If your life has felt a little lacklustre of late, it could be that it’s time for you to cultivate more happiness. You might baulk at this, but it’s important to understand that happiness comes from within. It comes from our perception of the world and the people around us, as well as how we see ourselves fitting into the world. We can’t rely on other people to make us happy, and especially not material things. With that in mind, how can you begin to cultivate more happiness in your life? Here are three proven ways:
1. Do nice things for other people
When we do nice things for others, we get a huge serotonin boost as the part of the brain that feels pleasure is activated. Some people call this ‘helper’s high’. Notice how good you feel after doing something nice for another person, whether you know that person or not. You should find that it gives you a boost for the rest of the day.
2. Visualise who you want to be – and show up as that person
Did you know that when we visualise an action, we stimulate the same parts of the brain as when we actually perform the action? In other words, the brain cannot tell the difference between real and imaginary. There’s a reason that athletes visualise themselves winning a race, and musicians even visualise themselves performing certain hand movements. It genuinely works to make us better at them.
So, if you want to be happier, think of the happier version of yourself. What do they spend their time doing? Who do they spend time with? How do they speak, and how do they move? Incorporating all of these elements of the happier you into your day will make you happy. You won’t just be pretending!
3. Keep a gratitude journal
What we focus on persists. If you are spending your time focusing on everything there is to be sad about, you’ll notice more and more things that depress you. However, if you spend your time noticing every little thing to be grateful for, you’ll experience a similar ‘snowball effect’.
