Day 10 of Self Love February:
Think back to my blog post from a few days ago (day 7) “What Makes You Happy to Be Alive?” – or if you haven’t read it yet, take a look now, as that will assist in today’s question.
In order to know how to increase your happiness, you need to know what makes you happy.
If music makes you happy, create a playlist that makes you want to dance. What better way to start the morning than with a dance party in the kitchen while waiting for your coffee to brew?
If you love cooking, instead of ordering in, set aside one meal a week to dedicate creating a truly spectacular meal! Do some research (I love using Pinterest for recipes) to select a meal, make a list of all the ingredients, and even look at doing a wine pairing!
If creating art makes you happy, but you’ve been dealing with a creative block, look at doing courses – either online or in person. Try a different style or medium.
Spending time with animals – cats and dogs – has been proven to increase happiness, but not everyone can have pets. Whether it’s because the rental doesn’t allow it, allergies, or can’t afford it, being able to have a pet is a true privilege. One thing you can do is volunteer at an animal rescue – whether it’s an SPCA organization or a rescue group – you’ll get happiness, not only from spending time with the animals, but also for helping at a good cause.
If spending time outside makes you happy, find ways to spend more time outside. Plant a small garden – even if it’s a container garden for a patio if you live in an apartment. Or if you have access to a community garden, check into that. Plus, if you grow vegetables, nothing tastes better than something you grew yourself!
If being active makes you happy, change your schedule to incorporate ways to stay active. Combine being active with being out in nature, you can increase endorphins and reduce stress. If you live in an area that has winter, work on your physical fitness in the gym in order to do more when spring/summer arrives…. or brave to cold/wet/snow and take up a winter sport.
However, don’t limit this to something you can DO. This is something you can change – it can be a thought pattern, which is way harder than changing a habit.
You can decide to stop participating in “water cooler” gossip.
You can change your internal monolog to be more loving and patient.
You can change how you react by pausing, taking a few deep breaths before responding.
You can change how you spend your time; instead of scrolling on your phone or mindlessly watching TV, you can work towards a goal.
If you say “I don’t have time”, look at how you currently spend it. This change doesn’t have to be a grand gesture that requires hours a day. It could be something as simple as looking at yourself in the mirror and finding one nice thing to say about yourself.
No matter what you decide to change, keep in mind that it’ll take time and patience. Give yourself grace. Leave notes for yourself around your house – this can be especially useful for changing your mindset and self-talk.
Big or small, change is good.