6 Steps to a Happier You – Part 1

You don’t need to have everything you want in life to be happy. By making just a few small changes to your daily life, you can become happier.

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”

– Dalai Lama

1. Live more in the present moment

Before discovering ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle, I spent a lot of time thinking about everything – things that had happened, things that were happening, things that might happen, things that would never happen, things I had seen or heard, things I might see or hear, and things I’d never see or hear. Oh, and many more things. I think you get the idea. Of course, thinking is necessary throughout the day to accomplish tasks, understand new concepts or to solve problems at work. But a lot of our thinking is pointless and often leaves us worrying, stressed and unhappy about things that are out of our control.

Have you ever consciously tried to switch off from all your thinking when thinking wasn’t an absolute necessity in that moment? Focus on whatever activity you’re engaged in – playing catch with your dog, pushing your toddler on the swing or watching a beautiful sunset – and when a thought pops into your head (especially about something you have no control over), be aware of it, observe it, but don’t hold onto it. Don’t judge it or indulge it. Let it go, and focus again on whatever you were doing before the thought arose. In this way, you’ll become happier, more immersed in the present moment and free to thoroughly enjoy whatever you’re doing.

“If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present.”

– Roy T Bennett

2. Spend more time relaxing or exercising outdoors

Although our modern lives are shifting us indoors, getting outside – and especially into nature and natural sunlight – is one of the quickest ways to become happier and restore your vitamin D, or happy vitamin, levels. If you are struggling to focus or make decisions, or feeling uninspired and mentally fatigued after many hours at your computer, walking or exercising near the beach or sitting on a park bench will lift your mood instantly and give you back some of that missing mental energy too.

Just 10-30 minutes of direct sunlight a day can improve your overall brain and body health; reducing stress, anxiety, infections, high blood pressure and even the risk of heart disease.

And if you cannot get to the beach or the park, just look at pictures of nature and you’ll feel recharged, re-energised and even a sense of awe.

3. Focus on the things that make you happy

I recently did a 30-day happiness challenge with some colleagues: How it works is every day, for 30 days, you post a photo of anything – big or small – that makes you happy; your pet curled up beside you, a breathtaking nature scene on a hike last weekend, a bottle of bubble bath after a busy day, or your toddler’s expression when he sees a lizard for the first time.

By simply focusing on, and sharing all these happy moments, I felt happier. It also reminded me of how much happiness surrounds me already, and all I had to do was observe it and acknowledge it.

The key to a happier you, I believe, is consistency – doing something that makes you happy every day until it feels automatic, like forming a new habit, and part of your daily reality.

Read 6 Steps to a Happier You – Part 2.