· By PYM STORE
5 Happy Habits for a Happy Life
Happiness is always relative. What makes a person happy is incredibly unique and individual, just like each of us. However, there are a few habits that can help to make your life a little bit happier, no matter who you are.
It’s our goal here at PYM to help everyone live their best life, so we’d like to share some of them with you. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find something in here that can help improve your life as we all deserve a little bit more happiness!
#1) Get Your Body Moving
There really is truth to the idea that our body is our temple. Ultimately, we really only get one body, so how we treat it really does matter. That doesn’t mean that working out is an easy thing to fit into your busy schedule.
The good news is, getting your body moving doesn’t have to mean that you need to squeeze in a full gym workout every single day. Exercise isn’t just about your physical body; it’s also about keeping your mind happy and healthy. When you get moving, it can naturally reduce your stress level, as well as help you with feelings of anxiety and depression.
Try just going for a walk a few times a week. The activity, as well as the change of scenery and the fresh air, can really do wonders for how happy you feel. It’s also a great bonding experience if you do it with a friend, family member, or even your dog!
If you’re not up for a walk, try yoga or even some light stretching. When you spend most of your time at a desk or on the couch (which, let’s face it, we’re all doing a lot more of lately), you may not even realize how tight your muscles are. Taking a few minutes out of your day to stretch them out can be really good for you.
#2) Be Mindful About Your Diet
Fast food is not only cheap, but it’s also convenient. When you are running from place to place, and you don’t have a lot of time to cook a meal, it becomes the natural option.
Unfortunately, the food choices that we make can dramatically impact the way that we feel. Certain types of foods can make you feel better, both physically and mentally, while others can make you feel tired, bloated, and uncomfortable. Knowing the difference between the two can help you overhaul your diet so that it can work for you, instead of against you.
For instance, carbs. Carbs are often malaligned as being “bad” for you, and low-carb diets continue to be popular. However, did you know that carbs can also release a hormone that can make you feel good? When you eat carbs in moderation, it can increase the serotonin levels in your body. Just try to focus on complex carbs like whole grains, as they can provide you with a more sustained source of energy without the sugar crash.
Supplements like PYM Mood Chews, which naturally help to manage stress and anxiety levels by using adaptogens and amino acids, can also help. If you start your day with one, it can help to get ahead of those feelings before they have a chance to start.
#3) Compliment Someone
While it may seem counterintuitive to focus on other people when you’re trying to increase your own happiness, it can actually do just that!
There has been research done on the impact that performing random acts of kindness can have. When you compliment someone or just do something nice for someone without any expectation of reciprocity, it releases hormones. Those hormones, like oxytocin (sometimes known as the “love” hormone), flood your body when you do something nice. While they only last for a few minutes, it can be just the help you need to get back on your feet and keep moving forward.
#4) Don’t Ignore Unhappiness
Being happy doesn’t mean that you push aside all of your negative feelings. As humans, we’re capable of a huge range of complex emotions, and often experience many at the exact same time!
Embracing those feelings, whether they are good or bad, is really important to be able to truly appreciate the good ones. When you repress your feelings, they don’t go away… they just end up coming up at unexpected times and in unexpected places. Acknowledging when you’re not feeling mentally great also helps you better identify why you feel like that. While it will not fix it, it can help you make lifestyle changes if you’re noticing a bigger pattern.
#5) Declutter
Did you know that your physical environment can impact your mood? Often, this happens without you even realizing what is going on. One way to get a better handle on this connection is to work on decluttering your home.
If you have a long day and walk into a home that is full of clutter, with mail laying all over the counter and dirty laundry piled on the floor, it can naturally put you in a bad mood. The more stuff you have crammed into your home, the more overwhelmed it can make you feel.
To help counteract this, try dedicating just ten minutes a day to decluttering. Tackle a single project at a time, like your kitchen counters or your bedside table. Small changes like this really do add up over time, and you’ll soon be able to walk into a house that makes you feel calm instead of stress.
In Summary
Happiness is a state of mind, one that seems to come and go without allowing us to have any sense of control over the matter. But it doesn’t have to be like that! When you know how to tweak your life and incorporate a few habits that can help you be just a little bit happier, your self-esteem will also naturally increase. PYM Mood Chews were designed for similar reasons because we believe that you can achieve so much more if you can reduce moments of stress and anxiety in your life. Don’t ever let go of your dream.
Sources:
This just in: Exercise is good for you (health.harvard.edu)
The Science Behind Random Acts of Kindness (cedars-sniai.org)