People say all the time that they want to be happy, but what does that really mean? Can we – should we – really aspire to being happy all the time? It just seems such an impossible goal for most of us, and if it feels unobtainable, then that just leads us to feeling dissatisfied, disillusioned and a failure.
Don’t you think it would feel better (be a bit easier) if we just did a few simple things that bring us a little bit more happiness in our lives?  Remember we are not striving for perfection, and feeling 10% happier would for most of us feel great 🙂
Here are a few things that have been scientifically proven to make you feel that little bit happier…….
1. Gratitude
Yep, as simple as that, write down 3 things every day that you are grateful for. They don’t have to be big things, it could be walking your dog this morning, seeing your friend, being in nature, your children, cycling 5 miles, anything that you are grateful for.
And let’s not forget to express our gratitude to others, thank people who help you, let your family/friends know you appreciate them, love them. If you enjoyed something, tell that person, give out those compliments – it makes them feel great and you happier.
You see, gratitude activates a part in your brain that produces dopamine (happy hormone), and by focusing on the positive things in your life, you boost your serotonin levels – end result is that you feel that little bit happier.
Simple but effective.
2. Touch
Yep, get hugging those you love, and maybe those you don’t!  We are social beings, we have a deep need to feel cared for, accepted and loved, so let’s be a little more demonstrative and make us all feel better.
A little tip: it takes about 20 seconds for oxytocin (happy hormone) to be released when you hug, so linger that bit longer 🙂
Did you know that when we don’t feel cared for, accepted and loved, we actually feel pain? Pain as if we had physically hurt ourselves – it’s the same area in our brain that is activated when we do physically hurt ourselves!
Think of it like this – what is one of the worst punishments we do to each other? We exile, we exclude, we alienate, we put people in solitary confinement, we reject them – this causes us all such pain.
So, let’s make sure we are caring, accepting and loving more. Let’s hug that bit more and that bit longer and you will feel that bit happier.
Simple but effective.
3. Make that decision!
Yep, stop procrastinating – it makes us feel bad. Â When you make a decision, your brain feels in control, when it feels in control it feels safe, when it feels safe, stress levels reduce.
Making a decision literally boosts your pleasure, it changes the way you see your problem and allows you to find solutions to your problem as the limbic part of your brain is now calm.
Science has proven that when you make a decision that leads to good results, you feel much better that when those good results happen by chance – your brain loves decisions.
So, let’s stop trying to be perfect, waiting for the perfect time – just make that decision, good enough is almost always good enough.
A little tip if you make a decision because you think you should or feel you have no choice, that is not a voluntary decision, so no pleasure boost for you, just a little extra stress and no extra happiness!
Simple but effective
Try a few of these this week and notice if you end up with a little more happiness………