Leading a happy life is not about avoiding hard times. In fact, experts say that it is about being able to respond to adversity in a way that allows you to grow from the experience. Linda Prescott shares some practical ways on How to Boost Your Happiness.
Start each day with a smile
Sounds too simple to be effective, but believe it or not, something as simple as a smile can really help boost your happiness. In fact, a research by Paula M. Niedenthal at the University of Clermont-Ferrand, France, showed that smiling activates neural brain circuits associated with well-being and happiness. So basically, when you smile, you trigger happiness. Plus, it also feels good to smile!
Try this: Set a reminder to smile every hour or when you catch yourself frowning.
Find joy in the little things
Our life experience is based on an accumulation of small moments. Whether you realise it or not, there are many events that take place around is. Although the course of our day or even life can be changed by one dramatic event, our entire life experience still depends on the accumulation of all these tiny moments. So take this opportunity to find joy in the little things and see how this can boost your happiness. Don’t take the little joys for granted, together they form your overall experience!
Try this: Take notice of how beautiful the sky is on a nice day, savour every bite of your favourite meal or dessert, notice how good your coffee smells in the morning or how nice your skin smells after a shower.
Choose the positive angle
You know when people say, “stay positive”, it’s actually good advice? It can make some feel displeased because asking someone to stay positive might be easier said than done. However, according to a California State University research, a positive attitude has the power to increase happiness and well-being. Positive emotions can even counteract the effects of adversity. So if you’ve always seen things from a negative point of view, now is the time for you to try and see things from a glass half full perspective.
Try this: You will have to reject negativity and its power to control you. If you’re going through a tough time, try and see the learnings you can take from it. If you have imagined a negative situation in your mind, you have to deliberately switch that thought to a more positive one. Staying positive will take some practice but you can do it!