22 Small Things You Can Do Every Day to Feel Happy
There are certain moments in our lives
where we may feel prone to feeling depressed. So, without breaking the
bank, happiness expert Andy Cope, and co-author of The Little Book of
Emotional Intelligence: How to Flourish in a Crazy World, will help
bring some positivity into your life with these simple, yet highly
effective tips.
1. Mondays do not need to be bad:
Many of
us hold the notion that Mondays are bad and Fridays are good. But, with
the average life-span being 4000 weeks, a seventh of your life is lived
on a Monday. So try to flip your thinking - Friday is another week
closer to death, while Monday is an opportunity to make a dent in the
universe.
2. Upgrade your underwear drawer:
This may sound a little silly, but aim
to upgrade your underwear drawer so that every item is worth wearing on
a 'special occasion'. In doing so, every day will feel like one.
3. Don't be afraid to hug others:
The average hug lasts 2.1 seconds, but
for the endorphins to transfer it needs to last seven seconds or
longer.
4. Practice the 10/5 principle:
Smile at everyone who comes within 10
feet of you, make eye contact and say hello to everyone within 5 feet.
5. Say nice things about people behind
their back:
Think about it, when it gets back to them, people think
you're a lovely person.
6. Make a list:
Write a list of 10 things you really appreciate but take
for granted - things like your health and certain relationships will
surely be there.
7. Appreciate the little things:
Being able to get out of bed is the
best thing ever. Each morning, appreciate that you don't wake up with a
toothache and that your kidneys are working.
8. List your 10 happiest moments:
When you actually stop to write your
list, you will realize that most of your happiest moments are
experiences as opposed to products. With this in mind, make it a point
to have more experiences.
9. Stop asking the question:
How was your
day? Instead, ask your partner or children, 'what was the highlight of
your day?' and be sure to listen with genuine enthusiasm.
10. Walk tall and smile:
Your brain will immediately think that you are
happy, and you'll feel a whole lot better.
11. Change your aim:
Change your state of mind, it's not about 'getting
through the week' or 'surviving until my next holiday'. Instead, set
your aim to 'enjoy the week' or 'to inspire people'.
12. List your 5 personal strengths:
Be aware of what your strengths are
and see them as opportunities to play to them more often.
13. Watch out for the 90/10 principle:
This means that 10% of your
happiness depends on things that happen to you, while 90% depends on how
you react to these events. Always make a conscious choice to be
positive.
14. When setbacks occur, ask yourself this:
On a scale of 1 to 10 - 10
being death, where is the issue. If it is death, you are allowed to feel
down, but anything else, get over it.
15. Challenge your critical voice:
Most people have an internal voice
that is very critical. When your inner voice is telling you that you are
an idiot, disagree firmly and find a positive inner voice.
16. Spend time with friends:
But when you
do, be sure to spend less time on electronic friends and more time on
real ones.
17. Practice the 4-minute rule:
Be your best self for the first 4
minutes of arriving at work, being in a meeting, getting home. Feeling
brilliant is infectious.
18. Lose the word 'try':
Instead of setting a resolution of 'I'm going
to try and lose some weight', or 'I'm going to try and get a bit
fitter', opt for 'I'm going to lose some weight', or 'I'm going to get
fitter. In the words of Yoda, 'Do or do not, there is no try'.
19. Happiness is bigger than you:
Remember that happiness has a ripple
effect and infects people three degrees removed from you.
20. Reframe situations:
Consider things from a different perspective, a
leaking gutter means that you have a house, paying tax signifies that
you have an income, a teenager is spending hours playing on his x-box
and not wandering the streets.
21. Be genuinely interested in others:
Ask a lot of questions about
them. People will find you incredibly interesting.
22. Use more positive than negative language:
The ratio needs to be
about 5 positives for every negative - if you catch people doing things
well, tell them.
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