One Simple Way to Bring More Happiness to Your Life
Do you frequently feel stressed out? Does it seem like your work and obligations are consuming your life, and you’re just a cog in the wheel of responsibilities?
Think back over the last three days- what has each day looked like for you? I’d wager a guess that “fun” hasn’t exactly been a big part of your days lately. Don’t worry- we’ve all been there!
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day grind of working, taking care of your family, and meeting expectations from the outside world. These little emergencies never truly go away. As soon as one fire is put out, another will obligingly step up to demand your attention.
How do you reduce stress and add happiness to your life quickly?
Go do fun things. Every day.
Sounds annoyingly simple, doesn’t it? When was the last time you sprinkled fun activities into your day to help take off the pressure? My guess is that it’s been a while.
Add Happiness to Your Day with “Life Deposits”
Remember, our lives are like bank accounts. They are made up of deposits and withdrawals we make that must balance each other out. If you consistently make withdrawals without ever adding deposits to your account, sooner or later you are going to feel bleak and wiped out. Little deposits here and there add up quickly.
What activities bring you happiness, and how can you implement them in your day to day life? Could you go for a hike before work, or grab coffee with a friend when the day is done? How about scheduling a weekend getaway to help you let go and enjoy some down time? Perhaps you could unplug from all of your devices and connections for just an hour each day, and give yourself some time to be in nature without interruptions?
Injecting your day with little “happy moments” is critical to keeping yourself feeling fresh and energetic. As much as we’d all like to be superhuman, and as much as society tells us that being busy is the ultimate sign of success, life simply doesn’t work that way. Your physical and mental well being rely on you to make those little deposits each day.
You Can’t Give to Others Until You Give to Yourself
Another thing I like to do is plan myself a “Me Day” every month where I spend the day doing a series of fun and relaxing activities to add to my life bank. While it’s important to add an element of fun to your average day, it’s also important to give yourself a full day alone every few weeks to truly wind down. Turn off your phone, start fresh with a shower and a solid breakfast, and leave the kids/pets/spouse at home while you go out.
I’ll usually start a successful Me Day by going to a nice coffee shop and leisurely enjoying a cup while I people watch or flip through a magazine. Oftentimes after that I’ll go to the famous Powell’s bookstore here in Portland and peruse the shelves without distraction. This serves to give me new creative ideas as well as allow me to let go of all of the daily fires that are going on in my brain. After that I may enjoy a long walk if the weather is nice, or take myself out on a sushi date (because I love sushi!) Then I’ll end the day with a long, hot bath and proceed to curl up in bed with a good book.
Of course, your Me Day routine will look different from mine. I encourage you to think about what little activities get you excited, and schedule them each month. Your energy and your zest for life will return, and you will find yourself with more attention and patience for all of other things like your work, your kids, and your spouse.
Return to Home from One Simple Way to Bring More Happiness to Your Life
