Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Cultivating emotional well-being
• Method 2 of 3: Nourish mental well-being
• Method 3 of 3: Increase physical well-being
• Tips
• Warnings

Enjoying life is often seen as an attitude, the result of reflection, action and gratitude. Most of us don't have the opportunity to escape to a mountaintop to find bliss, but some simple practical changes in your life can go a long way as well. If you combine them with a conscious choice to appreciate the people in your life and make more room for the things you do best, those small adjustments will quickly add to a greater enjoyment of life.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Cultivating emotional well-being

1. Get a pet. A pet provides love, companionship and hours of entertainment. Owning a pet also has health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and less risk of cardiovascular disease, a greater sense of well-being and connectedness, and it teaches you to be empathetic and take care of something.
   • For an extra warm feeling, consider getting a pet from the shelter.
2. Develop an interest in music. When you listen to music, you engage your imagination and create a sense of identity, increase your self-esteem and feel less lonely. Listening to music makes you feel stronger. Put on your favorite album - or one that you just can't get enough of, turn up your installation and make sure you don't get distracted so you can really experience the wonder that music is.
   • It has been shown that in some cases music can even help people cope with dementia because it makes them feel stronger. Music therapy also works well for people with anxiety and depression.
3. Start the day with a smile. Your facial expression is often seen as an expression of how you feel, but it also seems that your facial expression can change your mood. to influence. Therefore, make sure you smile a lot, because that will improve your mood. You can even choose to greet yourself in the bathroom mirror with a smile in the morning - the sight of that happy face may be enough to maintain that frame of mind all day long.
4. Take a break. A good break doesn't mean hanging out in front of the TV like a zombie, or getting lost on the internet for hours. It means you put time aside and start doing something special. Treat yourself to a vacation to say thank you, or get yourself in a different environment for a while - even if that just means having a picnic in your own backyard, or building a tent with your kids in the living room. Doing things during a break that are different from what you normally do will add to the fun and satisfaction.
5. Spend time with interesting people. It is known that people with a wide circle of friends live longer. Of course people like to seek out like-minded people, and it has also been proven that the behavior of your friends has a major influence on your own behavior. Make sure you associate with positive, interesting people who inspire you to live a rich life.
   • Do you keep putting off reconnecting with an old friend? Call today! If you can't reach him / her by phone, write a long email or an old-fashioned letter.
   • Do you feel like you are being drained by an unhealthy friendship? It is not good for either side to allow your friend's bad behavior. Take a deep look into your heart and decide if a good conversation can help you solve the problems or if you can end the friendship better.
   • Do you find it difficult to meet new people? Get out of your comfort zone by going to new places, chatting with strangers, starting a new hobby or joining an (online) association.

Method 2 of 3: Nourish mental well-being

1. Reduce stress. You don't need a doctor to tell you that stress is no fun, but did you know that even a little stress weakens your immune system? How long a period of stress lasts has even more influence on your immune system than how severe the stress is. To combat stress, you must first recognize it and then stop trying to solve it on your own. Find ways to ground yourself and let off steam constructively. Good ways to combat stress include sports, exercise, a hobby, and spending time with friends. Maybe guided visualizations, yoga or tai-chi are for you; if you have severe depression, seek professional help.
2. If you cannot avoid the cause of the stress, learn to cope with stress better. Can you tackle the cause of the stress? If so, then do it. In many cases, stress has to do with your job, money, or family. In uncertain times it can be difficult to change jobs, so you will have to find ways to deal with the stress better.
   • You can deal with stress that comes from work or family issues by being more assertive about your needs and setting boundaries. Assertiveness and setting boundaries also means learning to say "no" to tasks that don't fit your schedule, taking time for yourself on a regular basis, and not taking calls from work while relaxing at home with family or friends. friends, and vice versa.
   • Other ways to deal with work-related stress include working smarter instead of harder, which means breaking down big tasks into smaller steps and delegating tasks to others as needed. Also, make sure to use resources at work such as training and courses to combat harmful practices that can affect your health and well-being.
3. Learn new things. Better education can increase your confidence and interest in the world.But it is not for everyone, and it is by no means the only solution. Reading, traveling, taking fun courses, attending lectures and meeting people from other cultures have the same effect. You can also study online - there you will find courses that can be very stimulating and allow you to increase your skills and knowledge in your own time. In any case, try not to run away from new experiences, but immerse yourself in them and seek them out as much as possible. After all, you only live once.
4. Find a hobby. Hobbies are necessary to have fun in life, whether you're going to collect stamps or learn kickboxing. Routines that are too strict get in the way of spontaneity and surprise - leave some space in your schedule so that it doesn't become grind and routine. Do your hobby because you enjoy it and because you can get lost in it, but not because you want to meet the expectations of others.
   • Research shows that participating in leisure activities has a positive effect on physical and mental health and well-being. Advantages of a hobby include lower blood pressure, less cortisol, a lower BMI and a better understanding of physical abilities.
5. Read a good book. Watching your favorite TV series with your feet up is of course wonderful, but because your imagination is not really stimulated if you follow a story in this passive way, you can also get a restless or dull feeling. For a change, find a book that you can lose yourself in for a while. If you are not really a reader, think a little broader and look for something related to your hobbies: if you like football, read a biography of Johan Cruijff; if you are a motorcycle enthusiast, try "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance".
   • Keep notes of passages or ideas that you can identify with. If you keep a notebook handy, ready to record such inspirations, you will soon have an inspiring collection of ideas that can help you set goals for years to come.
6. Meditate. Meditation reduces stress and makes you feel calm. By meditating for a few minutes every day you get a more positive attitude and you feel more balanced and relaxed. It is important to sit in a good position and meditate in a place without distraction.

