Top 10 Happiness Tips
Top Tip 1 – Count Your Blessings.
Take a moment out of your busy day and think about all the good things you have in your life. Are you able-bodied, are you breathing, do you have enough food to eat and water to drink, do you have good friends, do you have a roof over your head and some money in your pocket? If you can say ‘yes’ to even one of these, you are doing a whole lot better than many people in the world and if you can say ‘yes’ to all of them, you are rich indeed.
BONUS TIP: Occasionally make a list of the blessings in your life and spare a thought or even some practical support for those less blessed. Keep a charity box and put small change in at the end of the day – it soon adds up.
Top Tip 2 – Develop Gratitude.
Anthony Robbins, the American motivational speaker, says “Live every day with an attitude of gratitude”. It might sound a bit trite…but it’s great advice. Imagine how much better your day would be if you focused on being grateful for what you have, rather than what you don’t have.
BONUS TIP: Why not keep a ‘gratitude book’ to record the good things that have happened during the day? It only takes a few moments at the end of the day and it serves as a great reminder for days when you don’t feel so great.
Top Tip 3 – Look for a Jewel.
You’ve heard the expression, “don’t judge a book by its cover”, well this is similar. Too often we make snap decisions about other people that might include writing them off as someone we don’t want to know. Have you ever done that? Everybody has something great about them and if you start believing that, you’ll quickly find it! So next time you hear yourself being judgemental, take a deep breath and look for a jewel……I guarantee it’ll be there.
Top Tip 4 – Practice Random Acts of Kindness.
Approach life from the basis of “How can I help?” You don’t necessarily have to ask the question outright but if inside you are carrying the desire to be kind and helpful when you can, then opportunities to do just that will arise. The net result will be that the person you help will feel great…and so will you. (Although don’t give to receive…give because you want to give…and the rest will just flow back to you unsought).
Top Tip 5 – Give Praise
In the early 90s research showed that not being appreciated was one of the biggest stressors in life. People were heard to say “I’d rather have one thank you a week than a pay rise”….can you believe it? Well, I can. Can you remember the last time someone praised you? How did it feel? Or was it too long ago to remember? The thing about praise is that it doesn’t have to be lavish, it just needs to be meant. A simple heartfelt “thank you” or “well done” is often more than enough to do the trick. The other person feels good and so do you. So go on, think about who you could praise today….someone at work, a friend, a family member or maybe a stranger.
BONUS TIP – Carry a small pad of “post-it stickers with you and write a Thank You to someone who deserves it. For example, add it to a tip in a restaurant (and if you added the tip on the bill, just leave it on the table)
Top Tip 6 – Keep Good Company
Seek out the radiators and avoid drains! Have you noticed that you feel good and upbeat in the company of some people and totally exhausted with others? Well, that’s because some people are energy drains. They are usually the ones who moan a lot and always see a cup half empty rather than half full. Having told you all their woes, they go away feeling loads better and you feel like sleeping for a week! Have you ever had that experience? I’m not suggesting that you ignore people like this (you might not even know they are that way until you start talking to them)…just don’t spend too much time around them.
BONUS TIP – Everyone needs a moan sometimes but I always suggest limiting it, otherwise it can drag on forever. So try allocating “moan time” with a friend or partner. Agree that you have 10 minutes and they have 10 minutes. When you are both done….turn your attention to something more positive. Life is just too short!
Top Tip 7 – Create Some Positive Self–Task
This is great for those times when finding things to be grateful for, and blessings to count, is a bit elusive. If you have some pre-created positive self-talk waiting in the wings, you can shift your mood upwards pretty quickly. Try:
“I am so lucky to have such good friends”
“I am perfect just as i am”
“I am confident and capable”
“I’m a kind and generous person”
Top Tip 8 – Give Up Resentments
If there is one thing that really gets in the way of happiness, it’s resentment! It eats away at our insides and spills over the bitterness, sarcasm, toxic humour and general unpleasantness. Often it’s the result of not having cleanly and clearly addressed a grievance. So if there is something you can do about it, then do it. If not, then let it go because the only person you’ll hurt in the long run is you!
BONUS TIP – Try writing a letter to the person you have unfinished business with. Write down everything you want to say….don’t hold back. THEN….DON’T POST IT, BURN IT….with the strong intension that as the flames consume the letter, your resentment is released with it. (I appreciate it might take several times…but you will feel loads better in times).
Top Tip 9 – Smile!!
In the 19th Century. A French Physiologist, Dr. Guillaume Duchenne, found that a “real smile” (when the lips part and turn up, and the muscles around the eyes contract), in voluntarily sends a signal of genuine joy to the brain. So this is a case where “faking it” can work wonders. Even if you don’t feel like smiling, do it anyway and release some positive endorphins…but remember it has to be a “full face smile”, not just the polite smile that so many people offer.
Top Tip 10 – Laugh More
“People who laugh together, work well together” and “families that play together, stay together” are two expressions that acknowledge the benefits of laughter. Now there’s also a lot of scientific evidence that shows conclusively how important laughter is to our general sense of health and wellbeing. It almost sounds ridiculous…scientific research into the effect of laughter! Doesn’t everyone know how good it is to laugh? Well of course they do but sometimes it can seem that there’s not much to laugh about. If that’s true for you, then we can help because we teach people to LAUGH FOR NO GOOD REASON….no jokes, no funny stories, no laughing at someone or something else. What’s great is that you don’t need to have a sense of humour…or to be happy…although you will be when you’ve been to one of our events because laughter is highly infectious! Come and stock up your “Laughter Account”.
Hansa Pankhania is a published author of 10 Wellbeing books for adults and children available on Amazon or through her website.
In her books, she is passionate about sharing natural wellbeing techniques which do not cost anything but nourish your body, mind, and soul in powerful ways.
She and her team offer Coaching and Training on Wellbeing, Stress Prevention, Resilience Building and related topics to Individuals and Managers.
She has a national and international team of affiliates who are committed to promoting individual wellbeing as well as developing mindful, compassionate, thriving workplace cultures.
Visit-www.aumconsultancy.co.uk
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