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Just a fun little article that might help to brighten your day. I actually do follow quite a few of these guidelines.
The Happiness List
Sometimes, when I�m feeling lonely and far away from all the people I love, I find myself losing my happiness. At the beginning of my exchange here I promised myself that no matter what happened, no matter how hard life got, I would not lose my inner peace or my happiness. So I looked within myself on how to keep my happiness, and I�ve come up with this list of the following thirteen things. They are like guidelines on how to stay upbeat and positive. Follow them and I�m sure they will bring you happiness in your life too, even if you aren�t four thousand miles away from the majority of your family and friends.
1. Listen to upbeat music, and watch upbeat movies.
I hardly ever listen to the radio these days. It seems that there are so many new songs in the genre of, as my mom calls it, whiny-guy-with-a-guitar. Why do we listen to so much music in which some person wails on and on about how hard life is? That�s no way to be happy! Likewise, films and TV shows featuring depressed, unmotivated people won�t make you feel much ambition for life either. Laughing does much more for you than pouting. So do yourself a favour, next time you flip on the radio (or pop in a CD), or head out to the movies choose something happy, something that�ll make you smile. Watch a comedy, listen to pop music. The media is so powerful, so treat yourself to something inspiring. I�ve heard the Broadway play The Lion King can make you feel like you can do anything under the sky.
Here�s some of the music I find inspiring: The Corrs, Afrocelt, Christina Aguilera, Enya, Nelly Furtado, Garou, Hilary Duff, Jock Jams, John Mayer, Bond, Mariah Carey, Norah Jones, Vanessa Carlton, Michelle Branch, Mandy Moore, M2M, Kylie Minough, Celine Dion, Adiamus, Yannick Noah, and Sting.
Some TV: The Daily Show, Friends, Stand Up Comedy, Trading Spaces, Whose Line is it Anyway, Inhale
As for movies, look for anything under comedy. Even try stand up comics, like Robin Williams.
2. Make a self love list.
I love myself because:
- I talk to myself like crazy
- I�m gorgeous
- I�ve accomplished an amazing amount of things in 19 years
- I don�t drink
- I run like a maniac
- I still sleep with Babar (my stuffed elephant)
- I walk up stairs on my tip toes
- I laugh at myself in the mirror
- I get fired up about anything political
- I want to change the world and I�m starting now
- I�m a huge yoga buff
Now make one of your own just like mine. Read it and add to it everyday.
3. Get up early and pray or meditate.
There is something about the early morning. The air always feels fresh and the day always feels ready. Trust me, if you set the alarm clock for half an hour earlier than normal you�ll feel it. Get up and talk to your god (whoever he, she, or they are), even if its just sitting up in bed and doing it. It�ll start your day off on the right foot, and make you happier. Just try it and see.
4. Exercise!
I can�t stress this one enough. If you want to feel just poopy, sit around all day without moving an inch. On the other hand, if you wan to feel vibrant and happy get up and get moving. Daily exercise is key to daily happiness. Exercise releases endorphins into your system. Endorphins are basically hormones that make you feel happy. Plus, you�ll just feel good and refreshed after a workout. So pick a sport and do it, everyday for half an hour. It could be anything from yoga to dance to beach volleyball to running. Try something new, have fun with it.
Coupled with this is eating healthy. Learn about nutrition, and make sure your body is getting what it needs everyday. It�s also important that your body doesn�t get more than it needs, though. A good rule of thumb is anything that comes directly from a plant, like fruit and veggies, will make you happy. Anything that comes from a factory, like just about everything else, is going to put you down. Remember to love your food, it�s about to become you!
5. Get a hobby.
We are all good at weird things. I, for example, have a strange knack for anything crafty. I can crochet, basket weave, and quilt amazingly with almost no effort. We all have talents like this, and the trick is to find out what it is for you. You could try jewellery making, gardening, woodworking, painting, cooking, or just about anything. Having a hobby can help to quiet your mind while you produce something unique and beautiful. You start to love yourself more and more for your individual talents. It�s amazing what a half an hour of crochet can do for my relaxation and self love. Make an effort to find and use your own abilities, the effects a hobby can have on your life are amazing.
