Cultivate Joy and Happiness

“Happiness doesn't have to be chased...it merely has to be chosen.”
― Mandy Hale

Every person wants to be happy and live their life joyfully. However, happiness is not something that occurs by coincidence. You can choose to be joyful.  This is a reminder to remember to be happy!

I’d say I have always been a worrier.  Some people dwell on the past and may wish they could go back and change things. Others, like myself, worry about the future.  Will my carefully laid plans turn out the way I expect them to?  Will I reach my goal?  Always looking for and wishing for clarity.  There is an underlying desire to control a situation or outcome, rather than go with the flow, allow, and accept.

Sometimes obstacles in our lives or even in our minds can hinder us from experiencing happiness the way we’d like to. Regardless of your current state, these tips will help you develop habits that cultivate a more joyful state of mind in general.

Savor the Moment

I find it helpful to remind myself that worrying about tomorrow takes away today’s joy.  The simple act of being present and fully experiencing life makes a big difference for me.  I sometimes hear Les saying to me, “Don’t forget to be happy.” Or, “Don’t forget you like this, it’s fun.”

Often it seems, we only savor moments that are unique and truly memorable. Naturally, savoring the special moments like these is one of the beautiful parts of life. However, savoring even mundane moments has benefits as well. Throughout your day, be sure to look around and make a mental note of things you often take for granted that bring you joy. Regularly bringing such ideas to the forefront of your mind can be a great source of positivity.

Emphasize Authenticity

Being true to yourself amidst all the pressures of life requires a lot of courage AND it is absolutely worth it! Take the time for introspection and evaluate your core values and goals in life. Simply internalizing those values and recognizing that you are taking your best path to achieve your goals can be a great step toward cultivating joy and clarity.  Celebrating your strengths and acknowledging where you have room for growth is a great way to build confidence and self-worth as well, leading to more happiness.

More on this topic:  Find Your Purpose

Take More Time for Yourself

Do you find that your multitude of daily work/ life tasks can begin to take a toll on your happiness? If so, it may be a great time to start introducing some down time into your day. If you have a packed schedule like me, it is even more important to make time for yourself.  A short meditation or walk can bring you back to the present.  If you have the luxury of a longer break, an hour to decompress can be a great contribution toward developing a happier disposition.

Sometimes, a more significant break is needed. If you are granted personal days at work, don’t be afraid to use them from time to time! Dedicating a day to relaxing and doing the activities you love the most, or even nothing at all, is a great way to stay happy and grounded.  A relaxing vacation or a staycation a few times a year adds to the happiness sum.

Re-Evaluate Your Sleep Schedule

Sleep experts say that failing to sleep enough over time is akin to spending more money that you make. In addition to a strengthened immune system and improved memory/ concentration, a healthy sleep schedule can also boost your day to day mood. Struggling to fall asleep at night? Our channel has numerous free sleep meditation that can help you ease into a deep, tranquil sleep.

Check out this mindful tip for creating a relaxing bedtime routine. 

Avoid Harmful Comparisons

Comparing yourself to others can be very harmful. Instead, focus on the fact that each person is doing the best with the resources available to them in that moment, ourselves included. Rather than letting envy manifest internally, emphasizing compassion for yourself and those around is a much more productive practice.

Share Gratitude with Those You Love

All of our tips so far have been centered around things you can do for yourself to cultivate happiness. Helping someone in need is another effective way to build happiness, too!  Acts of service can serve as a great reminder that life is bigger than you and that everyone has their own strengths, weaknesses, and struggles. After making a conscious effort to go out of your way to help someone, you may end up discovering that increased happiness is a welcome side effect.

Enhance Your Self Care

Taking care of your body and mind is one of the keys to cultivating happiness. Have you been exercising regularly? Have you emphasized maintaining a healthy diet? In addition to eating well, choose to eat mindfully as well. That means that even if you are eating alone, your meal should have your undivided attention. Multitasking while eating often denies us of the pure experience of savoring our food and receiving nourishment from a meal.

Check out this mindful tip about eating mindfully.

Rely on Your Social Circle

Humans inherently require social connections. Unfortunately, this year’s situation has made it difficult to connect with our best allies and supporters. Throughout this time in which we must emphasize social distancing practices, make sure you are getting enough time with those that inspire you and cheer you on. Even a phone call or video call to stay in touch with a close friend can have a massive impact on your frame of mind.

Cultivate Joy and Happiness with The Mindful Movement

The Mindful Movement is an oasis where you can come to tap into inner peace, a positive mindset, and your own ability for healing. If you are interested in practicing meditation, dive into the world of mindfulness and meditation with our video series and podcast episodes.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Move on to Joy and Compassion

Here are a few meditations specifically about cultivating joy and happiness:

Additional Resources:

If you are looking to dive into the world of meditation in 2020, a great starting point is our 4-Day Meditation Journey. This free program is a great resource for beginners and those looking to step back into the practice of meditation.

The Mindful Movement’s 5-week online course, Living Fulfilled is another great opportunity.  During the course, you will explore how to find your purpose, love yourself, and connect with your authentic self.

Members Oasis for: Unlimited access to all Mindful Movement Meditations and Hypnosis Practices; Exclusive Members Only Content added EVERY month; Practice anytime, anywhere.

Purchase your favorite Meditation and Hypnosis practices from the Mindful Movement. You can download an MP3 file to listen to anytime, anywhere with no internet access necessary.

Hypnotherapy is an extremely powerful tool to support transitions and times of change.  If you decide you want to work one on one with a hypnotherapist, I’d love to help you!

Let us know how we can help.  Please feel to leave a comment with any other suggestions, comments, or questions for the community!

With love and gratitude,

Sara and Les

The Mindful Movement