May
24
2016
15 easy ways to live happier and healthier
It might not come as a surprise if I say our mental well-being affects our health. How then to maintain both when stress from work bothers you and affects your lifestyle? Apart from physical exercise and proper nourishment to boost your health, here are some other less obvious methods to keep your spirits up!
Start by accepting your emotions and how you feel.
- The advice of not keeping everything bottled up may have its merits. According to a clinical psychologist, most physical, mental and relational problems arise from our reluctance to process our emotions properly. Hiding behind a farce or sweeping it under a rug doesn’t solve the issue, it is akin to burying a landmine, with a timer set to explode.
- The way to feeling is to give yourself express permission to do so. Find someone you trust wholeheartedly, let down your guard and focus on what made you feel that way. That will help you access the situation fully and come up with a way to deal with it.
- If you are not much of a verbal person, writing about your bad feelings also help. Research has shown that those who pen down their innermost thoughts and feelings report being less depressed and more optimistic about life than before writing.
Taking risks can be good for you in small doses.
- While the structure and conventional means are necessary, it might impede your growth and leave you feeling stuck. Push yourself to take a small risk each day, be it talking to someone new, setting a challenging workout goal or even take an impromptu trip. Anything to get you out of your comfort zone.
Live for the moment.
- You are draining your mental health if you keep harping on all the wrongs people did to you. Those are things of the past and no longer holds relevance. Take responsibility in what you are doing right now and you’ll feel more relieved and focused.
Reflect on yourself.
- It doesn’t take long to think about anything on your mind. For example, is there anything you are afraid of or in denial about in your life? Taking a step back and asking where your feelings, thoughts and behaviours are coming from helps as well. You’ll prompt yourself to think of better solutions or options
Breathe life into your values.
- For qualities you deem necessary, follow them in your daily lives. This helps you with decision making and keeps you on track. Having a thorough sense of your knowledge will inspire harmony, certainty and fulfilment.
Laugh!
- Taking life and ourselves too seriously is mentally exhausting. How are kids so carefree? They laugh about 200 times a day compared to adults who laugh an average 15 times. Laughing decreases stress hormones, increases immune cells and infection-fighting bodies. Who knew that had a medical side? Watch a funny video or find someone to have a good laugh with.
Know thyself.
- When you know your strengths, know how to use it. It will help you feel empowered and invigorated. If you are not too sure about your strengths, try talking to individuals who know you well or works with you.
Keep a close watch on your thoughts.
- Your mind might get caught in a whirlpool of negative thoughts if you leave it unchecked. Over time, this can bring our mood down and we may think it is true.
- Thankfully, we can sieve through this and learn to see their true nature. Monitor your thoughts and consciously replace the negatives with positives.
Express your gratitude.
- Shifting your perspective to one of gratitude can change your entire outlook on life. Make a list of 3 things you are thankful for every morning to start. Move on to choosing ten things that make you love your job. Unanticipated surprises work best, such as a new flavour of your favourite tart in the café or bumping into a work friend you haven’t seen for a while.
Explore a passion or find a new one.
- Take some time to think about things you are passionate about. Trying something new and learning you have a talent will encourage you and this can be a new stress reliever.
Do something that makes you happy, first thing in the day.
- Waking up, eating breakfast, commuting to work – the list goes on. But we are so familiar with it that we can run on autopilot. Try to fit something enjoyable every morning to start your day off positively and change up your routine.
Rid your life of rotten eggs.
- Be it people or work there should be at least one rotten egg dragging you down. Identify it and determine what to do with it. Small rotten eggs can accumulate and wear away your mood and well-being if you leave it.
Surround yourself with all the good things.
- Having a pleasant scent where you work can boost your spirits quickly. At home, introduce some scents such as lemon, peppermint or lavender and put on some relaxing music. This can change depending on your mood, keeping you relaxed and happy.
Find inspiration.
- This can come in many forms, from people around you to quotes from the book you read. Magazines are also a good way to get interesting ideas that are thought provoking.
Meditate.
- This has gained popularity through recent years. Carve out a few minutes at the end of your day to sit, relax and just breathe. Don’t overthink and complicate the process. Meditation is simply a way for you to relax your mind and body and is super soothing.
So that’s it, 15 ways you can lift your mood and protect yourself from all the negativity around you. Most of it don’t take long or require much effort. With a few minutes, the results can be astounding. Don’t wait till your problems escalate, take charge and live a happy life.
