8 Simple but Profound Daily Habits to Increase Happiness in 2022
No one would turn down the offer for more happiness, right? Happiness is one thing we cannot get enough of. We want happiness in all areas of our lives — physical well-being, emotional connections, financial abundance, steamy romance, loving and supportive family and friends — all leading to the overarching ideal of what we picture as Happiness.
The loaded question of how to be happy begged thousands of years of books, poetry, documentations, scientific research and psychological studies throughout human history. It remains somewhat of a mystery, leaving us wondering if there’s a magical formula to lasting happiness.
Western cultures have begun to widely recognize the significance of our body, mind, and spirit connections and what that means for our mental health and overall happiness. Continued studies in psychology and neuroscience also confirm our environment and our thoughts have a direct linkage to our brain chemistry, responsible for signaling different sensations in our bodies. This quick read in Psychology Today summarizes how our physical experience triggers the neurotransmitters in our nervous system; conversely, our thoughts can affect hormone secretion which regulate our feelings and sensations.
In short, how we take care of our physical body affects our mind which can dictate our mood; how we take care of our mental and emotional health, conversely, affects our physical well-being and our overall happiness. Taking care of this intricate balance forms the very foundation we build atop everything else we strive for, so we can achieve ultimate life satisfaction.
But how many people can truly say they are happy? According to an article from Greater Good Magazine by University of California, Berkeley, the 2019 World Happiness Report finds that people are feeling worse than ever before. Negative emotions are rising around the world showing a widening happiness gap. While this alarming news is something to be concerned with, the good news is, many of us with greater self-awareness now realize happiness isn’t just something that happens to us, it is something we can create and maintain by positive habits. Fortunately, not all new habits have to cause drastic changes in your daily life. Sometimes, the simplest micro habits can make an impact for your overall happiness subtly but effectively.
“When you fall in love with the process rather than the product, you don’t have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy. You can be satisfied anytime your system is running.” ― James Clear, Author of Atomic Habits
What truly constitutes the state of happiness? And how can we be sure it isn’t temporary, like many external pursuits? The best definition of Happiness I was able to find states: Happiness is a feeling of contentment, that life is just as it should be. Perfect happiness, enlightenment, comes when you have all of your needs satisfied.
Since the feeling of happiness and fulfillment is highly individualized ― what makes one person happy doesn’t necessarily do the same for the other ― I thought I’d curate a list of habits that focuses on providing building blocks to support positive thoughts, clarity, self-awareness, stress reduction, gratitude, and compassion, to help you achieve lasting Happiness and design your life the way you’d like it to be.
1. Begin your morning with an affirmation
It’s important to set the tone for your day with a positive intention. Sometimes we can carry over the remnants of a grumpy mood from the day before or how we slept overnight. A loving and motivating affirmation will help you snap into a brand new day of possibilities.
Set aside a quiet minute first thing in the morning. Take a deep breath and say the affirmation out loud and let the intention sink in. This can be done before you even get out of bed. Depending on what you are currently working on, here are a few examples of affirmations:
I am here to receive love, support, and guidance with an open heart and an open mind.
I look forward to exploring all the opportunities this new day has to offer.
I am safe. I have everything I need. I have nothing to fear.
For a list of powerful affirmations or to download a free eworkbook, see Life-changing mantras for love, abundance, and harmony.
2. Move your body
Exercising is essential to our mental health as well as physical health. You are probably already familiar with the benefits of physical exercise and the increase of endorphin production in the body and the release of other feel-good chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. You can move through stress, anxiety, or depression by staying physically active.
Getting your body moving and warmed up first thing in the morning can also do wonders for your energy and mood on a daily basis. It doesn’t need to be an hour-long workout or a 3-mile run. Just a quick 10-15-minute warmup routine or few sequences of vinyasas are sufficient to get the blood flowing and gently wake up your system.
Moving your body throughout the day is also important so that blood continues to flow delivering oxygen wherever it needs. Avoid sitting for a long period of time. Get up to turn your head, stretch, and change your position frequently. This will not only relieve muscle fatigue but will also prevent brain fog, scatteredness, and promote better focus and concentration.
Helpful tip: Create an alert twice a day on your calendar. Mine are set at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a break to stretch, walk, or a quick solo dance session. :)
3. Smile
How often do you find yourself smiling? When you walk past the mirror, do you catch yourself smiling or frowning?
