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Happiness - it seems that it is something everyone is looking for now, yet very few seem to know how to attain it. 

While this is a complex topic which varies with each individual, I believe that there are small changes that we can all make on a daily basis to help bring happiness into our lives.

We often think that a big vacation, a new house, or other large life changing events will finally make us happy. But what about the little things? In addition, our hectic and fast paced lifestyles often make us forget to stop an appreciate the small things.

This post will go through some simple steps for things we often overlook that can help us all add some happiness to our daily lives. 


     

1. One minute of appreciation.

Take a minute, sit down and just reflect on what you appreciate and love about yourself. Do you have a bright smile? Do you have a funny personality that everyone loves?  Spend one minute thinking only about the things your love about yourself, no matter how small or big.

This is a great exercise to bring your attention for positive traits you currently possess, and will help fill you with gratitude and a focus on positive thinking.

2. Express your appreciation.

Think about positive traits you like about a family member or your partner. Share the traits you came up with! Telling your partner or family member will not only help brighten up their day, but also your own when you see their happy energy. Again, these are little things that we often forget in our hectic lifestyles, so it is a great exercise to remind them what you love about them.

Did you choose to ell the partner, family member or friend what you came up with. It will brighten his or her day. And as his or her face lights up with a big smile you’ll feel happier too because emotions are contagious.

3. Slow down for 3 minutes.

Choose a time of day, preferably 3 minutes, and slow down your mental activity and physical activity during this period. Let your thoughts slow down, and become aware of what is happening around you. Be mindful of your surroundings and live in the moment, taking it in with all your senses. There is much simple wonder we miss each day because we are so preoccupied with our thoughts and plans for the future.

4. Be the smile you want to see in your world.

Haven't we all heard that smiles are contagious? In order to feel more happiness, try to radiate it too. Smile more towards the people you meet and you’ll get more smiles back. You’ll feel better seeing happiness in others.

And maybe they will probably smile more towards the other people they meet that day. So don’t wait for others around you to become less negative, be the smile you want to see in your world instead.

5. Start your day with setting a low bar for happiness.

This one might sound strange or negative, but it's not! This one is simple - try not to tie your happiness to very specific things.

As you open your eyes and wake up to a new day tell yourself:

“Today I will have a low bar for happiness”.

It will help you break free from tying your happiness to very specific events or things. For example, many people think if the weather is terrible, they cannot have a good day.  Why do we tie our happiness to such trivial things?

By setting a "low bar", it simply means you will start the day knowing you will not let trivial things bring you down and take your happiness away. And even the little things will be enough to make you happy.

6. Take 5 minutes to see how you can help someone out.

Offer some practical help, some good advice, look something up for him or her, be encouraging and supportive or just lend a listening ear. Not only will you be helping someone else, but you will also feel inner joy from helping another.

7. Create the day you want to have!

Don’t wait for your surroundings to line up perfectly or for someone else to create the day you want to have. Instead, do it yourself!

Take action and outline what you would consider a happy day, and write down some small steps you can do to make it that way:

• Do you feel like you don't see your friends/loved ones enough? Reach out to your friends first and schedule a coffee date/ lunch date, etc.
• Is the rainy/cold weather bringing you down? Think about an indoor activity you love and make it happen. Go watch a movie, play games, or watch reruns of your favorite show at home. 
• If you find you start your day off with low energy levels, try going to a walk in the early morning or for a run if possible. Physical activity will help get your blood moving and is scientifically proven to wake you up and provide energy.

8. Say no to old habits.

As humans, it is easy for us to fall into a pattern that is easy and sometihng we are used to, even when it is no longer right for us.  These habits can often drag us down and drain us for any happiness and energy that we started our day off with. 

It is important to reflect on whether or not you are stuck in a rut and simply doing things out of old habit, or because you truly want to and see benefit from them.

You can ask yourself the following questions to determine whether it is really important to you anymore:

Will this matter in 5 years? Or even 5 weeks? Why am I really doing this?

By trying to remove yourself from the situation and view it in the future, you can piossibly see whether it is important to you anymore.

If it isn't. simply say no to the habit or behavour to remove the burden and move on to something that will make you feel lighter and more happy. 

9. Take a short laugh break.

Sounds silly, but few things will so simply and easily bring happiness and relieve stress as laughing. So, take a few minutes to laugh!

You can try it by doing the following:

• Play those short videos or look at those pictures that always makes you laugh or smile.
• Listen a bit to a podcast or a stand-up show that you know you find funny.
• Watch your own funny clips that you haven't looked at for a while.

The point here isn't to get lost in Social Media or watching videos, but simply to look up those few things that you know will make you laugh, and give yourself a few minutes to watch them, relax, and laugh!

10. Stand still for a minute, close your eyes and enjoy your surroundings.

Even if your are in a hectic situation, it can still bring back focus on what matters the most and what you are happy about.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed reading these tips on how you can use these tips on a daily basis to bring more happiness into your life - daily! I hope that some of these suggestions resonate with you, and you incorporate them into your life for extra joy.

Lastly, don't forget about the power of mindfulness on a daily basis! Iit will help you complete these tips and also complete any other goals you may have.

Malas are an excellent way to keep your focus on mindfulness, since it is an item that is worn daily and can be felt against your body. Every time you feel your Mala or touch your Mala, remember to complete one of these tips and you will be more likely to incorporate these tips into your routine!

Click here to see our best selling Malas and find a new addition to your collection, and dedicate it to finding your new daily happiness.

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