Happiness – perhaps other people have it, and you want it. It is a seemingly elusive ideal that everyone says they want to strive for, but secretly finds it sometimes hard to maintain once they have held it in their hands.
If this strikes a chord with you, and you strive to bring more happiness into your life each day, here are some ideas to help you along the way to a happier life.
Play a Game You Will Enjoy
Games are fun, and they are for everyone, no matter your age or stage in life. You are never too old for a game, nor are you too set in your ways to give it a try. Make your gameplay easy by playing backgammon online. The barrier to entry is practically zero since you likely already have a smartphone and access to an internet connection. That is all you need! Now you can sit back, relax with your favorite beverage, if you like, and play to your heart’s content.
Watch Something Endearing
There is so much content available for viewing today. From talking heads that try to pass themselves off as experts to actual experts trying to sway your viewpoint and tell you how to think, the world is overwhelming. Instead of streaming an endless reel of shorts that effectively shorts your brain and reduces your attention span, try watching something light and heartwarming.
Look for shows from your childhood, fun situational comedies about friends, shows about nonsense, or watch this for a reboot of an old favorite. Sometimes, cartoons are a fun way to let go and recharge. Of course, there are plenty of adult cartoons, but the ones originally created for children often resonate with adults. There happens to be a little blue cartoon dog that just might grab your attention and your heart.
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Focus on Helping Others
Altruistic efforts are wonderful for everyone, from the giver to the receiver. Those efforts and acts of kindness help other people when they are experiencing hardships or are in a time of need. When you help someone else, you bring out your empathetic side and put others in a place of importance and value. They receive the benefit of your good works, and you receive something, too. The byproduct of focusing on others is that you will also help yourself. Selfless acts are never completely selfless, even if you intend them to be, since you receive a feeling of well-being through your acts. This is especially beneficial if you have been having a difficult time in your own life. And that helping you give to others works out to be a wonderful thing for everyone involved and brings a lot more happiness to a world that truly needs it.
Watch this video to learn how to make yourself and the world around you a happier place through the challenge of giving.
Listen to Music
Music is enchanting. It can take you away to different places through your memories. Think about where you were when you first heard your favorite song. That specific song may transport you back to a time when you were hanging out with your friends at the mall or in your parents’ basement. Songs can elicit emotions, as well. The lyrics make you think of past relationships and fraught feelings about growing up. Music can also make you very happy. Upbeat songs make you want to run a little faster when you are pounding the pavement on your morning run or pump you and your friends up when you are on the dance floor. Search for music that brings a smile to your face and makes you want to move your body. Or look for songs that make you feel serene and comforted. There is so much music in the world; make time to find some that sparks joy in your life.
Spend Time with a Friend
When you are with a good friend, you can be yourself. You can talk about almost anything and be open about who you are. And when you are done with the interaction and back at home, there is a feeling that lingers. You know the one. You feel satisfied, comforted, and supported, and might even have a smile on your face for no particular reason at all. You are happy. That feeling goes both ways in a solid friendship, and your friend will have a similar sentiment. Focus on spending time with friends who are low drama, good listeners, and who share as much as you do. You might not be complete copies of one another, but that is a good thing. Having a friend who has similar interests to you, yet is able to expand their interests beyond yours, and vice versa, is wonderful for keeping the friendship inspirational and interesting.
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Make Practicing Gratitude a Habit
You might be a grateful person. You say thank you when someone holds a door for you or when you receive a gift. You are appreciative when someone does something nice for you, as well. Sometimes, however, days go by without any specific action occurring where you receive an act of kindness. That is okay, not everything is all rainbows and sunshine all of the time. With that in mind, it would be a nice idea to start a gratitude journal. Make it a habit to write in it every day. The best way to practice gratitude journaling is to make it part of your daily ritual. Pick a time in the morning while you are drinking your cup of coffee quietly, or in the evening when you are settling into bed. Keep your journal close by, along with a pen or two. Focus on writing at least one thing you are grateful for. You can choose the fresh, clean air, the color of the sky, or the person in front of you in the coffee shop line who paid for your coffee. The idea is to focus on the good in the world around you every single day.
Get ready to feel happier when you embrace these tips. They are all relatively easy to incorporate into your life, and you might even be doing some of them already. Try to find the joy in everyday life and spread as much of it as you can.
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Clark Kent
Usually very busy as, em, professional cos-player but also enjoy putting fingers to buttons from time to time.
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