Happy people are not the richest or the most attractive but, they all share one thing in common:
Happy people practice gratitude every day.
While this may seem simple enough, our minds tend to focus on what we’re missing out on instead of being grateful for everything we already have. Our generation has it even harder because we are living in a social world where we are constantly connected. It’s easy to feel like you don’t have enough when everyone on your social feed appears to be doing cooler things than you.
Good news: there are ways to practice gratitude each day to live your best life. Here’s how.
1. Meditate
Starting your day with five minutes of silence has been proven to change your brain chemistry, making you more resilient against life’s hardships. However, there are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to meditation. I used to think you had to think about absolutely nothing (which is pretty much impossible) during your practice. But really, meditation is all about being present and not focusing on what you’re going to have for dinner or that you forgot to pick up something at the grocery store. The purpose of meditation is to take time for yourself to set an intention for your day and be grateful in that moment.
2. Create a gratitude journal
A gratitude journal is different than a regular journal because it makes you focus on only the good stuff rather than venting about your worries or writing down everything that went wrong in the day. Each day, you should write down at least three things that you’re grateful for. By doing this, you can actually rewire your brain to be happier. It’s kind of like the "camera effect." When you have a camera, you’re constantly looking for interesting things to capture. Instead of hating the graffiti, you might shift your way of thinking and try to make it aesthetically pleasing in your frame. That’s how the gratitude journal works for your disposition. Instead of focusing on pessimistic thoughts, you’re going about your day looking for positive things to add to your gratitude journal.
3. Surround yourself with positive people
Reflect on your mood and outlook, after you spend time with certain friends. Do you feel inspired and connected or do you feel drained and dissatisfied? If it’s the latter, you might want to reevaluate your friendship. We only get one life to live, so why waste any time surrounding yourself with negative influences? It’s not easy to cut certain people from your life, but it’s even worse to feel unhappy because of the people you’re surrounded by. By positioning yourself around inspirational and positive people, you’re setting yourself up for a more sunny outlook and successful future.
4. Talk back to your negativity
You know that inner dialogue that says you’re not smart enough, pretty enough, or cool enough? While those nagging thoughts are completely normal, the trick is to talk back to them with positive affirmations so they don’t get in the way of your happiness. It may seem silly at first, but it works, trust me. If you catch your mind going down a dark rabbit hole, counter it with logic and positivity. It’s OK to have bad thoughts, but what’s more important is how you react to them and to make sure they don’t take over your life.
5. Focus more on your community and others than yourself
When you’re down in the dumps, it’s easy to get lost in "me, me, me," which can lead to self-pity and depression. However, when you take yourself out of the equation, you’ll start to feel happier because you’re helping other people. Try volunteering, writing cards to loved ones, or cooking dinner for a friend in need.
6. Get enough sleep
It has lately become fashionable to say people need sleep, but millions of people still don’t get enough sleep today. Your body needs sleep not just for rest and relaxation, but also to prevent sleep disorders like daytime sleepiness that can severely interfere with your ability to perform daily activities that bring happiness and success. Get an average of eight hours of sleep a night for adequate rest and relaxation and to ensure you wake up each morning refreshed and re-energized for the day ahead.
7. Wake up early
Wake up early at the same time before 6 am daily. The large number of truly happy and successful people who are proud early risers proves that this sleep routing works. If you want to give yourself a head start on the rest of the world, then you must become an early riser yourself.
As the Dalai Lama says, "Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can."
8. Exercise daily
Exercise is not only good for your heart and your physical fitness, but also for pumping more oxygen to the brain and improving your brain power. Truly successful and happy people know this and make a habit of exercising daily. Whether it is short jogs in the morning before work or CrossFit workouts in the evening after work, exercise daily to boost your overall well-being, happiness and success.
9. Wear clean, appropriate clothes
Whether it’s a full office outfit like a navy blue suit for bankers, casual attire like jeans for department store attendants or comfy pajamas for home workers, what you wear matters a lot. It can affect how you feel about yourself and the way you perform your duties throughout the day. Wear clean, appropriate clothes every morning to get in the right mindset and facilitate productivity, depending on your work and plans for the day.
10. Read every day
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Whether it is reading the daily newspaper in the morning or a favorite novel in the afternoon, reading widely and regularly sharpens your mind and broadens your perspective. It helps you understand and appreciate the intricacies of life a lot more.
If you practice gratitude each day, you’ll slowly start to see a positive change in your disposition and overall outlook on life.
It will take discipline and self-control, but really, aren’t things you work hardest for worth it in the end?
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