Every day, as we awake, we’re faced with the same question: “Do you want to be happy?” Happiness is a choice you make every day!
One such morning, just as my little niece awoke, I carried her out to the balcony and whispered in her ear, “It’s a beautiful day, paapa.” Two minutes later she took her grandma out and repeated, “It’s a beautiful day, aachi.”
The ultimate goal is to live happy lives and spread the joy. It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwinds of our routine and sometimes chaotic lives.
Here are 8 tips for a happier you that you can effortlessly incorporate into your everyday lifestyle.
1. Laugh It Out
2. Block It Out
3. Talk It Out
4. Stretch It Out
5. Tune It Out
6. Dance It Out
7. Sweat It Out
8. Hug It Out
1. Laugh It Out
Laugh a little more today,
Have your worries fly away!
You know it’s said that laughter is the best medicine! As simple as it sounds, did you know that an average adult laughs only about 20 times a day? Children, on the other hand, laugh about 300 times a day – it’s not me talking the numbers are from a statistical study.
Laughing less ain’t a joke!
· Laughter releases stress.
· Laughter calms you down.
· Laughter helps stimulate your organs.
· Laughter can improve your immunity (much needed in 2021!)
· Laughter improves satisfaction and of course your mood!
So, laugh a little more with your friends and family! Tune into your favourite comedy sitcom! Do whatever it takes to laugh out loud more often.
2. Block It Out
Breathe in… and breathe out…
The power of meditation is often underestimated, not because it doesn’t work, but because we in general aren’t very good at it. However, when done right, even for just a few minutes every day, meditation can:
· Control anxiety
· Improve emotional health
· Reduce stress
· Better self-awareness
· Increase attention span
· Help fight addictions
· Improve sleep.
And these are just tapping the most prominent benefits of mediation. (I hope to write more on this in the coming days, so stay tuned!)
Although there are plenty of tips to help you meditate and block all other thoughts out, these are the two that I follow:
1) Try to block everything out and gaze into the blackness behind my closed eyes (this helps me sleep sooner),
2) Listen to the subtle sounds around me (works best when you’re closer to nature).
3. Talk It Out
Oh, I love this one! There’s very little that can’t be solved by just talking your heart out.
Humans are social beings, and it’s quite difficult to keep feelings bottled up within you. Even if you’ve mastered the trick and manage to keep all your emotions and thoughts pilling up within you, just imagine what happens when you reach max out. Rather than putting yourself through the struggles of the resultant outburst and depression, consider easing it out for yourself.
Converse with the person that hurt you. Or, open up to a friend for consolation. Let it out and let it go!
4. Stretch It Out
While living off the edge,
Don't forget to safely stretch!
Stretching doesn’t have to be synonymous to exercise (we’ll get to that in just a bit). You can stretch anytime and anywhere! Right after you wake up, just before you go to bed, or when you stand up from your work desk for a much-deserved break.
The benefits of stretching on mental wellbeing are underrated.
· Stretching increases blood flow to the brain and muscles, which can elevate your spirits and help with decision-making.
· Stretching releases hormones that can regulate metabolism and insulin levels.
· Stretching helps you relax by releasing tension and become more aware of the present.
Just keep in mind to aim for symmetry while doing your stretches. Hold stretches for at least 30 seconds. Don’t strain joints that already ache, in which case consult a physician first.
5. Tune It Out
From holding on to letting go,
There's nothing that a song can't cure!
Music is intimate. It can help forget yourself and the problems that surround and escape into a peaceful, more joyous, world.
Apart from elating your mood and helping you focus more efficiently on work or study, music in itself is a form of expression. These days, it’s quite easy to tune into songs that express the very emotions you’re feeling.
Studies say that music can aid processing in negative emotions. For example, listening to “angry” music becomes a means to be expressive of the anger you may be experiencing. This becomes therapeutic in releasing the anger and stress.
6. Dance It Out
We’ve all been happy with a dance- be it an unplanned fiasco or a perfectly romantic one. Putting on your dancing shoes once in a while isn’t a bizarre idea irrespective of your age. In fact, dancing can help the older generation rekindle the positivism of their younger selves with cherished memories.
Dancing can help you stay fit, tone your muscles, and increase strength and endurance. Apart from improving heart and lung conditions, dancing increases physical confidence, mental functioning, psychological wellbeing, and gives you a great chance at socializing.
7. Sweat It Out
The benefits of exercise have never been questioned. Regular exercise leads to better physical health, yes. But it also leads to a happier you!
"Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy." -Legally Blonde
That may be a movie quote, but it’s as true as it can get! Research indicates that regular exercise can help with depression and other mental issues like anxiety or panic attacks. It’s been stated that you should start seeing the difference and feeling better within 10-12 weeks of routine exercising. So, don’t forget to break a sweat!
8. Hug It Out
For the ups and downs, we've been through together,
Sending a warm hug your way, my dear!
Although not advisable in current pandemic circumstances, hugs are a great way to express yourself when words fail you. My little niece runs around the room, giving each person in it a warm little hug when you least expect it. It’s priceless! Bring back the child in you!
As simple as it sounds, there’s much research gone into hugs. Here are some apart from what we already know about hugs.
· Hugs can release Dopamine (the pleasure hormone), Serotonin (the antidepressant hormone), and Oxytocin (the love hormone).
· A 10-second hug lessens tiredness and depression.
· A 20-second hug helps negate the ill effects of stress and high blood pressure while ensuring a healthy heart.
Please Note: The pandemic forces us to hold off on hugs for now. It is after all yet another way of showing that we care. Stay safe and keep your loved ones safe!
Laugh a little more, talk through problems, avoid overthinking, decide to keep your mind and body healthy, and choose to be happy every day! If you found this blog helpful, I’d love to hear from you. Please, drop a comment!
Comments