I was blog hopping last night and quite lazy to make a blog post. Anyway, I came up with this site that states how to be happy on the comforts of your own home. When all else fails, you can reflect on the following things to make you smile and lighten up your mood. Just in time that I need a breather!
(Image: Callen & Eli's Artful Treehouse) |
Our
homes are extension of who we are: what we do within the walls of
our abodes shapes our mood, affects our productivity, and influences our
outlook on life. Scientific studies have shown that we can have an
impact on our happiness by adjusting the tiny little habits and routines
that constitute our daily lives — we are, in fact, in control of our
outlook on life.
It's amazing how a few tweaks to our daily habits can become a
catalyst for meaningful, positive change. Here are a few simple things
you can do every day to feel happier at home.
1. Make your bed. In a popular post last month, I explained the many benefits of daily bed-making. Gretchen Rubin, New York Times best-selling author of The Happiness Project, explains that this three minute task is one of the simplest habits you can adopt to positively impact your happiness.
2. Bring every room back to "ready." I learned this trick from Marilyn Paul's clever book, It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys.
It's a known fact: Clutter causes stress; order creates a haven from
it. This mood-boosting routine is simple: Take about three minutes to
bring each room back to "ready" before you depart it. (Unless you have a
toddler, or a partner who likes to simulate earthquakes, three minutes
should be sufficient.)
3. Display sentimental items around your home. One
reason that experiences (and memories of those experiences) make us
happier than material things is due to the entire cycle of enjoyment
that experiences provide: planning the experience, looking forward to
the experience, enjoying the experience, and then remembering the
experience. Make your home a gallery of positive memories.
4. Start a one-line-a-day gratitude journal. Before
bed, simply jot down one happy memory from that day. (If you have kids,
you can ask them, "What was the best part of today?") Reflection is an
important part of happiness, and pausing to reflect on a positive event
from each day cultivates gratitude. (An added bonus: Later, when your
memory is defunct, you will already have all of your meaningful
adventures recorded!) If you have trouble getting started with
journaling, consider buying a book to guide you. Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, is a great one.
5. If you can't get out of it, get into it. This tip comes from The Happiness Project.
I love the message: The dishes are not going to clean themselves, so
you will do it, and you will like it! (Unless, of course, you can
outsource this job, in which case I say: Nice work!) Otherwise, get into
doing the dishes. Feel the soothing warm water on your hands. Enjoy the
tickle of the tiny bubbles. Crank your favorite album at an unusually
loud volume, do a couple fist-pumps while shouting "Can I get a hell
yeah for the dishes? Hell! Yeah!" and pretend you love it.
6. Before you get up each morning, set an intent for the day. In The Art of Happiness,
the Dali Lama says ""Every day, think as you wake up: today I am
fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to
waste it." Wow. What a wise man. I tend to wake up with a strong
visceral reaction that says, "Attention human beings: Be afraid of me
before coffee. Be very afraid!" Setting a daily intent makes a huge
difference. Your daily intent could be something like "be productive" or
"enjoy today's delicious moments" or it could be something more
specific like "say thank you to my loved ones today." But it should not
be another "to do" item on your list.
7. Do small favors for your housemates, expecting nothing in return (not even a thank you!).
(That's right, I said it: nothing!) Mow the lawn for your husband, but
don't expect him to pat you on the back. Make the bed for your wife, but
don't try to get bonus points for it. Take the trash out for your
roommate, just because. The ability to cultivate strong, healthy
relationships is one of the biggest contributors to health and
happiness, but when you start to keep score, the benefit is lost. (No!
It's YOUR turn to clean up the dog poop!) It's a well-known fact: When
you do good, you feel good.
8. Call at least one friend or family member a day.
You can do this while you clean, while you make the bed, or while you
walk the dog. Texts and emails do not count! Make an actual phone call
to a loved one, just to chat and catch up. We humans are social beings
and studies show that even when we don't feel like it, even if we are
naturally introverted, socializing with our loved ones makes us feel
better.
9. Spend money on things that cultivate experiences at home.
Save money for a new grill for parties or a new DVD for family movie
night — something that will encourage you to have people over and
entertain. Plan a summer barbeque, invite your closest friends, kick
back and relax. (And don't forget to print out the pictures to remember
the good times.)
10. Spend a few minutes each day connecting with something greater than yourself.
Whatever your spiritual beliefs — or non-beliefs — may be, studies show
that connecting to a high power is correlated with happiness. Just
stepping back to realize that we are part of an enormous universe can
put some perspective on your annoyance with the
those-are-definitely-not-mine-and-they-are-abso-fricking-lutely-repulsive
socks under the coffee table. Before bed, spend just a few minutes
contemplating something larger than yourself. Take a walk in nature.
Write in a journal. Create a sacred space in your home. (Or if
spirituality is really not your thing, create a home spa: light some
candles, soak in a hot bath, delve into a good book… are you feeling
better yet?)
via Apartment Therapy |
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Nice Post dear ...
ReplyDeletei grabbed it from apartment therapy.. amazing post! ^^
DeleteI think keeping that kind of journal is a great idea...I just might do it... :-)
ReplyDeleteagree! the article itself is great!
Deletesimple yet touching!
ReplyDeletesame same :)
DeleteThanks for this post! Helped a bummer like me! haha :)
ReplyDeleteconsists of helpful ideas :)
Deletelove your advices
ReplyDeletekeep sharing your thoughts
thanks a lot!^^
DeleteAww thanks for this :)
ReplyDeleteyou're welcome ^^
Deletei usually do the number 2 and it really helps to ease that feeling of tiredness after having a long day outside. thank you for these tips. i would give it a try one by one :)
ReplyDeletecool! great tips to make us more happy at home. :)
DeleteNice post. :D
ReplyDeleteI'll do the little journal of the most memorable things that happen in my life.
i jot in down on my mobile. :D
DeleteNice post..I tell my room mates to read this.lol
ReplyDeletefeel free to spread the word. :)
Deletenum 8 is really always working tip :)
ReplyDeletegreat post! one of our purpose in life is to be happy and share it to others:)
ReplyDeleteI wrote this post for Apartment Therapy...thanks so much for sharing it! xx jackie
ReplyDelete