50 Ways To Start Living A Happier Life

Sep 28, 2018 by apost team

We all want to find happiness. The problem is finding ways to be happy when you constantly have to work and take care of bills. While we might have to make sacrifices in life, there are ways that we can quickly, easily boost our happiness.

The following 50 ideas will help you enjoy a happier life.

A study by Harvard University found that looking at flowers in nature or buying flowers for your home can actually boost your mood.

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It turns out that yawns are not the only expression that is contagious. A smile is contagious as well. Take a silly, happy picture, and it can actually make you happier.

3. Enjoy a Daydream

Sometimes, you cannot change the life that you are born into. All you can do is imagine what life would be like if your situation was different. A research study  calls this daydreaming habit self-guided, positive imagery. It turns out that daydreaming can actually get rid of negative emotions over the short term and change your brain's structure over the long run.

4. Skip Social Media

Countless studies have shown that social media makes people less happy. If you want to feel happier, stop comparing yourself to the perfect lives you see online. Better yet, take a sabbatical from social media entirely.

Environmental Health and Medicine recently published a study about forest walks. It turns out that walking in the forest can boost your overall well-being and health.

In Japan, this kind of study has even led to a trend called forest bathing.

6. Start Deciding

When you make a decision, it actually makes you feel happier. You might not be able to exercise your free will on a major decision, but you can at least decide what you are eating for dinner.

7. Make a Charitable Donation

Giving money to charity is linked to being happier in life, so find a charity you love and start donating.​​​​​​​

Happiness is contagious. In research studies, sharing something positive with another person made the sharer happier.

9. Devote Time to Your Kids

Someday, your children will grow up. While they are still small, make sure to devote quality time to them.

10. Discover Your Heritage

When people learn about their heritage, they develop a sense of identity. This helps them to feel happier in life.

One study by Harvard Medical School found that being around positive friends can actually boost your mood.

12. Enjoy Some Intimate Moments

When couples are intimate at least once a week, they are more likely to be happy. The same study found that being intimate more than once a week did not increase happiness anymore.

13. Start Changing

If you are not happy with your life right now, change it. Switching up your routine will help you achieve the life that you want.

Research shows that looking at a silly photo of yourself or smiling at yourself in the mirror can actually make you feel happier.

15. Count Your Blessings

When you always think about how much life could be, you can never enjoy the present moment. Be thankful for your blessings.

Studies show that gratitude is strongly correlated to feelings of happiness.

16. Take a Break

If you want to be happy, give your mind a rest sometimes. Get up, walk around and enjoy a moment in nature.

When you have worked hard, give yourself a reward like your favorite food or a new shirt.

18. Eat a Healthy Diet

For your mind and body to work their best, they need a balanced diet and the right nutrients.

19. Avoid Being Overworked

This an easy goal to say, but it is much harder to actually do. When you are overworked, you feel stressed out and unable to enjoy life. You might earn less money by working less, but you will be much happier.

Financial problems can leave you feeling stressed. Plus, money problems are one of the leading causes of divorce. If you have too much debt, it can make you feel depressed and anxious.

21. Relationships Matter

Many studies have shown that the quality of your relationships directly impacts how happy you are.

22. Give Yourself a Break

Researchers from the University of Herfordshire recently found that loving yourself and self-acceptance can make you feel more confident and happier.​​​​​​​

Random acts of kindness help other people, but they can also help yourself. You will feel better taking care of the homeless in the community, and it gives you a break from worrying about your own life.

24. Focus on the Small Things

There are moments of joy everywhere. From a sunny day to the sound of playing children, pay attention to these unexpected moments of happiness in your life.

25. Start Moving

Exercise is amazing for your physical and mental health. It releases endorphins that instantly make you feel happier.​​​​​​​

Mindful breathing can reduce depression and anxiety. It gives you a calmer state of mind and a boost of happiness.

27. Think Positive Thoughts

When you ruminate over the bad things in your life, you create a mental loop that your brain keeps returning to. Instead, create a mental loop of all the good things that happen to you.

28. Buy Experiences

In research studies, it has been shown that things do not make people happy. Instead of buying a new item, focus on buying experiences. Make a happy memory with a loved one that you can remember fondly forever.​​​​​​​

You cannot say no all the time, but you definitely need to set your limits. If you keep staying late at work and helping everyone except yourself, you will only end up stressed out and depressed. Say no and free up your schedule for some quality relaxation time.

30. Have an Open Heart

There are bad people in the world, but you cannot limit your life by all of the evil out there. At some point, you have to open your heart and trust the other person so that you can make a lasting connection.​​​​​​​

31. Love Your Veggies

The American Journal for Public Health recently released a study that people felt happier with each extra serving of fruits and vegetables that they ate.​​​​​​​

Go outside and enjoy the fresh air. Take a walk in nature and spend some time unwinding.

33. Give a Hug

When you hug someone, it releases happiness hormones like oxytocin.

34. Remember to Give Thanks

Life cannot be perfect all the time. Even when you are struggling to find your way, put things in perspective by giving thanks. This will help you focus on all of the positive things in your life.

35. Unplug

Depression and anxiety are correlated to using technology, so turn off your devices and spend some time away from modern technology.​​​​​​​

Yoga is amazing for your happiness because it combines physical exercise, deep breathing, meditation, and stretching. All of these things have been linked to a having a happier perspective on life.

37. Skip the Alcohol

After you drink, alcohol depresses your mood for up to 72 hours. Over the long run, alcohol is linked to physical health problems and mental disorders like depression.

38. Be a Source of Kindness

Be kind to the people around you. It will help them have a happier life and will also give you a better attitude as well.

Waking up early helps you get everything done that you need to. Plus, waking up with the sun allows your body to adopt a more natural sleep routine.

40. Stop Smoking

Smoking causes mental and physical problems. It is also linked to mood disorders as well. The Annals of Behavioral Medicine recently published a study that found that 66 percent of people who quit smoking had fewer episodes of depression and a better mood.

41. Find Friends

The connections we make are important for our happiness. Making a new friend can make you feel happier about your life.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Cooking at home is healthier for your body. It is also more relaxing because you never have to wait for a table or listen to all of the loud noises in a restaurant.

43. Find Solutions

If you only focus on the problem, you will end up wallowing in negative thoughts. Recognize that a problem exists and then find a way to solve it.

44. Be an Active Listener

Active listening helps you build better relationships. It also shows the speaker that you respect them and genuinely care.​​​​​​​

Giving to a charity can make you feel happier. Removing your old items will also give you more physical and mental space. If you no longer use something, give it away instead of letting it clutter up your home.

46. Go Easy on Yourself

Nobody is perfect, so show yourself a little compassion and allow yourself to make mistakes.

47. Drink Water

Unless you take care of your physical health, you will never be able to be happy. Carry around a water bottle so that you can easily drink enough water each day.

If you compare yourself to other people, you will feel jealous and negative all the time. Appreciate yourself and your own talents instead.

49. Try Something You Fear

If you want to feel confident about yourself, try doing something that you are afraid of. You can always cancel your bungee jumping appointment later, but give yourself a chance to try it out first.

50. Go to Your Grandparents

The elderly frequently suffer from depression and loneliness. Visiting your grandparents will make them feel happier, which will also make you feel better about yourself.​​​​​​​

Do you have any tips to add? Pass these 50 helpful tips for a happier life on to your friends and loved ones.