Look around you, there are some people who are happier than others, perhaps more happier than you. Now why is that, is it deceit, or a sleight of hand. Is it ultimately having more money, a bigger personality or house, perhaps it may be.
It could be their special outlook on life, their upbringing, being a disciple of the positive principle. Of all the theories out there, individuals for eternity have been seeking for that magical elixir potion to what the key to true happiness is. It’s rather become one of the bigger mysteries of life.
But if you elementally break it down to its core, tear it to its scientific and psychological roots, there may be logical breakthroughs on how to establish more happiness in your life.
Recently, as in the past few decades, social scientists have been investigating and attempting to narrow down what exactly makes individuals more giddy than others. Based on the results, it appears to be coming to a resolve.
So here are the reasons, which are defined as habits, that’s as scientifically proven as possible, which should make you a lot more happier than you currently are.
Happiness As A Science
Make Exercise An Essential
Working out, in designs to make you lose weight, fight off disease, or just for the sheer pleasure and benefits of sweating, exercise is one habit that you should be adopting.
Sweating, in fact, is one of the most important activities that you can do for yourself, which has proven to improve your health as well as your sense of well being.
So doing some type of physical excess on a daily basis is a non-negotiable act. Sure, you may on occasion happen to skip the gym for a day or so, but generally, you need to adopt a rigid and structured routine, such as cardio training or jogging, along with non-structured routines such as always taking the stairs, for instance.
You should be adopting these activities by incorporating them into your life as a daily habit, regardless of your fitness level. In the long run, you’ll thank yourself for the benefits, producing a sense of accomplishment while leading towards happiness.
Getting Sunshine On A Daily Basis
Less than a century ago, just a few generations past, our ancestors were all primarily outdoorsmen for the majority of their daily lives. As a result, they soaked up the rays of the sun as they did their work outside.
But today, the typical workers employment dictates being stationed to a cubicle, indoors, under dull florescent lights, resulting in receiving less than thirty minutes of direct sunlight on a daily basis, and often less during the winter months.
There’s also evidence that a lack of sunlight along with poor weather conditions can affect our moods, spiraling downwards. There is in fact an entire disorder that’s now recognized which relates to the lack of sun, known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, which is a very real and chronic condition.
But the good news is that being near any bright light, and not necessarily sunlight, can help in breaking the spell. Although there’s no definitive set rule, the majority of experts are recommending, at a minimum, 30 to 45 minutes of direct sun, or from a bright light on a daily basis.
Taking The Occasional Nap
We all need to recoup during a busy stressful day, but for the majority of us, that rest time isn’t until the end of the day. There is growing evidence, however, that supports taking short naps during the day is recommended and cognitively helpful.
This whether to improve our moods or sharpen and refocus the mind. Although the timing always seems to interfere, and napping is often frowned upon so it doesn’t become an option. But try squeezing in even a short 10 minute catnap into your day. There is valid reasons why some are caught sleeping on the job, so siesta away. Oh, and don’t worry, be appy.
Finding Time To Relax
Alright, for the majority of us, napping during the day just isn’t an option, so the next best thing is taking mental breaks. So just unplug yourself by going out for a quick walk, meditate, listen to some music, or try deep breathing exercises. Anything that will momentarily give your mind and body a chance to unwind and recoup a bit.
Meditation, for instance, has proven in a number of studies to be able to instantly reduce stress levels. So by incorporating some of these methods of relaxation on a daily basis, you’ll then be sure to stay rejuvenated, refreshed, and as revitalized as possible.
Planning Social Activities
Plan some social fun time, during the week, at least four days in advance. Planning out your social activities beforehand helps in better targeting specific factors which can influence your happiness.
This way, other than just socializing as well as nurturing your closest relationships, planing on spending more time with your friends or family helps. This so you can look forward to some downtime together.
You could just even plan an activity or occasion where you’ll be helping a relative, or volunteering to help an older person who may be in need. This nurtures relationships while cultivating optimism by performing acts of kindness, which has traditionally been linked to improving ones happiness.
Planning Meals And Dinners In Advance
It’s fairly well known that the deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals can be factors in bringing down your mood, so what you eat and how you feel has a direct link to each other.
Unfortunately, what’s not known is the exact correlation of which is which, especially when it comes to the long term. So planning healthy nutritious meals in advance becomes an important way of ensuring that you’re getting the proper mix of the required nutrients to avoid any deficiencies.
A New Hobby Or Interest
Picking up a new hobby and learning something new are excellent ways to lift your spirits. A new hobby will give you the opportunity to set, as well as commit to new goals, which is a key determinant to improving happiness.
New hobbies also opens the door to making new friends which leads to socializing more. So by diversifying your hobbies and interests which includes larger social activities, you’ll then be able to address all of the factors which determines more joy.
Planning Your Vacations In Advance
Vacations let you to kick back, relax, explore, and allow all of your troubles to just fade away. At least that’s the plan and theory. But according to a recent study, going on that much deserved holiday doesn’t actually improve your happiness as much as originally thought.
What’s been discovered, however, is that the greatest joy of a much deserved holiday is derived from the planning and anticipation stage, the actual weeks leading up to the vacation. The study revealed that the actual thinking and planning of the “time off” actually provided more happiness, the peak being eight weeks before the actual holiday.
So just by scheduling your vacations, or planning that camping trip on the upcoming long weekend, and doing so as far in advance as possible, gives you something to look forward to, which pumps up your enjoyment and excitement levels.