THE ART OF HAPPINESS: SIMPLE WAYS TO LIVE MORE HAPPILY EVERYDAY

FINDING YOUR HAPPINESS

Five Ways To Get MORE Happy Every Day 

Happiness is one of those emotions which I only wish we could bottle up and store in it’s gallons ready to guzzle down in thoes darker moments when we look back and long for those happy times, those moments of joy and those fond experiences, places and people that made us fill up with happiness.

Happiness is something we should all feel, embrace and share! Not something we should have to try hard for. But sadly some days we all do.

That being said, for me happiness often comes from the most subtle and small of events or moments, not just those grand gestures or celebrations. And there’s so much we can do on an everyday basis to help fuel those little moments and bring an aura of positivity to our lives.

As I near the big three zero, I’ve certainly learnt that positive lives require great amounts of empathy and perspective, empathy for those around you and the emotions they may impart on you, and perspective to help us process and deal with the things every day life throws at us. It’s easy to let even the smallest hiccup ruin a day, cause a row, or create a rippling earthquake of negativity in your life. But this is where perspective can save you! Understanding, accepting, processing and dealing with things in a much more pragmatic and empathetic way, not only ensures you live and feel more positive and happy the majority of the time, but also this sense of calm also rubs off on others, passing on the positive effect.

It’s easier said than done for you! And happiness is something that some days we do have to work hard on and focus on achieving! In those times and on those days, I find a few simple little tricks help to positively impact my day and add a little more happiness to my day, every day. I thought i’d share them with you today.

FIVE WAYS TO ADD A LITTLE HAPPINESS TO YOUR DAY

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PASS IT ON

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Whatever you want to call this theory, it works. The pass it on theory suggests that a positive action will have a perpetually positive impact on those you pass it on to! For example hold a door open for someone in the morning, or let someone take that seat on the tube, and not only will you envoke a positive and happy feeling on them, you’re also inspiring them to pass on the positive gesture too! Not to mention that actually it feels good to do good!

One of my favorite gestures is the morning coffee treat, purchasing a coffee for the person behind you in the queue so that when they come to pay, their coffee is a treat courtesy of you! It’s such a lovely and small action, but that will no doubt ignite happiness and delight for the person you treated.

It doesn’t have to be paid for things like coffee though, simply being nice, kind and polite can have just the same impact. It’s incredible when you think about how someone else’s behavior can impact you and your day – don’t be that grumpy dick that ruins someone elses day!

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PRACTICE POSITIVITY

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Being positive all the time is of course hard, but as I mentioned perspective is your friend on those bad days, and practicing a little bit of positivity will soon become an intrinsic and not a forced habit. Finding what brings you positivity is key, for some it’s walking, or running to clear their head, others it’s the innocent joy of a dog, or meditating to start each day correctly. There’s not one size fits all, but I’ve most definitely found that my weekly yoga and Pilates classes certainly help channel my positive energy, relax me, clear my head and help me rid my mind and body of negativity. Find what works for you and add a little of it to your day or week.

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A DAILY RITUAL

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As I mentioned above, sometimes it’s the smallest things which bring you the biggest amounts of joy and happiness. It’s quite remarkable to think how much happiness my morning coffee gives me, but that walk to the local coffee shop and motion of ordering my favourite drink each morning is one I cherish and something I continue to do simply because it helps start my day right!

Whatever that ritual or thing is, if it makes you feel happy and sparks a positive emotion, then embrace it and give yourself that moment each day. It’s important to make yourself happy as much as we expect those around us to make us happy too!

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CAPTURE A MOMENT

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Whilst I have plenty to say about instagram (we’ll save that for another time) one very positive thing it brings in my opinion, is the idea of capturing a moment, sharing the things in life (big and small) that bring  you joy and happiness, and sharing it and being exposed to others moments too! I find myself constantly looking at anything and everything i’m exposed to in daily life now with a different perspective, i’m looking at the beauty of it and wanting to capture that moment as a way of showing my appreciation.

Take the perfect sunset, a beautiful view, a delicious glass of wine, a blossoming flower, stunning packaging, a person you adore, a funny picture … anything! Those little things we see everyday can go missed so easily, but by spending more time looking, seeing and appreciating your surroundings the more happiness and positivity you’ll feel!

It’s finding happiness in those little things that makes the biggest impact.

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MAKE A CALL

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The ones you love and adore are often the ones that bring true happiness to your lives and days, but of course the side affect of a busy life is often that you don’t get to spend the quality time you’d like with the people you love the most. That doesn’t mean they’re not there though – making time to place a call, sit down and chat, catch up, laugh, cry and share your day is a super simple action that can really bring a shed load of happiness to your day! It’s easy to forget to call, lose track of time, and even just feel too tired to squeeze in that coffee, but making a little bit of time everyday for some lovin’ with your favourites is a miracle cure for any bout of sadness! just give it a try.

I’d love to hear how you practice positivity and how you embrace happiness in your daily life? Did you find any of these tips helpful?