Method 3 of 3: Increase physical well-being

1. Strengthen your immune system. Nobody feels happy when they are sick! Even if you just take a multivitamin with vitamins C, E and A, selenium and beta-carotene, you can give your immune system a boost.
   • Having a strong immune system helps your body cope with stress and physical illness. Other strategies such as regular exercise, adequate rest and healthy eating also contribute to your resistance.
2. Move. Movement causes your body to produce endorphins, which transmit signals to the brain that translate into positive feelings. Regular exercise not only fights depression, anxiety and loneliness, but it also strengthens your immune system. Even if you just go for a walk, you produce more antibodies and white blood cells.
3. Sleep well. Sleeping is strongly linked to a person's health, stress level, weight and quality of life. Plus, while you sleep, your body produces cells that can fight infection and stress, which means you're more likely to get sick if you don't get enough sleep. and that it takes longer for you to recover when you are sick.
   • Movement is one of the very best ways to sleep better at night.
4. Go rooting in the soil. Researchers have found that good bacteria in the soil stimulate the production of serotonin in the brain (much like antidepressants work). If you have a garden, take your chance and do some digging. If you don't have a garden, see if you can rent an allotment - if you don't do it for the flowers, you can also grow vegetables and herbs and use them in healthy recipes. Even gardening in containers or pots can bring some sunshine into your life.
   • There are of course also a lot of less friendly bacteria in the garden. Wear gardening gloves, especially if you have cats or if the neighbors' cats use your yard as a litter box. And wash your hands after rooting in the earth!
5. Eat healthy. It makes sense, of course, that good food (fresh, unprocessed, real food) has enormous benefits for your health. In addition, it is good for your mood if you take the time to cook for yourself: it smells good, it tastes good and, if you get a little more experience, it can be a fun, creative outlet. Besides spoiling yourself with it, cooking yourself is also good for your wallet. If you're not very good at it yet, start with some quick, easy recipes so you don't spend hours in the kitchen right away. The less processed your food is, the healthier you are, which in turn makes you happier.

Tips

• While these guidelines are scientifically based, remember that the ability to enjoy life varies from person to person. There is no scientific measure of happiness, and everyone has a different concept of happiness and satisfaction. In summary, you can choose whether you are happy - or not - and the only one who has control over that is you.
• Worrying makes no sense and is wasted energy. Instead of devouring yourself, put that energy into something useful. If you are so stressed that the idea of ​​doing something already scares you, take a break or take a nap, and then tackle the problem you are having. You feel much better when you try to do something about it.
• Use your imagination every day. Think creatively and have fun.
• Look around you. If you don't enjoy life, try to get rid of all negative things. Find things you like and people who care about your well-being.

Warnings

• There is no one-size-fits-all solution to happiness. Feel free to try what the self-help gurus and articles like this recommend. But don't take it as a set guide - if a tip doesn't work, don't worry. Find an alternative that works and stick to it.