Scientists think that of all the things that make you happy, half are out of your control. Kindness can lead to positive feelings and positive feelings can also bring kindness. Investing in your own happiness and well-being is a way of creating a positive feedback cycle that builds and lasts on its own. Make the most of your positive thoughts to increase happiness. Try to help yourself, but don't isolate yourself or reject other people's suggestions. There are things that we can work on ourselves, but there are also things that we can only get from other people.
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Method 1 of 2: Increase Happiness
Step 1. Create positive feelings
Be aware when you feel happy and feel pleasure consciously. The more often you think about positive things, the happier and more resilient you will be. Instead of trying to find happiness, try to feel happiness, strength, and connectedness within yourself. Affirm the positive thoughts that come up by saying or writing positive things that you think to increase the vibration. “I feel the warmth of the morning sun on my skin” or “I feel proud that I passed the exam.”
- In the evening, reflect on the pleasant things you experienced throughout the day. Write down three things that you enjoy the most.
- Positive emotions can help you recover from trauma or adversity so that you become a more resilient person in dealing with problems.
Step 2. Find happiness
We tend to be less accustomed to thinking about happy things. Power, wealth, and fame have not been able to give satisfaction. Stress makes it easy for us to replace pleasure with problem solving habits. Good times or getting compliments are not the happiest times for you. Before setting goals, take the time to find things that make you feel happy.
- Keep a diary for one week and then observe what you experience several times a day. What activities are fun? What do these activities have in common?
- Observe where you are when you feel happy and what physical activity you are doing. Are you out of the house? On the move? Are you alone or someone with you? What time was it?
Step 3. Set a meaningful purpose for your life
Once you've determined what makes you happy, find out if they have anything in common. What type of activity do you enjoy the most? When did you do the activity that produced the best results or made you feel most accomplished? Set goals that help you achieve the best possible success during activities throughout the day.
- For example, if you feel happiest when you take a morning walk, wait for the bus, or water the garden, your goal might be to “spend more time outdoors.”
- If you're happiest when you help a coworker and cook dinner with your partner, your goal may be to do activities to help others.
Step 4. Show your skills
Focus on improving the experience, rather than adding ownership. Use the excess money to travel and learn new things. Developing the ability to think makes you more passionate about life than owning things. Learning new things can maintain the ability to think in old age and form a new fun routine. Enjoying a hobby can be a good reminder to keep improving yourself without needing to make a lot of changes.
- Join as a volunteer in an organization of your faith to strengthen feelings of connectedness and make you feel useful to others.
- Save money for charity and give gifts to others. Take your friends to dinner or give gifts to your partner.
- Make a study plan. Take a Japanese course and then take a New Year's trip to Japan so you can put what you learn into practice. Take a cooking class and then invite friends and family to taste your cooking.
Step 5. Be grateful
You'll be happier if you want what you have, instead of chasing after other things. Change is fun, but you'll feel happier by paying attention to people and visiting places you enjoy. Pay attention and appreciate what you already have. Write down the things you are grateful for and share them with those you love.
- Appreciate the people in your life. Helping yourself doesn't mean isolating yourself. Tell friends and family that you love them and tell them why you value them.
- If you feel better able to express yourself in writing, write down the names of people you feel grateful for and then write to one person each day.
Method 2 of 2: Taking Care of Yourself
Step 1. Adopt a good sleep pattern
Lack of sleep can exacerbate the problem you are facing. Adults should get 7-8 hours of sleep a night each day with minimal interruptions. Too much sleep can lead to lethargy and depression, while sleep deprivation can damage the immune system, cause weight problems, and impair mental health.
- If you have trouble sleeping at night, make it a habit to do a relaxing routine before bedtime. Set aside an hour before bedtime to brush your teeth, put on soft pajamas, and engage in relaxing activities, such as reading, meditating, watching TV, or listening to music.
- Do not consume alcohol and caffeine. Don't sleep during the day.
- If you think about work or stressful things at night, say to yourself, “This isn't the time to be thinking about those things. I want to go to bed."
Step 2. Get in the habit of exercising
Exercising regularly makes you feel more energized, confident, healthy, and relaxed. Adults should generally do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Set a schedule so that you can practice regularly for one week. If you don't like working out at the gym, you can walk, bike, take a dance class, or practice yoga.
Step 3. Adopt a healthy diet
Cooking yourself at home is cheaper and healthier than buying food out, so learn to cook the foods you love and stock up on groceries in the fridge. Instead of taking vitamins and health products, eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and vary the food you eat. Eat a variety of healthy foods so that your body's nutritional needs are met. Sufficient intake of protein and carbohydrates is also a source of energy you need.
Eat at least three times a day and snack between meals
Step 4. Don't say negative things to yourself
Treat yourself with the love, respect, and love that every human being deserves. Instead of underestimating yourself, try to say positive things about yourself. When negative thoughts and feelings arise, try to identify them by finding out the cause. Accept any negative feelings that arise, but try to analyze the underlying beliefs.
If you often have negative feelings, give them a name and think of them as a side effect of the environment. Say, “Again, the shame because the body is less than ideal. Maybe because I was in the waiting room where there was a magazine filled with photos of the ideal body shape.”
Step 5. Practice mindful attention
Practicing mindfulness means paying attention to what you are thinking, experiencing, and feeling right now without interpreting or judging. This method can relieve anxiety and free you from negative thoughts. To practice mindfulness, pay attention to what is natural through the five senses. Record everything you see, smell, hear, and feel in this moment.
- Say what you were doing when you started feeling tense or stressed. Say “I was walking on the side of the road. I'm closing my jacket. I'm breathing."
- Feel every inhale and exhale. Pay attention to the part of your body that expands and contracts as you breathe. If your mind wanders, remind yourself to pay attention to your breath again.
- Relax the whole body by tightening and relaxing each muscle one at a time.
Step 6. Create a financial budget
Get in the habit of recording receipts and disbursements of money. Make sure you have enough money to pay your monthly fees and save for the future. If expenses are greater than receipts, try to make savings. By creating a budget, you can reduce anxiety and make better decisions.
- Calculate your monthly receipts, what your needs are, and what you buy. Calculate how much money you can use each month.
- Open a savings account at the bank, if you don't already have one. Calculate the amount of money you can save each month.
- You can start saving by cooking at home, buying raw foodstuffs, not buying processed foods, taking public transportation, not buying soft drinks, not drinking coffee at coffee shops.
Step 7. Consult a professional
Try to help yourself by respecting the opinions of others. There are certain conditions that you cannot handle on your own. If you are dealing with an addiction, mental disorder, financial problem, legal problem, or violence, it may be more difficult to recover on your own without the help of a professional who has the knowledge and skills in these areas.
