30 Small Things That Make You Happy And Enjoy The Life

“I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love.”

– The Beatles

What is happiness, or what are those things that make you happy? Is it friends, money, career, or success? Many people answer, ‘I just want to be happy,’ but don’t have an explanation. Breaking down some complex issues into simple and small parts could help find the answer. For instance, what is your passion? How can you maintain optimism and hope? Well, finding an answer to such questions can help you understand where your happiness lies. Once you find them out, you should make sure to hold on to them to maintain a good quality of life. Read this post for more insight into it.

30 Ways To Make Your Life Happy

Creating happiness is not necessarily a difficult task. Here are some ways to make your life happy. Consider trying some or all of them at your convenience.

1. Exercise your way to happiness

Exercise has a profound effect on our physical and mental wellbeing, so it is an effective strategy to be happy. For example, brisk walking will improve your heartbeat, reduce stress and make you happy. In addition, when you exercise, your body produces a chemical substance called endorphins, which brings positive feelings to the body, enhances self-esteem, improves sleep, and provides a positive outlook on life.

2. Spend time with family

Social time is precious when it comes to improving our happiness. Research shows that the time spent with friends and family significantly impact sour happiness. Going out for dinner with family, cocktail parties with friends, or taking a beach vacation are all ways to boost your happiness.

3. Show gratitude

If we strive to incorporate gratitude into our daily lives, it will have a lasting positive impact. The secret to happiness may be simple—thanking someone, appreciating, or expressing sincere compliments to people. When something amazing happens to someone you know, be happy for them and connect with their joy.

4. Help others

One of the most counterintuitive suggestions to make yourself feel happier is by helping others. Volunteering with your money, energy, or time to help others makes the world a better place and keeps you happy. You can even connect with others and gain experience, which will improve your happiness, self-esteem, and even your overall health.

5. Practice smiling

A smile is harmless. Keep smiling and add a charm to your surroundings. It can be more effective when you support your smile with positive thoughts. Also, smiling spurs a powerful chemical reaction in the brain that can make you happier.

6. Plan a solo holiday trip

It is one of the most effective methods for capturing happy moments in life. Taking time away from work at a beautiful location can help you de-stress, improve productivity, enhance your mood, and make you happier.

In addition, going on a vacation, especially by yourself, allows you to reconnect with your inner self, meet new people, explore the world, and broaden your horizons. Therefore, unpack your worries and anxieties by traveling alone.

7. Compliment people

Sincere compliments are a quick and easy way to make someone’s day a pleasure and, at the same time, make you happy. Studies have shown that when we do good deeds, our brain releases oxytocin, a “feel-good hormone” that makes us feel happy.

8. Celebrate your achievements

Celebrate your accomplishments as soon as you achieve a goal or reach a significant or minor milestone. It increases your enthusiasm and self-confidence, thus, making you happy. Also, remember that you will never know what the finish line looks like if you are unwilling to celebrate your most outstanding achievements.

9. Learn something new

No matter how hectic your schedule is, try to learn something new, such as painting, musical instruments, or sculpting, as it will make you happier. You can join a club, take up a new sport, or learn to sing because these activities can instill new ideas and keep you curious and engaged. It also gives you a sense of accomplishment and boosts your self-esteem and resilience.

10. Declutter your home

Clutter represents unfinished business to our brains and this lack of completeness can be highly satisfying. Cleaning and organizing your home and life can be a life-changing experience because a near ambiance reduces stress and increases your happiness quotient. Also, it reduces the mess and gives you a sense of control of your environment. Remember that a cluttered home reflects a cluttered mind. Dedicate at least 30 minutes a day to declutter your home.

11. Avoid toxic people

Sometimes, unknowingly or unknowingly, you may give toxic people the power over our feelings, thoughts, and behavior. Being around negative people can deplete your energy and motivation levels and leave you trapped in negative vibes and energy. Instead, surround yourself with positive people who can lift your spirits and instill positive thoughts in you.

12. Use your strengths

If you want to be truly happy, recognize your strengths and use them to achieve bigger goals. People who use their strengths at work, for example, are happier and have more energy and enthusiasm. In addition, people who focus on their strengths are more likely to experience job satisfaction and a general sense of pleasure, which results in a happy state of mind.

13. Make happiness a habit

Try to remember the situations and moments that made you happy, and keep a diary of the good things that happen every day. It can be anything from observing the still waters to listening to birds chirping. It will assist you in developing a happiness habit and make you less likely to dwell on negative things.

14. Get some sunlight

Did you know the sun can be your best friend? It elevates your mood, strengthens bones (4), improves sleep, and boosts your immune system. One of the most critical factors in happiness is the presence of sunlight. Sunbathing, driving with the windows down, having a picnic in the sun, and waking up to a sunny day can make you happy.

15. Eat healthy food

Cultivate healthy habits, such as eating fruits and vegetables, because they have physical and mental health benefits and are an excellent long-term investment in your wellbeing and happiness. For example, nuts and leafy greens are high in magnesium, which can help with anxiety, and walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help with fatigue and mood swings.

