10 Steps to Happiness

In the middle of the craziest year in recent history, an article on happiness seems timely.

Would you like to have more joy in your life?

Smile more?

Enjoy life more?

Here are some very practical ways to do that!

10 Steps to Happiness

First step to happiness – Catch up with your loved ones.

Start by catching up with your loved ones.

Your loved ones should be a priority to you, and you’ll only regret not spending more time with them if you let everyday life get the better of you.

Some people get into bad habits, going through the motions of every day without properly checking up on the people they love.

A chat about your day and a quick catch up could help to cheer both you and a loved one up. We are social creatures, and we need to feel that human connection to feel happy and fulfilled.

Being independent can be beneficial, but being a ‘lone wolf’ is often not healthy.

If you don’t have a great support network, consider heading to a class or group to see if you can meet like-minded people.

It may even be possible to do this on the internet – just make sure who you’re speaking to is who they say they are.

Joining hobby groups on social media sites could help to connect you with people who have the same interests, whether you like knitting, clothes making, or painting.

Second step to happiness – Practice self-care.

Looking after yourself is a crucial part of feeling happy. You may value other people more than yourself, but you should try to practice self-care as often as you can.

Pick at least one activity each day to care for yourself, whether it’s taking a nice bath or using some nice products.

Third – Do something for someone else.

Studies have shown that when we do something nice for someone else, it boosts our happiness tenfold.

In fact, studies show that when we do something nice for someone else, we are happier than when we do something nice for ourselves.

Here are some suggestions that could put a smile on your face, or the face of somebody else:

• Complement a stranger. 

• Pay it forward and buy somebody’s coffee or a meal. 

• Make something for somebody, such as a knitted blanket or piece of jewelry.

• Volunteer your time at a homeless shelter, animal shelter, or somewhere similar. 

• Make a neighbor a cake. 

• Donate to a charity.

Fourth – Get a little exercise.

Exercise releases all kinds of happy hormones, so it’s a great way to improve our mood not only in the short term but in the long term.

Try to find a type of exercise you enjoy so that you can stick with it for the long term.

For instance, walking may be enough for you, but you could also try swimming, circuit workouts, or a class. It doesn’t have to be extreme, and it doesn’t have to take a long time.

Just make sure you enjoy it!

Fifth step to happiness – Eat a nourishing meal.

As well as working out, eating a nourishing meal is important.

In fact, you should eat several nourishing meals a day!

However, this may not always be possible. In the event you don’t have the time to make something full of vitamins and nutrients, you could try something from Steelsupplements.com to make sure you’re giving your body everything it needs to function optimally.

Planning one nourishing meal a day will help you to feel satiated and happy. Include some protein, healthy fats, vegetables, and a portion of carbs.

Sixth – Take a nap.

Get more sleep in general and you’ll feel ready to cope better with things that leave you feeling low.

Aim for 7-8 hours a night. Ideally, you shouldn’t get less than 7 hours.

However, the amount you actually need can depend on your age, activity levels, and other factors. Some people naturally need more sleep than others, so may need up to 9 hours.

Just remember that sleeping too much can have just as negative an effect as sleeping too little. 

You can make up for a lack of sleep by taking a nap, and naps have many benefits.

A 15-20 minute nap can help you to improve your memory and mood, but napping for too long can leave you feeling groggy and indicates you’re not sleeping enough at night time.

Seventh step to happiness – Read a book.

Reading a book can be an act of self-care.

It can also be a great way to de-stress and have fun. Whether fiction or nonfiction, aim to improve your knowledge and you’ll feel accomplished and confident. 

For book suggestions, check out one of these articles:

7 Exceptional Books that will change your life tremendously.

11 Inspirational Books for Women

Eighth – Get outside.

We all need sunlight for our bodies to create vitamin D that leaves us feeling energetic.

Aim for 15 minutes of sunlight each day at a minimum.

Get out in the fresh air and enjoy it.

Ninth step to happiness – Smile for no reason.

Smile for no reason, even though you may not feel like it.

Studies show that this can help to alleviate the pain!

Smile at strangers, look in the mirror, and smile and walk around smiling.

This will feel a little weird, but soon, you should feel like your mood has lifted.

Last step to happiness – Be thankful daily.

In the morning, aim to list a minimum of three things to be grateful for. 

In the evening, list another three things that you have to be grateful for.

Do this as often as you can.

Give thanks all day, every day.

Make a habit of listing your blessings.

This should have a huge impact on your outlook and happiness!

Were you blessed by what you read?

Then, would you share this article with a friend, co-worker, or family member?

Or, maybe you can send it to a friend or family member?

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© Melanie Redd and Ministry of Hope, 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Further, excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Melanie Redd and Ministry of Hope with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.