Article by Ann Davis
Have you ever had everything in your life spin out of control?
Nothing you do works out the way you want. Everything goes wrong. And the whole world seems to be conspiring against you.
Keeping your happy demeanor up during those times is hard, isn’t it?
And you wish you could wave a magic wand and transform your mood into perfect bliss. Right?
While I can’t promise to teach you how to cast a spell like Harry Potter, the following tips can have an almost magical effect on your mood.
Here Is Your Way To Happiness
1. Set Happiness Goals
According to Sonja Lyubomirsky, you control your happiness the same way you control your health, and If you can set goals for your health, you can do it for happiness. Happiness goals shouldn’t feel like work, but because you’re in charge of making yourself happy, you’ve got to have a can-do mindset as the first step toward being happy. Pursuing intrinsic goals, like learning a new language or taking care of your body, provides a sense of purpose and a feeling of control over your life, making you happier because you want to become better.
2. Make Your Bedroom A Haven
Sleep and happiness go hand in hand. Try to make your bedroom conducive to good sleep as much as possible. Soundproof it and cut light as best as you can; that includes keeping away any gadget that will tempt you to surf the web. You’ll wake up a refreshed and happier person each morning.
3. Drink Tea
Theanine, which is present in green and black tea, reduces anxiety and will calm your nerves and make you happy. So whenever you’re feeling stressed because things aren’t going your way, grab yourself a nice cup of tea to calm your nerves.
4. Play With Dirt
According to a BioMed central article; “Outdoor play, gardening, or any activity that might bring contact with soil, trees, and plant life will increase the opportunity for exposure to microbial diversity. If the activity is conducted in natural environments, it increases the likelihood that the individual will inhale natural phytoncides (aromatic chemicals secreted from trees and ornamental plants) that are associated with human stress reduction and immune system benefits [211,212]. These airborne phytoncides, found at higher levels in natural (vs. urban built) environments, are a product of interactions between phyllospheric microbiota and the plant; for example, the application of antimicrobials to the aboveground portions of flowers leads to a halt in linalool emissions [213], a chemical with known mood-regulating properties [214].”
So get your hands dirty from time to time by planting a garden for stress reduction.
5. Pick Up Dancing
According to health research, when you move your body, the level of serotonin increases — serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is proven to help your brain to release endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals. You don’t need dancing classes; just turn on the music and shake your body. You will be happier and less stressed at the end of the beats.
6. Get A Furry Friend
Owning and caring for a pet will boost your mood and give you a good feeling and happiness.
That’s why hospitals, nursing homes, schools, jails, and mental health institute all use animals for therapy. If you can’t own a pet, volunteer at your local shelter to get a dose of puppy love.
7. Read Adventurous Stories
Reading will give your brain a work-out just like walking gives your body a work-out.
Adventure stories also take you on the characters’ adventures and give you an outlet for emotions found in the real world. Pick up inspiring stories and you will be happier and less stressed in return.
8. Listen to Sad Songs
According to the paradox of music an online survey. This is the first comprehensive survey of music-evoked sadness, revealing that listening to sad music can lead to beneficial emotional effects such as regulation of negative emotion and mood as well as consolation. Such beneficial emotional effects constitute the prime motivations for engaging with sad music in everyday life.
You would think listening to sad songs would make us feel terrible, but instead, we feel happy when Adele sings songs over her break-up.
9. Buy Happiness
Invest in things that give you good memories instead of spending money on overpriced accessories that only give you a momentary mood boost.
Buy things like games you can play with friends or family when they come to visit.
Plan a long vacation, and take lots of pictures as forever memories. When you get stressed, just look at the pictures and you’ll get a good mood boost.
You Are Set — Be Happy
Maintaining happiness can be tough, particularly when you’re in the midst of hardship.
But with little actions and a bit of perseverance, you can regain control of your happiness.
Just imagine being able to keep your mood up no matter that hardship you’re facing.
When you start applying the tips above, you’ll soon find boosting your mood is as simple as snapping your fingers.
AHumbleSoul 