Dark chocolate is high in magnesium, and sufficient amounts of magnesium can reduce symptoms of a mood disorder like anxiety. Also, dark chocolate reduces cortisol, the stress hormone that causes anxiety symptoms. It also increases serotonin in the brain, boosting mood. Since it has antioxidants (called flavonoids), responsible for reducing neuroinflammation and cell death in the brain, it helps with improved brain function and protects your cells.

16. Take an adventure trail

Try biking or hiking a trail; climbing and descending hills can improve your strength, reduce weight, reduce stress, boost your confidence, aid in sleep, and improve your mood. You can even spend an evening surrounded by nature. A 15 to 50-minute walk in a nearby park can lift your spirits and make you happy for being closer to nature and away from urban environments.

17. Plan a romantic date

Plan a romantic surprise date with your partner to strengthen your relationship. Do things that will make your time together more enjoyable and memorable. It could be anything from attending a concert to renting a boat at the nearest lake, taking a long drive, or having a picnic at a park.

18. Listen to music

Music is a magical cure. You can use music to divert your attention from negative or stressful situations. It is an excellent way to relax the mind, improve your mood, and reduce anxiety, all of which contribute to happiness.

19. Get a pet

If you don’t already have one, get a pet for joy and unconditional love. They provide sensory stress relief as petting them can lower your blood pressure and quickly help you feel calmer and less stressed. Playing with a pet can elevate serotonin and dopamine levels and make you less likely to suffer from depression. Pets also provide companionship, which offers solace, eases anxiety, and can help build self-confidence, motivation, and purpose.

Also, they can teach you to be more responsible and active in your life. You can increase your physical activity by throwing a ball around your dog or playing with your cat. All in all, a pet works as an excellent therapy and makes you happy.

20. Plan friends’ reunion

Reconnect with long-lost high school and college friends. A reunion will provide an excellent opportunity to remember the good times you shared with your friends. Tell a forgotten story and remind them that stupid antics you have—it can bring laughter and happiness.

21. Try to switch off your mobile

On weekdays, it may not seem feasible. However, you can try to avoid using your phone and devote time to yourself at least on weekends, for at least a couple of hours, by going for a walk and paying attention to your surroundings. You might be surprised by the happy outcomes.

22. Include meditation in your happiness plan

Whether for a few minutes in the morning or an hour in the evening, meditation can do incredible things. It can calm your mind, relieve anxiety, boosts your confidence and self-esteem, and ultimately make you happy.

23. Pamper yourself

Take care of your body and your mind, it is especially important during stressful times. We tend to ignore our bodies in this fast-paced world. However, you can pamper yourself with a spa or sauna bath to stimulate the production of happy chemicals and leave you joyous and blissful. Make sure to engage in self-care and do something you enjoy or find relaxing.

24. Adopt a forget-and-forgive policy

Eliminate negative emotions such as anger and resentment because they are a stumbling block in your happiness plan. Allow yourself to let go of these emotions to be free of negativity and allow positive emotions to flow, resulting in a happy state of mind. Adopt the tried-and-true strategy of forgetting and forgiving and find a positive difference.

25. Celebrate others’ success

Celebrating your friends’ or coworkers’ success and accomplishments can be difficult because it requires you to rise above your negative feelings of envy. However, by celebrating their success, you can overcome jealousy and become more positive and joyful, leading to your happiness and wellbeing

26. Set meaningful goals

Set some attainable and meaningful goals because they give you a sense of purpose and enthusiasm and make you extremely happy. Remember, achieving a goal gives you a sense of accomplishment and the drive to excel.

27. Be generous

One of the pillars of happiness is generosity and willingness to give to others. You grow up and discover the joy of making someone happy is far more powerful than you could have imagined. You have made them happy, and that is more valuable than money or any other materialistic item.

28. Do not give up self-respect

Self-respect entails valuing yourself, time, body, and goals. It is a critical factor that determines how others treat you and, most significantly, how you treat yourself. These, in turn, determine how happy you will be.

29. Do not sacrifice happiness for achievement

This philosophy is well-known if you have read Robin Sharma’s ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari.’ Happiness and success are two completely different things. Goals are necessary for motivation, but achieving them is not the only factor that determines your happiness. Instead, the truest measure of success is how happy you are.

30. Love yourself

Loving yourself is the most beneficial thing you can do for your life because self-doubt, self-hate, and undermining yourself will prevent you from reaching your full potential and, of course, true happiness. Unless you love yourself, you cannot be happy because no matter how happy everything else in your life is, you will always feel unworthy.

Infographic: Minimalist Lifestyle

Minimalism is not just about living a life free of material possessions. It also includes lesser work, fewer meetings, shorter to-do lists, smaller goals, and much more. Does freeing up your mind lay the foundation for a happy life? Let’s understand through this infographic.

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Reviewer

Dr. Holly SchiffLicensed Clinical Psychologist

 

Dr. Holly Schiff is a clinical psychologist licensed in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York and has over 10 years of experience. She was awarded a Doctorate of Psychology in School and Community Psychology from Hofstra University.

Read full bio of Dr. Holly Schiff