You, like many people, may erroneously believe that happiness is something to be pursued. That when you finally get your promotion or have a baby or shed that unwanted weight you will automatically be happy.  The reality is that happiness is a mindset – you have the potential to be happy EVERY day, but it does require fostering healthy habits that will encourage your overall feeling of happiness.

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” ― Dalai Lama XIV

Below are several happiness fostering habits that can be incorporated into your life as part of your daily routine. You may find that some work more for you than others, so practice the ones that show the greatest results for you.

Happiness Habit One – Just Breathe

You may not realise the power of simply breathing. When you are anxious or worried, by practicing a proper breathing technique during stressful situations, you can re-centre yourself and alleviate much of the negativity in your life.  To download the anxious breathing technique which I teach to my clients, please click here.

Happiness Habit Two – Stay Grounded

Being grounded means that you are present in your body each moment, connected with the Earth, aware of your surroundings, feeling centred, balanced and calm no matter what’s going on around you. To get a free download on Grounding, click here.

Happiness Habit Three – Keep Your Field Protected

It is important to protect your quantum field (aura, electromagnetic field) from negative, dense energy. People and situations drain your energy, leaving you feeling tired, heavy, stressed and overwhelmed. You are not hurting anyone by protecting your quantum field. To understand more about your quantum field and how to protect your field, click here for my free download.

Happiness Habit Four – Do the Kind and Loving Thing for You

When you don’t know what to do in a particular situation, or when making a decision, then always ask yourself this question: What is the kind and loving thing for me to do for myself, right now? It takes a while to trust the answer you get, as sometimes it means to do the right thing for you might mean letting someone down, or you might think your action will be seen as selfish, but in truth if you are to stay true to who you really are and follow your heart in all moments and matters then you must do the kind and loving thing for yourself in each and every moment and in doing this trust that you are serving the higher good. For more on the Kind and Loving Thing, click here for a free download.

Happiness Habit Five – Practice Gratitude

People who routinely practice gratitude by noticing and reflecting what they are appreciative of will thrive and feel more energetic, they will sleep better, will experience more positive emotions, and they are better able to express compassion and kindness.

Happiness Habit Six – Get Moving

By regularly staying active and exercising you encourage a better self-esteem, you increase your happiness, and improve your health.  It reduces stress and anxiety and can even lessen depression. Exercising outside has the added benefit of exposure to the sun, which allows our skin to synthesise Vitamin D from cholesterol. Vitamin D is essential to humans for healthy bones and teeth as well as important bodily functions. Research has linked a Vitamin D deficiency to breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, depression, weight gain, and other maladies.

Happiness Habit Seven – Connect

Forming deeper relationships with people allow you to create a space of trust and care. Having someone to share with means you are less likely to experience nagging loneliness. It also gives you someone to laugh with – laughter is an amazing remedy to feeling down, it allows you to see the lighter side of life.

Happiness Habit Eight – Be Kind

Being kind is more than saying hi to your neighbour, or letting someone in the door before you. You need to consciously commit acts of kindness – like taking a meal to the lady you see each day begging at the traffic lights, or spending the afternoon with an elderly neighbour doing their shopping then having tea and talking nonsense.  Committing acts of kindness has been shown to lower stress levels and improve mental health. The best part of being kind? Both you AND the recipient feel happier!

Happiness Habit Nine – Accept that Perfection is NOT Necessary

For many of us, myself included we want everything we do to be perfect.  The problem is when you can’t get to your picture of perfect you feel like you have failed or that you haven’t done enough.  By accepting that your best is good enough in the timeframe available, you save time and energy for things that matter more.

Happiness Habit Ten – Surround Yourself with Positivity

If you are constantly surrounded by negative people, in a negative environment, your happiness will eventually be drowned out. Try and socialise with positive people, read inspiring books and blogs, listen to music that makes you feel good and watch shows that make you laugh or learn.

Happiness Habit Eleven – Live in the NOW

You may be one of many that live in the future or live in the past, at least in your head. By spending time rehashing past experiences over and over you are unnecessarily re-living pain. Learn from the past and move on. As for the future, there are any number of possible outcomes to each situation, so all we can do is prepare as best we can. Mulling over the what-ifs, does nothing but waste time and create worries and stress. By focusing on today, you can experience the wonder of life as it happens, appreciating the little things because you were actually there, in the moment, to notice them.

By Debbie Taylor