6 Habits for a Happier Lifestyle
Becoming a happier person takes time and effort, but it’s totally achievable. By starting small, you can begin to see changes in your mood.
These habits will help you live a more intentional, healthy life that can destress you and increase happiness.
1. Eat nourishing food
There is a connection between nutrition and happiness. Nourishing foods are full of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that help your body function properly.
They also make you feel good. Foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat can cause you to feel tired or sluggish after eating them—not a great feeling if you want to be happy!
So, try choosing more vegetables than anything else when you eat (yes, even over fruit).
Make sure that most of the meat that is on your plate comes from sources like chicken or turkey breast instead of bacon or hamburgers.
You can have desserts once in a while, but they should not be something you eat every day since they often contain lots of refined sugar, which is bad for our bodies as well as our moods!
2. Sleep seven to eight hours a night
The key to better sleep is to understand why it’s so important.
Getting enough sleep improves your mood, which can help you deal with everyday stressors.
Sleep also helps you maintain your memory and reasoning skills, which can make it easier to perform at work or in school.
Getting enough sleep may be as simple as going to bed earlier than usual, but if you’re not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, there are ways that you can improve the quality of your rest time.
First, make sure that the conditions in your bedroom are ideal for sleeping, such as no light from electronic devices and an environment that’s cool but not too cold.
Second, figure out what factors might be disrupting your ability to get good rest. This may mean adjusting your caffeine intake or changing your mattress or blinds.
3. Keep company with good people
One of the most important things you can do for your happiness is to surround yourself with good people.
It’s easy to think that if you’re not happy, it’s because of something external—your job, your partner, or even your family situation.
But in reality, these are just circumstances and none of them are permanent.
If you’re unhappy in your life now it’s probably because there are people who aren’t making you happy around you!
The next step is figuring out what makes a person “good.”
You might think this means someone who has similar interests as yours or who enjoys doing things with you, but those aren’t necessarily signs that the person will be pleasant company over time.
Instead, look at whether they’re kind and respectful towards others.
Are they generous? Do they have compassion?
Do they listen more than speak? This can mean having fewer friends overall but ensuring that each friend is someone worth keeping around.
4. Get regular physical activity
In order to get the most benefit from physical activity, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity on most days.
Moderate-intensity exercise is defined as a level where you feel like you are exercising but can still hold a conversation.
It’s also important to know that it doesn’t have to be 30 minutes in one go. If you break up your physical activity into smaller chunks throughout the day, then that’s great too!
There are many different types of physical activity out there, and each one has its own benefits.
While some people may prefer walking or running outside, others might enjoy swimming or dancing classes.
The main thing is just finding something that works for your lifestyle. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by trying new things!
5. Try new hobbies and classes
You don’t have to be an expert to have fun, so it might be time to try something new in your free time.
There are many things you can do that don’t require a lot of money or time but will help make you happier overall.
You could enroll in ballet lessons, learn how to cook through culinary classes, take up rock climbing (this is also great exercise), or even rent a yacht—the possibilities are endless!
6. Practice gratitude
Gratitude is not a one-time feeling. When you practice gratitude, you make it part of your life.
You see the good in everything around you and bring that good into your life by noticing it and appreciating it.
Most life coaches can agree that gratitude can truly transform your life for the better.
Gratitude is an attitude toward life rather than just an emotion or feeling that comes and goes based on circumstances outside ourselves (like someone doing something nice for us).
When we’re grateful, we appreciate what we have instead of focusing on what we don’t have, can’t do, or haven’t accomplished yet.
We hope this guide has given you a better understanding of how to build a happier life.
As we mentioned previously, it’s important not to get overwhelmed by trying to change your whole life at once.
Instead, pick one or two things that you want to work on and start implementing them today!