6. Make Music.
Making music not only can make you smarter, but happier as well. It�s incredibly soothing to sit down with your instrument of choice for a while. Equally, the pride you�ll feel after mastering an instrument can be amazing. So learn to play an instrument of your choice today, even your voice counts, and it will bring you joy.
7. Do something scary or challenging.
If last fall, as I sat awake on an airplane flying over the Atlantic Ocean, you would have told me that I was setting off on an adventure that would bring me more happiness than anything in my life ever has, I would have laughed. I was so freaked out, and yet now I can look back at all the things I�ve learned. I�m so much more grown up, knowledgeable, and happy now than I was before I left. So follow my example, I know it may not be easy, but jump into the deep end. Stand up and face your fears so that you can realize that what your were afraid of really wasn�t so big, bad, and hairy as you thought it was. Sign up for a speech class, try skydiving or scuba diving. Take the one risk that�s been scaring you for years. Things oftentimes aren�t as scary as they really seem. Remember that the big black warped looking shadow on your wall really is just the shadow of a tiny little mouse. Learn something new, challenge yourself, and grow.
8. Set goals and reach them.
I will:
- Run a 5:35 mile.
- Lose five pounds
- Start my own online magazine
- Learn to speak French fluently
These are all goals that I have both set and achieved in my life. This is something my dad taught me to do. Sit down at your computer, or with a pad of paper, and write down every goal that you wish to achieve. Write it like you mean it. Don�t say "I want to write a novel." Say "I will write a novel." Post your list of goals in a place where you will see them often. Then go out and achieve them. It is so important to have goals in life. Without goals we are all wandering around blindly. It takes both determination and a good game plan to get what you want out of life. Set goals and achieve them. Fulfil your dreams. Never stop striving to achieve your best.
9. Journal/Write.
Write. There�s nothing more to say than that. Put your feelings down on paper, whether its in a journal or in a structured format. Soon you�ll find that your writing brings you closer to your inner self. You�ll find yourself laughing at some of the ridiculous things that you wrote in your old journals. You�ll find yourself full of pride as you watch your work get published. As a writer, I can�t imagine my life without putting words on paper. It brings me joy everyday to sit down and drain my mind through the ink in my pen. Give it a try, you�ll see what I�m talking about. Someday you might just find yourself unable to live without writing too.
10. Smile
This one may seem easy, but I can tell you after just half an hour of walking through my French town that people most certainly do not smile enough. There are so many ironic, idiotic, and just plain hilariously funny things in this world not to smile. Smiling and laughing can release healthy hormones into your bloodstream. Plus, as you walk along downtown smiling at the blue skies, or the way your ridiculous umbrella always folds up in the rain, you�ll find that you make other people smile too, and that is always worth it.
11. Sing
I have to admit it. I�m a singer. I used to sing in choirs and in the car with my mom. Now I sing in the oddest of places. As I�m walking to school, for example, I oftentimes sing out whatever song is ringing around my head, because there always is one. It makes me happy to hear a melody coming out of my mouth, and it relaxes me in ways unimaginable. So sing anywhere you can. Try in the shower, the car, or even as you are walking down the street. In my opinion happiness sounds itself in melodies. Surround yourself with music, and you�ll surround yourself with joy.
12. Dance
I used to go to high school dances and watch everyone out on the dance floor having a great time, but never join them. I was so terrified of what people would think of me, or if I�d look stupid. I always went home disappointed in my lack of courage. I finally decided that I had had enough, and one day I shut off all the lights in my room and turned on my music and just danced for a good solid hour. I felt much more confident with my skills once I had practiced alone, and after doing this a few more times I actually felt confident enough to dance in public. These days I dance whenever I hear music. Dancing feels incredible. If you feel too shy to get out on the floor and shake it, practice on your own for a while before you head out in public. If nothing else, you can always dance alone and still enjoy yourself. It�s really about how you feel, not about the people who are watching you. So next time you go to a dance, or even hear music, get your groove on. Let your body go and just jam to the music. It makes you feel great!
13. Get Outdoors!
Nothing can bring on a crappy mood faster than spending a full day bumming around inside. Fresh air can do wonders! Plus, the natural world can just be wonderful. It opens the mind to see the beauty of trees and the birds flying around them in. Bathe yourself in the sun, or eat your lunch in the park. Spend a weekend kayaking or camping. Nature�s miracles can cause miracles inside you too, so get out and start exploring!
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