There is absolutely no doubt that everyone goes through ups and downs in life. Some years everything just goes your way, you’re flying high and honestly, almost nothing can get you down. But, there are other years when everything feels like an uphill battle. You struggle with your day-to-day and it feels like nothing is quite the right fit. No matter what, pulling out of a down year can be tough and sometimes you need to dig deep to find ways to make happiness your priority. Whether it’s as simple as making more time for relaxation or it’s more complicated like changing your whole career, you only have one life to live so it might as well be your best. Here are five ways to work on making happiness your priority.
5 Ways to Make Happiness Your Priority
Surround yourself with people who bring peace and light to your life. When your life is full of friends and loved ones who fill you up, you will feel like you’re surrounded by a giant hug. When you have a support system you can rely on, there’s really nothing better and nothing more fulfilling. So, don’t be afraid to lean on them when need a listening ear, ask their opinions and take to heart the advice these friends and loved ones offer.
Don’t be afraid to spoil yourself every once in a while. When you’re working hard and you’re focused, sometimes it’s easy to get incredibly lost in your work and forget to take a break here and there. Even the hardest workers and the most dedicated people need some time off to simply take a breath, relax and absorb everything around them. If you fall into that category, don’t feel badly about it – treat yo’ self to something special, like a massage, a luxurious nap or even something new you’ve been lusting after.
Make exercise and healthy living a daily habit. When you feel good, you look good. And, when you feel good, often lots of wonderful things fall into place. When you’re running yourself ragged, are loaded down by stress, and aren’t making exercise and healthy living part of your daily routine, it’s easy to fall into a trap of feeling pretty bad about yourself. You’ll be amazed by the way thirty minutes of exercise – even just a brisk walk or run – in the sun can make you feel. Everything feels lighter, brighter and happier all around. Same goes for eating well and treating your body like the temple it is – once you change those bad habits into good ones, you’re bound to feel the grey clouds lift.
Try taking a few minutes each day to meditate. It may sound off the wall if you’ve never tried it before, but trust me on this – once you give it a try, you’ll be hooked. By taking time from your day (even five minutes), to stop everything you’re doing to just be still, everything will feel like it’s falling more clearly into perspective. No smartphone, no radio, no television, no computer…no outside influences whatsoever – just you and an opportunity to let it all go – it feels amazing. You’ll find yourself feeling lighter, more free and more excited to tackle the big stuff that comes your way.
Follow your heart. This is often easier said than done, especially in a world where we are loaded down by responsibilities, financial obligations etc. But, nothing (nothing!) will bring you more happiness and more peace than following your heart. When you’re driven by your heart, soul and passion – you can really do no wrong for yourself – it’s the ultimate truth. Following your heart can be the biggest, most daunting challenge there is, but once you let yourself go there, you’ll feel free to be 100% you.
What do you think? Can you incorporate these ideas to make happiness your priority?
