5 Happiness Hacks
Are you Happy? That is quite an interesting question.
When was the last time you stopped and thought about your happiness?
So often these days, it is said that everyone is too busy and there isn’t enough time in the world, everyone strives for balance in their lives and we try and be our best. BUT, are you happy? If you are currently in the midst of a transformation such as weight loss, the transformation stops being about the weight at some point and starts to be about you. You are your weight. If you are weighed down with guilt, shame or blame and unhappy, then how do expect to lose the weight you are carrying around.
What isn’t always said about the weight loss journey is that it is also about finding happiness with yourself, inside and out. It is about being comfortable with who you are and how you look because you are living in tune with your values. This is the good stuff of the weight loss journey. The weight loss is a goal but also becomes a by-product of the journey itself because you will never be happy in how you look unless you are happy with yourself first.
Are You Happy?
When were you the happiest time in your life? What were you doing at that time?
Happiness can be defined by a pleasant emotional state; the feeling of joy, well-being, gratification or contentment. It is a feeling that comes over you. A feeling that makes you smile. Happiness is when your life fulfils your needs.
I have been thinking about happiness a lot since having more and more weight loss breakthrough session calls. I get to know you, what’s going on in your head and how you are feeling about your weight and yourself when on these calls. Weight loss is not just about the weight you carry around, but it is about your self-confidence and self-esteem.
On these calls, some women are happy with themselves and have growth mindset where they are open and willing to learn, laugh and love themselves through their weight loss journey. On other calls, women are frustrated with themselves and don’t have the self-confidence that they could put the time and energy into themselves because they don’t feel they deserve it. They are not as happy. It is because of these women that I wanted to let you know 5 happiness hacks.
5 Happiness Hacks
1. Get Quality Rest
The sleep you get affects your mood in so many ways. If you go to bed a bit earlier than usual and get quality rest, you will feel better. You will wake up feeling refreshed, energised and ready to take on the day.
You sleep so that your body can rest, recover and repair yourself from the day. Parents are always talking about how their children will be a hassle at bedtime if they don’t have a nap. This is because we need different amounts of sleep as we grow.
As adults, sleep tends to come in second or third depending on what’s going on in your life. It’s like a negative stigma that an early bedtime is only for children when really it would be so beneficial if we woke and slept with the sun. It tunes our body clocks and is a natural process to follow.
By getting quality sleep, you are allowing yourself to be more focused and in turn more productive. The more focused you are, the better decisions that you will make. Therefore, the less quality sleep that you get can lead to not making clear decisions and in turn react more negatively to situations that you would alternatively not be as negative when well rested. This is when you won’t feel as happy as you could, and that is just because you are losing focus on the bigger picture.
2. Exercise
I know, I say this all the time, but it is so true – movement is key. Go outside or find somewhere that you like to move and move. Do whatever works for you and don’t be scared to try something new.
I illustrated the benefits of exercise in 3 Tips To Move More. A great benefit to exercise is that you are raising your heart rate and releasing good endorphins which you will notice that you are happier after doing.
Studies have shown that if you are exercising and not losing weight, you will feel better about yourself – happier. This is what it is all about.
3. Focus on People, Not Things
Not staying in touch with family and friends is said to be one of the top 5 regrets of the dying. This is quite powerful because people bring us so much joy. Making moments with the ones you love is special, meaningful and uplifting.
A Harvard happiness expert was quoted, “We are happier when we have family, we are happier when we have friends, and almost all the other things we think make us happy are actually just ways of getting more family and friends.”
Another familiar quote when it comes to possession is that you can’t take them with you when you go...
4. Take Social Media Breaks
I took an unexpected social media break a couple months ago, and it was for about 5 days. This was due to putting my phone in my back pocket (what was I thinking?) before going into the toilet at the airport – opsies! Yes, my phone when for a swim and it was a little while before my Prince Charming, Mark, rescued it or me. Unfortunately, it was too late, and my phone was waterlogged. For my weekend away with friends, I had no phone.
What did I learn from not having my phone? I got to chill out and enjoy the weekend. I noticed how often people looked at their phones and what they were doing on them. It was quite the eye-opener.
Social media takes us away from those we are with and tends to have a negative impact on all of us because it allows us to have instant gratification by ‘connecting’ with others even though we do not necessarily connect with others.
By taking consistent breaks from social media or using it or specific purposes, you are allowing yourself to enjoy gratification from other sources.
5. Be Mindful
When life throws you a curve ball, do you tend to focus on the curve or the bad in the situation?
When you are feeling down and out, do you focus on all the negative things and stuff that is happening and not the big picture?
To practice mindfulness, you make sure to look at the good and bad in every situation. You make sure that even on the bad days you still have positive thoughts. This helps to be fully engaged and present in your life. It is said that practising mindfulness can lead to a happier life.
By being engaged in present moment in everything that is happening, you are aware of your emotions and can help to shift toward the better and out of a funk and into happier times. Thinking about the positive in any situation can lead to a more positive mindset over time which will lead to boosting your overall happiness.
What are your tips to be happy? Do you have any tips and tricks you would like to share? Please leave them in the comments below.
If you understand that the wight loss journey is so much more than weight loss when you want to lose weight and keep it off. If you want your weight loss journey to become the new norm for building happier and healthier habits, then now is the time to start. Click the button below to book in your free Weight Loss Breakthrough Session.
