12 Things Happy People Do Differently
We used to take for granted that we were “just happy”…well that doesn’t account for the hundreds of people out there with depression, anxiety and all kinds of stress related symptoms. Research is showing us that we can learn to be Happier! We can be taught to do things that will enhance our happiness which will , in turn, increase our success in life, love and on the job! The researcher to find out these things about Happiness was Sonja Lyubomirsky.
Here are a dozen things that happy people do:
- Express Gratitude – When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value.
- Cultivate optimism – People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.
- Avoid over-thinking and social comparison – Comparing yourself to someone else can be poisonous. We will find ourselves above or below the person we are comparing and neither is healthy.
- Practice Acts of Kindness. Nurture social relationships. – Performing an act of kindness releases serotonin in your brain.
- Nurture social relationships – The happiest people on the planet are the ones who have deep, meaningful relationships.
- Develop strategies for coping – How you respond to the crap moments in life is what shapes your character.
- Learn to forgive – Harboring feelings of hatred is horrible for your health.
- Increase flow experiences – Flow is a state in which time stands still.
- Savor life’s joys – Deep happiness cannot happen without slowing down to enjoy the joy.
- Commit to your goals – This is important and gives you a sense of purpose.
- Practice spirituality – When we practice spirituality, we realize that life is bigger than we are…
- Take care of your body – Your physical body is a reflection many times to how you are doing in other areas. It is important to care for it. Clinical studies show that physical exercise done consistently raises the Serotonin levels as well as Zoloft.
How to accomplish this is the journey but there are many ways to make sure we can do a few of these each day! My challenge to you is to start journaling and try 2 -3 of these a day for one month and see how you feel! Write it down each day so you can measure your changes.
Learning to Relax and Let Go!!
Jackie