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7 Top Habits for Happiness

7 Top Habits for Happiness

Happiness is not something that just magically appears in your life. It’s something that you have to work for every day. It’s something that you need to dedicate time to. It’s something that comes when you allow it to and when you add in habits for happiness, it will come to you a lot faster than just wishing and hoping for it to appear.

Developing happiness is a skill that you’ve got to get good at it and the better you get at it, the better you’ll feel.

If you’re looking at others and thinking that they’re so happy because they have the money, the lifestyle, the girlfriend or boyfriend, the great job, the nice car, or a great group of friends and thinking that they’re happy because they have those things, well, how do you know they’re happier? It is based off of their Instagram and Facebook pictures?

People aren’t happy because of the things that they have, they’re happy because of the things that they do. In other words, they’re happy because of their habits. Happy people do things every day that fill them up and when they’re filled up they’re able to go out and enjoy their lives despite also having worries just like you have.

You don’t learn how to become a happier person, you become a happier person by being happy with what you already have and making changes to your attitude, mindset and habits.

Know that you too can be happy with your life and self every single day even if you have worries, stress or concerns about things. You’re human and that’s normal. Your happiness doesn’t come from a lack of worries, it comes from a shift of perspective that can be changed by a change in habits.

I encourage you to keep an open mind when reading these steps to be happier and to try them. If you don’t try then you will never know if it works for you and you’ll be doing a disservice for youself. And if you already do these habits then great, but keep reading because I could offer a new perspective and resource that you haven’t heard of before.

Keeping an open mind will definitely lead to more happiness, especially with these ways to be happier.

Top habits for happiness

These tips for being happier will help you learn how to become happier with just simple shifts in your life.

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How can I be happier? Get mindful through meditation.

1. Practice mindfulness through meditation

I’m sure you’ve already heard it before, but I’m here to repeat it because if you’re not meditating then you’re missing out! One of the top happiness habits that you can practice is mediation not just because it makes you happier but because of its mental health benefits as well.

If your excuse is that meditation isn’t for you and that you’ve tried it in the past then perhaps you didn’t like it because it’s not the right kind of meditation for you. Meditation doesn’t have to be sitting down with a straight back. Meditation doesn’t have to be silent. Meditation doesn’t have to be being still.

Meditation can be exactly what you think, sitting down and just breathing but it can also be walking down the beach without distractions, concentrating on feeling the sand below your feet. Meditation can also be laying down on your back and listening to a guided meditation. Meditation can be chanting a mantra or following beads on a mala necklace.

There are so many different ways to meditate but many only believe that there is one way to meditate: by sitting down in silence and breathing.

The whole point of meditation is to come back to yourself, to be in the present and to learn how to work with your mind instead of trying to control it.

Meditation gives you the power to be one with your body and mind which allows you to be at complete utter peace. It allows thoughts to drift away and if they come up you learn, through practice, how to dismiss them so you can continue to be at peace.

That inner feeling of peace is what keeps your stress at bay, lowering cortisol and the fight or flight response. Being more mindful, through meditation, has the ability to help you feel calmer and happier in just a few minutes with just the power of your breath.

Why wouldn’t you try it?

I personally got started with and recommend the Headspace app which is free to begin with and offers guided meditations and multiple meditation techniques such as noting, visualization, body scanning, focused attention and more. You’re bound to find one that really works for you.

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Habits of happiness always include some type of movement.

2. Move your body every day

One of the top tips on how to be happier is movement. It’s common knowledge that exercise is good for you not just because it keeps you physically healthy but also because it can boost your mood by releasing a chemical called dopamine into your brain.

Dopamine is also known as the “feel-good transmitter.” When you feel good you’re usually happy…am I right?

So why is it that so many people don’t move? Because in this case, happiness really is as easy as moving.

Perhaps so many people don’t exercise because they hate the thought of getting sweaty, or they believe that they have to workout for an hour to get any measurable benefit.

The truth is that any type of movement or any length of time will help you release dopamine and be happier. Getting the hit of dopamine that you need to help you boost your day doesn’t even require you to go to the gym. It doesn’t even require you to get dressed!

Movement as be as simple as stretching or dancing in your PJ’s in your room. But movement can also be lifting weights, doing power yoga or going for a long run. Movement can be going on a leisurely walk, attending a fitness class, swimming, doing a few jumping jacks, sprinting up and down the stairs or flailing your limbs while laying on the couch.

Movement comes in all sorts of forms and finding the right movement for you is essential for living a happier life. When you begin to love moving you’ll do it more and the more you do it the more addicted you’ll get, making it even easier for you to do it every day.

