A happier life
Top tips for a happier life
Take care of your health
If you’re tired and sluggish you won’t have the energy to pursue your passions. Take care of your body so it can take care of you. Eat a healthy diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, drink plenty of water, take regular exercise and get enough sleep. Starting from a foundation of health will allow you to follow your dreams and maintain motivation.
Make your dream list
Take a sheet of paper and write at least 100 things that you want to do, be or have in your lifetime. Don’t be afraid to go beyond what you believe is possible today. Imagine that you have all the resources available to you to make these things happen. Read through the list every day for a week. You might be surprised at what happens when you focus your thoughts on what you really want.
Keep learning
Is there something that you’ve always wanted to be able to do? Rock climb, play the piano, speak in public? Whether it’s gaining a new talent or improving your capabilities at work, learning something new keeps the mind stimulated, provides a sense of accomplishment, builds confidence and opens doors to new possibilities in life.
Try something new
To explore possible new passions, challenge yourself to try something new every day for a month and record your progress in a notebook. It could be something as simple as cooking a new recipe or trying a different food, or as daring as singing karaoke for the first time. You may discover a new interest or even a hidden talent.
Understand your energy
Identify what gives you energy and what drains it from you. It may be certain people or situations, or even the weather. Everyone’s energy needs will be different. Some people get a buzz from socialising with friends most nights of the week, whereas others find this exhausting, preferring instead more alone-time to relax and re-charge. Know what’s good for you and then work on creating the conditions in your life for your energy needs to be met.
Build your network
Connection with others provides emotional support, inspiration and learning, as well as a lot of fun and laughter. Think about the people in your life and how you spend your time with them. If it’s been a while since you got in touch, do so. If you’ve moved on from boozy nights down the pub and would rather a more sporty social life, why not suggest a bike ride at the weekend or find a local social networking website that offers sporting activities. Distance yourself from negative people who consistently criticise and instead encourage positive, inspirational people into your life.