Want more happiness in your life? I’m pretty certain, we all do.
Dalai Lama said that “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions”.
Abraham Lincoln thought that “People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be”.
and Albert Einstein said “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things”.
Happy people often feel good about their lives, because they have a sense of purpose. Pinpointing how happiness works for everyone is difficult, but happiness seems to have a few things in common. A sense of purpose and a strong relationship with either with a friend, family member or partner.
Of course these are not the only things that makes one happy. Having gratitude, being hopeful, and assuming your basic needs are met, all make a difference. However, Im not a psychologist. My hope for you, dear readers, is that in 2020, you stay hopeful. Be adventurous. Be open minded. And as always be safe.
So, with that in mind I’ve put together some ideas with some friends. We came up with 12 things that might make you happy. I hope these ideas will help cultivate joy and happiness for you in the year ahead.
Does Social Media Cause Depression?
- Turn off social media, or limit yourself to 30 mins a day.
Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology published a new study on social media linked to depression and loneliness.
“What we found overall is that if you use less social media, you are actually less depressed and less lonely, meaning that the decreased social media use is what causes that qualitative shift in your well-being,” said Jordyn Young, a co-author of the paper and a senior at the University of Pennsylvania.
The results were clear: The group that used less social media, even though it wasn’t completely eliminated, had better mental health outcomes.
Get some Vitamin D
2. My favorite, Go to the beach!
Study links vitamin D-deficient older adults with greater risk of developing depression. The sun is so important to us, today Americans are vitamin d deficient. We may spend more time outside however, most will put on sunscreen, blocking precious vitamin D. So, before you reach for that sunblock, wait 20 mins or however long it takes before you burn. Then put on a hat or a non-toxic sunblock.
Try Juicing
3. Raw made to order elixirs are a great way to prevent illness and feel better, therefore being “happy”. Here in Hawaii we have a lot of juicing options. Here are a few in the Honolulu area.
Or if you’re up to it, make your own juice! My favorite is celery juice.
Go Weightless
4. Sensory deprivation tank is a great way to detox and feel lifted. The float tank is filled with 10 inches of body temperature water and 1,000 pounds of high grade epsom salt. The pod is pitch black allowing you to float your worries away. Commonly people will say it feels like floating in space or being back in the womb. Soaking in Epsom salts has been found to stimulate lymph drainage, and promote the absorption of Magnesium and Sulphates.
If you live in Hawaii or visiting Hawaii visit Dream Float Hawaii. It’s a private beautiful residence in an upscale area. The views are phenomenal.
Throw A Party
5. Throw a party! It doesn’t need to be complicated or professionally done. It’s about socializing face to face with your friends and your family.
Try a theme. I’ve done a few for my family. My dinner party themes were:
Harry Potter
Mascarade Murder Mystery Dinner
Wild West
Egyptian
Meditate
6. Daily meditation practice helps anxiety disorder, phobia, panic disorders, obsession, and bipolar mood swings.
Studies on mild and major depressive individuals, showed that meditation reduced the symptoms of loneliness and general low mood.
Apps like Headspace make it easy to practice mindful meditation and breathing.
Use Essential Oils
7. Aromatherapy has been used to promote health and well-being for centuries. This holistic healing treatment uses natural plant extract medicinally to improve the health of the body, mind, and spirit. It enhances both physical and emotional health.
Aromatherapy works through the sense of smell and skin absorption using products such as these:
- diffusers
- aromatic spritzers
- inhalers
- bathing salts
- body oils, creams, or lotions for massage or topical application
- facial steamers
- hot and cold compresses
- clay masks
You can use these alone or in any combination.
Find Gratitude
8. By practicing gratitude, you give yourself the opportunity to focus on the good things surrounding you. You allow your brain to relearn how to positively process information and reframe your point of focus.
Journaling is the most popular and simplest tool to practice gratitude. Getting into a good habit of writing in your journal every morning or evening can transform your life and open up incredible opportunities for love, joy, and success.
Walking in Nature
9. Go for a walk in nature, in Japan it’s called Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. There is no exercising involved, just paying close attention to everything you see and experience in the forest. Take notice of all its beauty, hear the birds, smells the flowers. It is simply being in nature, connecting with it through our senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. By opening our senses, it bridges the gap between us and the natural world. This will calm your mind and body. Focus on feeling gratitude and how it feels in your body, enjoy it.
Get Away For the Weekend
10. Staycation is always good for the soul. You don’t necessarily have to fly anywhere, just a few hours drive away is all you may need to feel refreshed and happy again. For me living in Hawaii, we usually like to island hop, a weekend getaway will usually mean flying to the Big Island (45 min flight) or Maui (20 min flight).
Volunteer
11. A few things really can feed the soul, like doing something nice for others. Have you ever tried volunteering? I have visited the senior citizen homes. Talking to the elderly and even reading to them. I enjoyed their company, I hope they enjoyed mine too.
You can volunteer at your local hospital, Humane Society or even volunteering to feed the homeless.
Speak to Your Elders
12. I really enjoy speaking to the elderly. They have some great stories of when they were growing up. I spoke with many elderly locals in Hawaii about the Pearl Harbor bombing. Some told me their stories of being in the Japanese encampment. I even briefly spoke to an elderly woman about her life during the Holocaust. These elderly ones has so much experience and story to tell. And if your lucky enough, they may even share their photos with you.
These are only a few options that you can try, there are so many more things I could list:
Yoga
Buy a stranger a coffee, I had that happen to me it was really sweet.
Get a cat/dog
Try CBD
I think you get the point.
So my friends, enjoy 2020 and as I mentioned earlier, stay hopeful. Be adventurous. Be open minded. And as always be safe.
Yes, Be happy! enjoy life!