Today I read an article in a magazine about becoming happier as a person. There are ten ways in which the author spent a year trying to develop happiness. Some of those ways surprised me and some of them were no-brainers. Here's what, in her opinion, helped her to feel more happiness:
- Start with the basics. Such as going to sleep at a decent hour and eating regularly.
- When anger strikes, take some down time. According to the author, "Expressing anger related to minor ... annoyances just amplifies bad feelings, while not expressing anger often allows it to dissipate.
- Take a chance at failure. People who do new things are happier than people who don't.
- Don't treat the blues with a "treat." Usually it's something not good for your body (like the Ben & Jerry's you've got stocked in the freezer), and the "high" only lasts a short while.
- Fake it till you feel it. If you're trying to fool everyone around you into thinking you are happier than you really are, sometimes you start to fool yourself.
- Buy some happiness. (This one surprised me because whenever I do this, I feel buyer's remorse.) The author looked for "ways to spend money to stay in closer contact with her family and friends; to promote her health; to work more efficiently; to eliminate sources of irritation and marital conflict; to support important causes; and to have enlarging experiences."
- Don't insist on the best. (Another one that I wasn't aware of.) When you find something meets all your needs, there's no need to continue to analyze it and make sure it's the best. You'll spend less time and eneregy reaching decisions, and you lose anxiety over your choice.
- Exercise. Even a 10-minute walk can help.
- Stop nagging. Replace nagging with wordless hints, using just one word, not insisting something be done on your schedule, and just do it yourself.
- Take action. Take time to ponder and take the steps to make your life happier.
What makes you feel happier?
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