Habits to Help You Live A Happier Life Part 3
The past two weeks we shared an article series about habits that will help you live a better and happier life. We’re wrapping it up with a list of habits that you can do on a regular basis. Let’s begin.
Give back
If you find that giving daily compliments provides a needed boost to your mood, consider making a monthly routine of giving back on a larger scale. Maybe that’s helping out at a food bank on the third weekend of every month or offering to watch your friend’s kids one night per month.
Take yourself out
No one to go out with? Well, what rule says you can’t go out alone? Consider going to your favorite restaurant, taking in a movie, or going on that trip you’ve always dreamed of. Even if you’re a social butterfly, spending some deliberate time alone can help you reconnect with the activities that truly make you happy.
Create a thought list
You arrive for an appointment with 10 minutes to spare. What do you do with that time? Pick up your cell phone to scroll through social media? Worry about the busy week you have ahead of you? Trying to take control of your thoughts during these brief windows of time can offer benefits.
At the start of each month, make a short list of happy memories or things you’re looking forward to on a small piece of paper or on your phone. When you find yourself waiting for a ride, standing in line at the grocery store, or just with a few minutes to kill, break out the list. You can even use it when you’re just generally feeling down and need to change up your thoughts.
Take time to reflect
While the start of a new year is a good time to stop and take inventory of your life, you can set up yearly habits at any point in the year. Try setting aside some time to catch up with yourself the way you would with an old friend:
• How are you doing?
• What have you been up to?
• Are you happier than you were a year ago?
But try to avoid judging yourself too harshly for your answers. You’ve made it to another year, and that’s a reason to celebrate. If you find that your mood hasn’t improved much over the last year, consider talking with a doctor or mental health professional. You might be dealing with depression or even an underlying physical condition that’s affecting your mood.
Reevaluate your goals
People change, so try thinking about where you’re heading and consider if that’s still where you want to go. There’s no shame in changing your plans. Let go of any goals that no longer serve you, even if they sound nice on paper.
Take care of your body
You’ve likely heard this before, including several times in this article. Your physical and mental health are closely intertwined. As you build habits to improve your happiness, it’s important to follow up with routine appointments to help take care of your body, such as:
• Seeing a primary care physician for an annual physical
• Discussing and addressing any chronic health conditions with a healthcare professional and seeing recommended specialists if needed
• Seeing a dentist for an oral cleaning and dental exam, and follow up as recommended
• Getting your vision checked
Let go of grudges
This can often be easier said than done. But remembering that you are not necessarily doing it for another person or other people may help you be more open to beginning the process. Sometimes, offering forgiveness or dropping a grudge is more about self-care than compassion for others.
Take stock of your relationships with others. Are you harboring any resentment or ill will toward someone? If so, consider reaching out to them in an effort to bury the hatchet. This does not have to be a reconciliation. You may just need to end the relationship and move on. If reaching out is not an option, try getting your feelings out in a letter. You don’t even have to send it to them. Just getting your feelings out of your mind and into the world can be freeing. You can even shred the letter afterward if you want to.
Plan a trip
With an ever-hectic schedule, sometimes it’s easy to forget to schedule something else that’s crucial to your well-being: time off. You can reap even more benefits by planning a trip, whether it’s close to home or somewhere further away. What’s more, research also backs both the mental and physical benefits of taking that much-needed vacation. In one such study, researchers looked at stress and heart rate as it relates to taking a vacation. They found that not only did the vacation itself reduce stress, but the weeks leading up to that planned trip had similar effects.
In the book Atomic Habits, James Clear the author writes: “Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.” In other words, habits take time to build. So keep making the small changes because they will eventually add up. This month in our coaching programs we'll be guiding members to build habits that stick. We would love for you to join us! Click here to learn more!
