· By PYM STORE
6 Reasons Why You Should Do What Makes You Happy
While we can’t expect to be happy 100% of the time, there are always steps that you can take to manifest happiness in your own life.
PYM was created to help you feel like you are your best self, every single day, even on the days that life may not be sunshine and roses. One of the best ways to do that is to do what really makes you happy -- if that’s not enough, here are six reasons why you should chase after your own sunshine as often as you can.
#1) Happiness Leads to Motivation
One of the reasons that you should do what really makes you happy is that it also can help drive your sense of motivation. No one is perfect, because perfect really is an unattainable standard, but part of growth is working to constantly better yourself.
When you’re feeling down, it naturally saps your motivation. When you’re feeling happy, there really is no end to what you can achieve if you put your mind to it.
Choose small goals instead of big ones, and reward yourself with each small goal you achieve. Each goal that you’re able to reach will increase your motivation to keep going, and the natural dopamine boost that you receive from accomplishing something isn’t too shabby either.
#2) Happiness is Directly Related to Self Confidence
When you’re happy with your life, you feel much more self-confident. There’s just something about being happy and content with your life that leads to feeling like you are capable of handling whatever life throws at you. Part of that is likely related to learning to trust yourself, knowing that you’ve made the (sometimes tough) decisions that you needed to better yourself and truly make yourself happy.
In the end, no one else can make you happy on the inside. While they may have an effect on it, especially if you have people in your life who don’t support you, choosing to put your own happiness first helps cement in your brain that you’re worth it.
#3) You’re Responsible For Your Own Happiness
Building off the idea that your happiness and self confidence are tied together, it’s also true that no one else can do it for you. If you want to feel happier, you have to take those steps on your own to make that happen. Waiting for someone to come along isn’t the best route to take to really solidify a smile on your face.
Take control of your life as you can and guide yourself down the path toward true happiness based on what makes you happy. Look at what truly makes you happy, then do that. It really can be that easy.
#4) Striving For Happiness Sets A Great Example
This is especially true if you are a parent, but it’s true no matter who you are and what you do.
When you’re a parent, your child is constantly watching you (like it or not). Part of the responsibility of raising a child is helping to build their self esteem, which can be a tricky thing if you struggle with it yourself.
When you prioritize your happiness, your children learn to do the same. They learn that they are worthy and important of all the good things in life, and will naturally internalize those positive feelings even into adulthood.
Even if you’re not a parent, striving for happiness in your life can be contagious. Your coworkers, your friends, your family members… that feeling naturally rubs off on the people who spend time with.
You can become a beacon of light, and even help to encourage and support them to find their own happiness as well.
#5) When You’re Happy, You Can More Easily Handle Being Not-So-Happy Once in a While
As much as we wish we could, we can’t be 100% happy, all of the time. Life happens, with all its twists and turns, whether we like it or not.
Alongside having coping mechanisms to help support you during both the ups and downs (like our PYM Mood Chews), internalizing your own sense of happiness can make it much easier to push through those things that happen that might be able to drag you down into the muck.
Part of that, much like how happiness positively impacts your self esteem, is that developing a greater sense of self and knowing what you deserve can help you avoid situations and people that may mean you harm.
When you know your worth, you’re less likely to put yourself in situations that are toxic for you, and more likely to be able to recognize them more quickly.
#6) Happiness is Good For You
In addition to the many ways that happiness is good for you on a mental and emotional level, did you know it’s also good for your health?
Happiness can positively impact your blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rate variability. It also strengthens your immune system, fights off some of the side effects of stress (specifically those related to the stress hormone, cortisol) and reduces the likelihood of general aches and pains.
However, possibly the most impressive and exciting reason that you should always do what makes you happy is that happiness can actually extend your life! In multiple studies, people who were happier also tended to live longer.
While the research behind exactly how happiness can impact the life span is still ongoing, it says alot about how it can make our lives better.
In Conclusion…
Consider your happiness non-negotiable -- choosing to invest in your own happiness can help you develop the tools you need to live an overall more joyous, successful life. Bad times happen to all of us sometimes, and PYM is here to help when they do, but they are much easier to cope with when you feel content within yourself.
No one controls your happiness but you, and remembering that you have that power can be life-changing.
Sources:
If you are happy and you know it… you may live longer - Harvard Health Blog
To Achieve a Major Goal, First Tackle a Few Small Ones - Harvard Business Review