Happiness can mean different things to many different people and cultures. Broadly speaking, it can be best defined as how people feel in the present and how satisfied they feel with their lives (long-term contentment). Signs that might indicate you’re happy include:
- feeling fulfilled and content with your life
- enjoying positive and healthy relationships with others
- feeling accomplished and satisfied
- feeling positive more than negative
- being open to new ideas and experiences
- you can successfully practice self-care and treat yourself with kindness and compassion
- experiencing gratitude
- you want to share your happiness and joy with other people.
How to be happier
There are several habits and routines that you can incorporate into your daily life to become a happier person. Everyone experiences happiness differently, so it’s important to find strategies that work for you.
Below are some tips that may help you feel happier
Exercise
Regular exercise can help reduce negative feelings and increase happiness in individuals as it releases mood elevating chemicals into your brain. Exercise also helps to improve your mental and physical wellbeing in other ways such as helping to improve sleep, energy levels and social connection.
Get plenty of sleep
Sleep is important for improving general health, emotional health and brain function. Adults should try to get seven to eight hours of sleep every night.
Enjoy a healthy, balanced diet
Certain foods are known to affect/ improve your state of mind as they release chemicals into your brain to make you feel better. They include carbohydrates, lean meat, poultry, legumes, dairy and omega-3 fatty acids.
Other habits
- Practice gratitude
- Compliment and show kindness to others and, importantly, yourself
- Acknowledge happy and positive moments in your life
- Declutter your personal space
- Spend time with people who boost your mental wellbeing
- Spend more time in nature
- Meditate
- Consider taking up therapy
- Volunteer/
- Practice self-care by taking yourself out and spoil yourself when you need it
- Replace unhelpful and negative thoughts with positive self-talk
- Avoid comparing yourself to others
- Create a routine
- Challenge yourself
- Practice deep-breathing.
If you’re wanting to find other ways to increase your happiness, have a look online and find strategies that work for you.
Get support
If you’re struggling with personal challenges, there is always support available.
For emergency support, please call 000 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Both services are available 24/7.
Anglicare Southern Queensland provides a range of social services to support people who are experiencing challenging times. We provide counselling services for individuals, couples, families and children. To learn more, visit our ‘Social and Community Services’ page.