7 Ways to be Happier Fast
As soon as you open your eyes, you start your mental to-do list. You don’t hear the dove cooing outside your window. As you drink your coffee, you think about what you didn’t get done yesterday. You don’t notice the blooming tulips in your yard even though they’re your favorite flowers. We tend to focus on what worries or upsets us instead of what brings us happiness. When you shift your attention to the things that give you pleasure you’ll become happier pretty quickly.
Spend Time in Nature
The light, colors, scents and sounds of the natural world bring pleasure to and heal the senses. Walking in the forest, planting a garden, or simply feeling the warmth of the sun on your face help you tune in to the miracle of creation.
Say Thank You
Many spiritual paths promote the concept of gratitude. Saying “thank you” may be simpler than trying to feel grateful. Saying thank you to the things that please you, silently or out loud, helps you notice the grace in your life. Thank you is an easy step down the road toward gratitude.
Look to the Sky
Pick a spot where you can stand barefoot or lie down and connect with the earth. As you look up at the limitless expanse of space, things you usually take so seriously can suddenly seem less significant against the vastness of the Universe. When you pay attention to the infinite, you’re touched by your infinite self.
Pause for Beauty
Take time every day to admire something of beauty. Beauty is evocative; it awakens something deep inside and transcends the noise and static of the world. Beauty reminds you of the awe at the heart of life itself.
Make Life More Musical
Singing, dancing and listening to music connects you to the special pleasure of being alive. Have favorite songs on standby to enhance your mood or change it. Some music could be bright and upbeat, some slow and melancholy, some designed for healing. Melody and rhythm turn the ordinary into the magical.
Change Your Viewpoint
A change in perspective is powerful. According to Quantum physics, the way you see things can actually change them. If something upsets or frightens you, look for what you like about it. When it comes to people, focus on their deep voice, their sparkling eyes, their quick smile, their unique wit. When someone senses positivity coming their way, they may respond in kind.
Celebrate the Purposeless Purpose of Life
Joy comes from doing what we love simply for the pleasure of it. Keep a journal, learn to surf, sing in a choir, bake bread, plant a garden, feed the birds. Everything you do doesn’t have to lead to an outcome. The doing can be its own reward.