Whenever I’m in a bad mood I put on a feel good song and just start jumping or dancing to the beat. By the end of the song I feel great and usually want to keep dancing.

Add movement into your morning routine or do it whenever you’re feeling down and you will quickly begin to see an increase in your happiness levels daily.

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Improve your happiness in just moments by practicing gratitude.

3. Express gratitude and appreciation

The idea of practicing gratitude has been increasingly popular over the last few years as the personal development and wellness industries have boomed, and that’s because gratitude and happiness are closely linked.

When you practice being grateful for what you have, the people who are in your life, the experiences you get the more you’re practicing being positive. By seeing the positive and the light in your life instead of focusing on the negative and the bad, you’re able to help rewire your brain to see more good, more positive, more light.

This leads to a circle of gratefulness and it becomes easier to see what you’re grateful for more often.

I also added in appreciation because from experience I learned that expressing to others that I appreciate them I’ve seen a jump in my mood and overall happiness.

When I share that I appreciate or I’m thankful for someone for waiting for me when I’m late, telling a friend I appreciate them listening or showing up for me, sharing with my parents that I appreciate all they’ve done for me, all of these moments of appreciation were able to give myself and the person I shared my appreciation with a boost in happiness.

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Habits of happy people always include looking after their body and what they put into it.

4. Fuel your body

Fueling your body correctly, that is eating what works for you and not what everyone days is healthy is an essential part to living a happier life. When you look at fueling your body instead of just eating healthy, it’s a mindset shift that allows you to understand that your body literally needs good food to keep it going.

When you fill your body with junk you’re showing your body that you don’t value it. You’re treating your body poorly by not giving it the nutrients you need to keep you going as your best self.

Food nourishes your body and food carries what you need to feel your happiness.

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How to be happy with your life: do what fulfills you.

5. Do what fulfills you

I’m not saying that you have to go and quit your job to pursue that cupcake business or to travel the world and start a travel blog but do that if that’s what truly fulfills you.

It is important to do something every day that fulfills you. It could be as simple as reading a good book on a topic that you really enjoy. It could be taking a pottery class a couple of nights a week. It could be attending an event and learning about real estate.

Whatever it is that fulfills you, do it as often as possible. When you’re able to integrate what fulfills you into your life you give yourself the time to experience joy.

Joy is an even higher level of happiness that will help you reach bliss, those moments when you can just focus on what you’re doing and not care about anything else in the world.

When you do what fulfills you you’re allowing yourself the time to do what your soul is calling you to do. You do not have to pursue what fulfills you as a career and you can have multiple things that fulfill you.

You just have to do whatever it is that fulfills you in order to be your happiest self and to allow that energy the time and space to move through you and literally fill you up.

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How to be happy always in life: PLAY.

6. Remember to play

As adults most of us have a full schedule from the time we wake up until we go to bed and our play involves sitting on the couch chowing down on snacks while watching Netflix. That, my friends, is not playing.

Playing is being spontaneous. Playing is being silly. Playing is embracing your inner child and having fun just for the sake of having fun.

Forget your to-do list, forget what you have to achieve or accomplish, forget that you have to be responsible every so often and just go out and play.

The energy that comes from playing is your feminine energy, which our society sure as hell needs these days. We live in such masculine energy dominated society where it’s all do, do do and not enough flow and play.

Embracing play just sometimes will allow you to come back to the feelings of happiness and joy that you had as a child and will, in turn, allow you to focus better when it comes time to work on your to-do list.

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How to live happier: connect more.

7. Connect with others

No matter how independent you are, you need connection with others. No matter how much you love your alone time, you still need connection with others.

Humans are social beings, and though we all need different amounts of social time, we are never meant to be alone. Finding a connection with people whether that be as friends or lovers is an essential part of the human experience that contributes greatly to your overall happiness.

Without others in your life you risk becoming isolated. This can even happen if you’re spending time with others that you don’t feel a connection with.

The people that you have connections with will contribute to your happiness by making you feel like you are apart of something and that is very, very important for each and every individual because it’s ingrained in us.

Being happier is not rocket science and it doesn’t require you to make any major life changes. All it requires from you is some minor shifts in your morning routine and mindset. The simple shifts will allow you to live a happier life that will in turn attract more happiness to you, in an endless positive circle that will help you live your best damn life.

You can be happier in just a few minutes a day. You know what to do, you just read the top happy habits and have the tools in your toolbox. All you have to do is go out and do it for you, because you love yourself enough to do what feels good.

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