Boosting your wellbeing and happiness quotient can be as simple as incorporating one or two new mindful or healthy habits into your daily routines. Start small by creating an achievable, everyday action that contributes to a happier, healthier life for YOU. Try tacking a small new micro-habit on to an existing routine that already happens – such as when you brush your teeth – use those two minutes, morning and night, for gratitude practice.
Reward yourself once you have completed a week of implementing these ‘micro-habits’ with something that also makes you happy. A cup of coffee while you journal or listening to your favourite podcast while you work out might just be the extra motivation you need to continue the habit for the next week.
Below are six suggestions for some simple and practical ways to fill your day with moments of happiness – but, of course, feel free to make up your own as you know what makes you more joy-full!
1: Write down why you want to be happier
Writing down your thoughts encourages you to quantify them without getting your thoughts distracted; think of this as clearing the RAM memory of your computer. It also allows you to look back in a few months at what you have written and to see how much you have changed or how much happier you feel. So, grab a piece of paper, put a date on it, and start writing down whatever is on your mind and the ways in which you would like to be happier.
2: Make it fun
Set yourself up for success by choosing a healthy habit that makes you smile, not procrastinate. You will be more likely to do it and more likely to enjoy the benefits so think outside the box. Not a runner? Switch to a form of exercise that sparks joy, be it swimming, yoga or Zumba. Make whatever you choose bring a smile to your face.
3: Prioritise
Take note of how you spend your time and re-evaluate your priorities. Instead of binge-watching television shows or ‘doom-scrolling’ on social media, make a conscious effort to put your new habits first. Try to wake up that little bit earlier for a morning walk or set a bedtime reminder to turn off the TV, have a calming herbal tea or start wind-down breathwork.
4: Just say ‘no’
Make room for new habits by reassessing your old ones. Many of us could benefit from saying ‘no’ to habits in our lives that don’t add any value – and maybe even detract from our health and happiness. Maybe today is the day to set your screen-time limit or set boundaries with tricky people in our lives.
5: Try to make others happy
Happiness can be catching! Your smile and laughter have the power to make others smile and relax. Follow up the smile with a random act of kindness or a compliment. It will not only make the receiver feel happier but you will too.
6: Call on support
We are beings to whom social connection and positive relationships are a critical key to our happiness levels, so engaging a buddy can improve your accountability and improve your habit building. A ‘habit buddy’ is someone who will exercise with you or encourage you to practise mindfulness, and can be key to the longevity of a new ‘happy’ habit for both of you.
