20 Easy Ways To Make Your Life Happier

There are thousands of things that people tell you to try in an effort to make your life easy. Here’s the thing about that, though: life was never meant to be easy. It was meant to be good! Having a good time is no problem for most people, but having a good life means working on yourself every day. Sure, going out with friends is great fun and should happen as often as possible! The real heart of the matter, however, is in how your spend your time when you are alone. Here are twenty easy things to try every day to make every aspect of your life better.

Prioritize!

Let’s face it. At some point, you are going to have to come to the realization that Rome was not built in a day. You will have to make some difficult choices about what can happen when. As soon as you figure that out, everything will be that much more straightforward. Choose what needs to happen first, then sort the rest out later.

Plan Fun Things!

Even if that trip to see the Great Wall of China never happens. Even if you never take that cruise to the Caribbean. Planning is half the fun! Having goals of things you want to try at some point is great for long-term memory and creative thinking. So keep flipping through those guide books and trying to teach yourself French!

Clear Out The Mess

An important reminder: free your mind! Yes, this one is much easier said than done, but it we promise that it does help! Once a day – maybe even a few times each day, if you are feeling ambitious – take a few moments to yourself to put all of the nasty thoughts and useless junk aside in your brain. You don’t need it and it will only cause more stress later.

Crank Up Some Jams

Just dance! It’s great for you! Not only does it get you moving, but it is one of the quickest and surest ways to lift your spirits. Put together a playlist, find a radio station you like, or just pick something random, as long as it’s upbeat. Feel the rhythm and get moving!

Meditate

We cannot stress this enough: meditation really does do the trick. Just like you can choose the foods you eat and the things that you say, you can also choose the thoughts you have and the ways that you feel. All you need to do is focus. Find a quiet place, select a relaxing position, and take some deep cleansing breaths.

Be Kind

Do you remember hearing as a kid “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all?” It still applies, and it’s really worth trying. Hold the door open for someone, bring snacks to your co-workers, help a friend move. Little things add up to making you a better person.

Commune With Nature

Get outside! Unplug yourself from your phone, your television, your laptop, whatever other device you normally have attached to your person. Remove yourself from technology and breathe in some fresh air. Go for a hike or plan a trip to the beach. It is sure to relax and enchant you.

Say “Thank You”

Even if you don’t always mean it, saying “thank you” is incredibly important. Thank the nice lady who made your latte. Thank the taxi driver who picked you up from the airport. Thank your parents. Thank your boss. Thank the mailman. Just saying the words will make you and everyone around you feel so much better.

Rest Up

You’ve been hearing it all your life, but it still bears repeating. You need to sleep! Learn to sleep better, and everything else will become a breeze. Start by getting the recommended amount of seven to nine hours every single night, without fail, and you will feel like a whole new person.

Give Yourself A Break!

Understanding that you are not, in fact, a superhero, is half the battle. No one in the world is able to do everything all at once, and once you accept this truth, life won’t seem quite so hard anymore. So let yourself off the hook once in a while! You’re doing a great job.

Learn Something New!

Crack open a book that looks interesting. Take a class or watch a tutorial online. However you choose to learn, give it a go! Learning new things can be amazing for brain plasticity and problem solving skills. Everyone can benefit from a bit of mental expansion.

Clean!

Give yourself a clear surface to work with! It is a scientifically proven fact that people who live in cleaner spaces tend to be measurably more happy and more organized. Starting with a clean space can lead to progress in dozens of other aspects of your life. So break out the vacuum!

Redecorate!

Try spicing up your place! Whether there’s a blank wall in your house that could use some color or your desk at work needs a few picture frames, you will feel so much more creatively stimulated when there are new things to look at in places you spend time every day.

Smile!

Even if you’re faking it (which, let’s face it, happens more often than we like to admit), smiling is statistically proven to naturally lift your mood! Just the act of smiling, whether it’s at someone or just to yourself, will help you feel less stressed. Give it a shot and flash those pearly whites!

Get Creative!

Pull out the old watercolor paints or maybe try your hand at macrame! Using your hands to make something beautiful, whether it becomes a hobby or not, will not only make you feel happy, but it can improve dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Who knew?!

Love Yourself!

Take a glance in the mirror. You are doing a great job and you have dozens of amazing qualities. As soon as you understand this, things will come your way. Realize that you deserve love, but that has to begin and end with your love for yourself.

Hang With The Family

Call up your brother or spend time with your parents. A little quality time with the people you love and the ones who love you back is invaluable to you, and to them. Give them a little of your time on a regular basis. You might be surprised by what you can learn!

Bathtime!

Break out a bottle of bubble bath, pour some hot water in the tub, and let all of your troubles and cares melt away. While taking a bath may not be an everyday occurrence, it is certainly worth doing every week or so just to relax those tense muscles and give you a little time to destress.

Reach Out To Someone You Love

Whether it’s an old relative or a friend from middle school you haven’t kept in touch with, it’s good to reach out to the people in your life. Meet up with an old friend or co-worker. Catch up on your lives and make plans to hang out again in the future. Cultivating strong relationships can be excellent for your emotional health.

Remember Happy Moments

Those old photo albums you haven’t touched in years? Pull them out a flip through a few pages. Remember that day at your grandparents’ house or your first swimming lesson. Happy memories can lead to motivation to create even more happy memories!