Eight Ways to be Happier

We all want to be happy, but with daily stress and life, it’s easy to lose focus of what’s important and what makes us smile. While no one is happy all the time – mood shifts are completely normal – if you’ve been a rut lately and want to remember what joy feels like, try the simple ideas below to boost your mood.
Get some sunshine. Just sitting in the sunlight for five minutes each day is all it takes to absorb enough Vitamin D to prevent diseases such as osteoporosis, rickets and fibromyalgia, as well as prostate, breast, ovarian and colon cancer. About 40 percent of the population is Vitamin D deficient, so sitting in the sun may be all you need to feel better.


Live in the moment. In a social media-focused world, we’re all too focused on updating others about what we’re doing rather than just enjoying what we’re doing. If you’re not into social media but are still worrying about what others think or what your next move is, take a minute to focus on the here and now.

Tackle a project. Whether you’ve been meaning to clean out the basement, order those wedding photos or create a scrapbook, you’ll be happier when you’ve accomplished what you’ve been putting off. Plus, decluttering, organizing and completing one project often leads to doing more of the same, so you’ll have multiple bouts of happiness – plus a sense of pride in your work.

Take a walk. When you walk for 30 minutes each day, not only will you be able to sort out personal issues in the moments of quiet, you can also lower your bad cholesterol, raise your good cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, manage your weight and stay fit. Plus, walking improves your mood and won’t likely lead to injuries, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Adopt a cat or dog. According to the CDC, pet ownership can decrease your blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and feelings of loneliness, as well as increase opportunities for exercise and socialization. If you can’t have a dog or cat in your home or your schedule won’t allow for owning pets, volunteer at your local Humane Society or pound to reap the benefits of pet ownership without the expense.

On that note, volunteer. Few activities put your own life in perspective like helping out someone less fortunate. You’ll improve your community, develop new skills, improve talents, feel a sense of achievement, experience something new, network and boost your career opportunities and possibly discover new interests and hobbies.

Reign in your spending. Often, to make ourselves feel better, we spend money on something we don’t need, only to feel even worse later because of buyer’s remorse. Take control of your finances, and resolve to spend less than you earn. Put some money aside for a rainy day – or even better, for a sunny day.

Treat yourself to something cheap and fun. While you’re spending less, it’s okay to purchase the occasional magazine, cupcake, candy, nail polish, ice cream cone or fresh flowers. Better yet, surprise someone else to one of those items to brighten both your day and theirs.

Healthmad