Amid our quest for happiness, our busy schedules can leave us going through the motions and not really enjoying daily life. Happiness, however, does not have to be a complicated or difficult state to achieve or feel. Finding pleasure in simple things every day while taking in our surroundings can help us find moments of simplicity and, ultimately, moments of happiness. Below are ways to enjoy the simplicity of happiness.
Smile more
Even though you may not feel like showing your pearly whites, a smile instantly makes you feel better. Turning up the corners of your lips, even when you don’t feel like smiling, will brighten your mood and remind you of what happiness is supposed to feel like. Not only will you feel better, but giving someone a smile will make them feel better too, and this smile becomes infectious.
Spend some time alone
Being caught up in work and family commitments can leave you drained and bored. Spending time alone, therefore, is important to your overall mental health. “Me time” gives you time to de-stress, time to re-evaluate your goals and priorities in life and time to regain a zest for life. Finding simple pleasures while being alone can be as simple as sipping your favourite cup of tea while reading a good book, sketching or taking a walk.
Do something nice for someone
If you’ve ever heard of the concept “pay it forward,” you’ll know that if you were on the receiving end of a good deed, then repaying a good deed by doing a good deed for someone else is a great idea. Whether it’s paying for a stranger’s cup of coffee in the morning lineup or volunteering to help a friend or family member with something they’ve needed help with, doing something nice for someone else may not be completely selfless, but it’s a simple way to feel better. Feeling productive and helpful will make your day as well as someone else’s. So go ahead, pay it forward and hopefully these kind acts will also become infectious.
Keep a happy list
One week, I recorded everything that made me happy. These things were as simple as good coffee and a good conversation, peanut butter and someone playing with my hair. What I realized is that everything that made me happy was so simple and not materialistic. Try keeping a “happy list” by recording things that make you happy throughout your day for a week or two. Aim to record at least two or three things a day, and see what you come up with. Keeping this happy list handy will remind you of simple ways to be happy, even on your bad days.
Live in the moment
Corita Kent once wrote, “Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed.” This is definitely true when it comes to happiness. We all worry about the future or are stuck on relationships or problems from the past, but living in the present moments and fully taking in these moments allow us to enjoy each day as much as possible. We can find happiness during whatever overwhelming situations we may be facing by simply taking a deep breath and refocusing our minds on what’s happening around us in a specific moment. This allows us to really feel and sense pleasant things that we may have missed in our busy daily lives.
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