Neuroscience has said the pleasure we get from smiling is equivalent to eating 2,000 chocolate bars or receiving $25,000. The simple act of smiling is like a rainbow that appears over anyone’s cloudy day, reason being our smile is directly linked to the brain signaling us to do so when we receive stimuli of pleasure, amusement, or excitement. The reaction is autonomic ― we can’t help ourselves. When we smile, even if it’s forced, we signal back to the brain that we’re enjoying ourselves and prompting the release of feel-good neurotransmitters such as dopamine. This is one instance of the “fake it till you make it” hypothesis I wouldn’t object to. A smile will always do well to carry you through a happier life.
4. Use positive language
Much like our thoughts, our spoken words have a big influence on our happiness. When we express ourselves through our words, we put out into the universe an energy associated with those words. And the universe, whether you see it or not, always responds. Some may call this The Law of Attraction.
When thoughts become words, spoken out loud, creating sound, a measurable vibration released into your space, you can often feel or see an immediate reaction. That reaction can take the form of a smile, a friend’s comment, an uncomfortable silence, or more subtly, an inner joy, or a knot in your stomach.
The Law of Attraction suggests we attract what we think and say most often, that we bring in what we put out; therefore, keeping our words positive will attract more positivity and happiness into our lives. A more practical explanation would be, positive words always lift up the atmosphere and make everyone around you feel happy. And that happiness will undoubtedly be returned to you one day, if not immediately.
5. Connect with nature
Immerse yourself in the healing energy of mother earth as an undisputed way to refresh your senses and destress from your daily grind. The wonderful feelings we experience from connecting with nature aren’t just because we’ve stepped away from our work environment or the majestic sights we often come across in nature. They are backed by scientific reasoning in that we recharge by exposing ourselves to negative ions only found in natural elements. High concentrations of negative ions can be found in areas of mountains, ocean, waterfalls, lakes, streams, dirt/earth, etc.
We are typically surrounded by positive ions in our modern daily lives. Exposure to excess can have poor health consequences. When our environment and body are out of balance we experience fatigue, allergies, infections, and in severe cases, diseases. Positive ions are mostly concentrated indoors and are associated with household electronics, fluorescent lighting, metal, plastics, carpet, air pollution, etc.
Here are a few quick and simple ways to spend some time with nature every day:
Gardening — potting repotting plants; pruning and trimming; harvesting
Walking barefoot in a grassy park
Walking barefoot on a sandy beach, or swimming in a lake
Hiking in a nature trail
Breathing deeply in fresh air
Soaking in sunshine
6. Stay in the present
Wise words from Lao Tzu state: “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.”
We often get into trouble when we allow our mind to wander, worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet, or lamenting over what had happened last week. If we’re able to reel ourselves back to the present moment, we’ll see there is only what’s in front of us, nothing more, nothing less. It’s what we make of the present moment that matters. Our past is gone, and our future depends on the choices we make now.
Helpful tip: If you catch yourself drifting off into a space other than the now, simply bring your attention back to the present moment. Take a deep breath and feel yourself grounded and centered where you are. Repeat as necessary.
7. Meditate
The popularity of meditation has exploded worldwide because of its undeniable health benefits and contribution to overall happiness and success. Just a few minutes each day can reduce stress, increase focus and concentration, boost clarity, not to mention enhance intuition and connection to a higher purpose. All of these are factors contributing to deep, fulfilling, lifelong happiness. Many successful athletes, entrepreneurs, and public figures are known to meditate on a daily basis to help guide their careers and personal choices.
Make meditation an important ritual of your day and you’ll find yourself more calm, peaceful, with a bigger capacity to give and receive happiness. If you have trouble getting started with meditation, this article may bust a few myths about meditation, especially if you have an overactive mind.
8. Give gratitude
Giving gratitude is one of the most important practices to welcome more happiness into our lives. This includes expressing gratitude to those who have helped you as well as acknowledging your own accomplishments in personal growth.
Ending your day with gratitude is a mindful practice of how much there is to be grateful for despite the turn of events that can sometimes bring us down.
Each night before bed, write down at least 3 things you’re grateful for, even if it was a small joy such as a hummingbird coming to visit your porch. Read the list outloud to yourself and end the session with a smile. This simple ritual will help focus more of what you want into your life and allow for what you don’t want to dissipate into the background.
Consistent practice of these simple habits will in time become a daily routine that helps you focus in the present and keep negative thoughts away. Even if you don’t see a difference immediately, you’ll notice subtle shifts in your clarity, focus, mood, self-confidence, even health and energy level after consistent practice. True happiness isn’t about what to do to instigate a feel-good moment, but to remove all obstacles between you and all the gifts life has to offer.
