Where does happiness come from? We don’t know for certain, but one thing is for sure: it doesn’t come from a square of chocolate or at the bottom of a bottle of wine.
The general consensus is that happiness comes from the simple things in life, for example, spending time with your family, enjoying a day outdoors, connecting with people online.
How to Start Doing Things That Make You Happy
Sit down with a pen and paper.
There’s a thought in psychology that if you have a particular memory that is playing on your mind, you should write it down thoroughly and address it.
This act of writing something down creates a mental trigger, which disciplines your mind. The act of doing so helps you regain focus and clarity, which then allows you to make sense of your thoughts.
Give yourself three things you can do tomorrow that will give you a sense of satisfaction.
Ticking off your to-do list releases a chemical in the brain called dopamine, which gives you that good feeling and keeps you happy.
It’s also a great way to put things in perspective to give yourself the motivation to get up in the morning and carry on with your day.
If you’re like most people, you may struggle with list-making, but there are some psychological reasons why it is healthy for us.
Improve your relationships.
Be it your marriage, your relationship with your kids, your parents, your friends, or your boss, having better relationships in your life is a surefire way to increase your happiness.
If you think your marriage could do with a little work, get in touch with San Diego therapy, a service that can help you sort out the issues between you.
Keep track of your successes
Most people fail to take ownership of their own happiness because they’re usually too busy.
It’s important to note the good things that you do in life, even if they don’t seem significant or worth celebrating at the time. Some research suggests that people with big smiles on their faces have better health than those who are perpetually frowning.
Put those small wins up on your fridge or your pinboard so that you see them every day and know you’ve been a success at something.
Try something new (and tell yourself how good it feels).
People can be motivated by more than just winning; this is why we often drown ourselves in negative thoughts because we think that’ll make us happier.
Think about how you feel when you try a new recipe or hike up a mountain. It’s amazing how activities that are new can make us happy.
Have a conversation with someone you care about.
We tend to think that if we share our problems and discuss them, we’ll be less lonely, and it’s true that talking about issues helps – just be careful not to vent all the time.
Talking things through makes us feel better and motivated to move forward and stay on track for happiness.