matters, because it affects everything ranging from our group of friends to our inability to stop overeating. Understanding why we do things can help us focus more clearly and help us find ways to get the results and happiness we desire. Set aside a few minutes everyday to reflect, meditate, practice yoga, or journal to find our true motivations, desires, needs, and dreams.
Eat to be happy.
One easy way to boost our happiness is to be mindful of what we consume and how we fuel our bodies. If our bodies are lacking essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients it is difficult to feel well, which affects our happiness. Also, levels of some vitamins, like B12, and nutrients, like alpha-linolenic acid, can affect our moods and happiness. Strive to intake foods that are full of mood boosting properties, such as: clams, walnuts, dark chocolate, flax seed, coffee, radishes, oysters, pomegranate, yogurt, kefir, and shiitake mushrooms.
Avoid comparing yourself to others.
One of the biggest hurdles to being a happier person, is falling into the trap of comparing ourselves to others. This is especially true in the age of social media when we are constantly viewing the seemingly picture perfect lives of our friends, family, and acquaintances online. These moments of feeling envious can lead to greater stress, anxiety, depression, and self-defeating choices. It’s important we remind ourselves that we are enough and that everyone, even those who appear perfect, are struggling with something.
Pamper yourself.
Relaxing is essential to happiness and it doesn’t matter how, as long as you take time to pamper yourself. Consider taking a long bath, creating a home spa, going for a run, getting a pedi with a friend, listening to relaxing music, or reading a book. Simply rewarding yourself is a great way to boost self esteem and happiness levels.
Nurture your passions.
Think back to what brought you joy as a child and revisit those activities. Maybe you enjoyed painting, riding horses, working with animals, writing, or ice skating? Whatever it was, take a cue from your inner child and do the things that made you happy to rekindle those same feelings today.
Forgive.
We need to give ourselves permission to bury old grudges and forgive people who have hurt us. While many of us assume this is for the other person, forgiving is beneficial for our mental health and physical well being. It’s difficult, but give yourself permission not to dwell on anger, hurt, or vengeance. This will allow us to focus our energies on being happy.
Control your reactions and choose happiness.
This frame of mind will help us in those moments, you know the ones where you want to scream or cry. While we can’t control the world happening around us, we do have the choice to rise above or let it beat us down. If someone at work is bothering you, you get a flat tire, or you are having a disagreement with a friend, step back a moment and don’t give these events the power to derail your day or mood.
Think positive.
For years, experts have all been proclaiming the benefits of positive thinking. However, being positive on a daily basis can be difficult. To build a little more positivity in our lives, we need to be kind to ourselves, grateful, adaptable, and optimistic. Take this one step farther by surrounding ourselves with positive people, sending positive vibes out to others, being grateful for our blessings, and looking for the silver lining in our everyday lives.
What tips can you share for becoming a happier person?
