15 Daily Habits That Will Make You Happier

Scientists report some people are born happy. Their brains automatically produce feel-good chemicals. But for those who are more apt to see the glass as half empty, don’t despair. Research has also shown if we get into certain happy-making habits, we can bump up our optimism. There are minor changes in your daily routine will make a major difference in your life and career.

 



With that in mind, here are 15 small changes that you can make to your daily routine that, if you're like most people, will immediately increase the amount of happiness in your life.

1. Start each day with expectation

When you rise from bed, make your first thought: "something wonderful is going to happen today." Guess what? You're probably right.

2. Let go of grudges

Forgiving and forgetting is necessary for your own happiness, as holding a grudge means you’re also holding onto resentment, anger, hurt and other negative emotions that are standing in the way of your own happiness. Letting go of a grudge frees you from negativity and allows more space for positive emotions to fill in.

3. Take time to plan and prioritize

The most common source of stress is the perception that you've got too much work to do. Rather than obsess about it, pick one thing that, if you get it done today, will move you closer to your highest goal and purpose in life. Then do that first.

4. Give a gift to everyone you meet

I'm not talking about a formal, wrapped-up present. Your gift can be your smile, a word of thanks or encouragement, a gesture of politeness, even a friendly nod.

5. Don’t sweat the small stuff

If the issue you’re mad about will be irrelevant a year, a month, a week or even a day from now, why sweat it? Happy people know how to let life’s daily irritations roll off their back.

6. Speak well of others

Talking negatively about others is like taking a bath in negative emotions; your body soaks them up. Instead, make it a point to only say positive, nice words about other people, and you’ll help foster more positive thinking in your own life as well.

7. Assume people have good intentions

Since you can't read minds, you don't really know the "why" behind the "what" that people do. Imputing evil motives to other people's weird behaviors adds extra misery to life, while assuming good intentions leaves you open to reconciliation.

8. Eat high quality food slowly

Try at least once a day try to eat something really delicious, like a small chunk of fine cheese or an imported chocolate. Focus on it; taste it; savor it.

9. Don’t compare yourself to others

Your life is unique, so don’t measure your own worth by comparing yourself to those around you. Measure your own success based on your progress alone, not that of others.

10. Surround yourself with positive people

The saying “misery loves company” is entirely true. That’s why you need to choose friends who are optimistic and happy themselves, as you will be surrounded with positive energy.

11. Take time to listen

Listening helps you soak in the wisdom of others and allows you to quiet your own mind at the same time. Intense listening can help you feel content while helping you gain different perspectives.

12. Meditate

Meditation helps you keep your mind focused, calms your nerves and supports inner peace. Research shows it can even lead to physical changes in your brain that make you happier.

13. Exercise

Exercise boosts levels of health-promoting brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which may help buffer some of the effects of stress and also relieve some symptoms of depression.

14. Accept what cannot be changed

Everything in your life is not going to be perfect, and that’s perfectly all right. Happy people learn to accept injustices and setbacks in their life that they cannot change, and instead put their energy on changing what they can control for the better.

15. End each day with gratitude

Just before you go to bed, write down at least one wonderful thing that happened. It might be something as small as a making a child laughs or something as huge as a million dollar deal.

Whatever it is, be grateful for that day because it will never come again.

THE BUSINESS LOBBY TEAM