As I promised in my previous Blog Post (Today is the happiest day of 2017), here are more tips for creating Happiness….
CREATE MEANING
Feeling hopeful
having a sense of purpose
being optimistic.
Study after study shows that people who have created meaning in their lives are happier and more satisfied with their lives. You too can feel more upbeat about your future and your potential. And who doesn’t want that? Genuine optimism is a friend magnet. It also makes your goals seem doable and your challenges not so daunting!
Truthfully, you’ll not only feel more successful, you’ll be more successful. A person’s level of hope is shown to have a connection with how well they perform tasks. When you use your strengths every day, it has been proven to curb stress and increases self-esteem and vitality. Also, when you imagine your future in an optimistic light, this will definitely increase your level of happiness over the next six months. Believing that your goals are within reach promotes a sense of meaning and purpose in life—a key ingredient of happiness.
BE GIVING
Obviously, when you give someone something, you make them happier. But what you might not know is that the giver—not the receiver—reaps even more benefits. Being kind not only makes us feel less stressed, isolated and angry, but it makes us feel considerably happier, more connected with the world, and more open to new experiences.
Get out your diary and put in a reminder every day for the next month to do five acts of kindness every day, whether that’s helping an elderly person, or a mother with a buggy, doing a neighbour’s shopping or buying a stranger a cup of coffee – grab every opportunity to be KIND.
Are you aware that those who engaged in acts of kindness showed a 42% increase in happiness. We’re happier when we spend money on other people than when we spend money on ourselves.
Simply reflecting on nice things we’ve done for other people can lift our mood.
When we give of ourselves, everything from life satisfaction to self-realization and physical health is significantly affected. Mortality is delayed. Depression is reduced. Well-being and good fortune are increased.
EMPATHY
Empathy is a powerful word packed with lots of different interpretations. It’s all about truly caring about others.
It’s the ability to literally put yourself in “their shoes” to imagine and understand the thoughts, behaviours or ideas of others, including those different from ourselves. If you care about the relationships in your life—and who doesn’t?—learning the skill of empathy has enormous rewards. When we empathise with people, we become less judgmental, less frustrated, angry or disappointed— plus we develop patience (which is one of my main lessons in this lifetime!).
We also create stronger bonds with those closest to us. And when we really listen to the points of view of others, they’re very likely to listen to ours. Strong relationships are essential to happiness, and practicing empathy will go far in nurturing the relationships in your life.
Compassion is a skill that we can all learn. The brain is constantly changing in response to environmental factors, and this also extends to compassion for the self. People who have more self-compassion lead healthier, more productive lives than those who are self-critical.
Look out for my Vlog tomorrow all about how to use this week’s energies after the Full Moon…………….
Heather
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