Happy International Day of Happiness!
Did you know that 40% of your happiness is within your control?
Abraham Lincoln said, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
But while you are in control of your happiness, you can’t just decide to be happier. Instead, you should take specific daily actions that are proven to make you happier.
The great news? The Happiful system is designed to help you implement 13 proven ways to increase happiness. Here’s how I personally make sure I’m always happy:
13 Science-Backed Ways to Be Happier
Cultivating Gratitude: Every day, as part of filling out my Happiful Planner for the next day, I reflect on the day and write down 3 things for which I am grateful.
Cultivating Optimism: I fill out the ‘Today’s Wins’ portion of the Happiful Planner each day. Also, my Daily Commitments Checklist includes visualization of winning today and of my ideal future life; I have affirmations that boost my optimism; and I completely avoid the news and social media.
Practicing Acts of Kindness: I have this on my Daily Commitments Checklist.
Nurturing Social Relationships: I always practice the Nightly Disconnect, leaving my phone behind so I can focus on my family. I also have ‘Proactive Communication with Friends’ and ‘Proactive Communication with Family’ on my Daily Commitments Checklist.
Savoring Life’s Joys: I do this with the ‘I’m Excited About’ and Gratitude sections of the Happiful Planner. I also have a short Mindfulness meditation on my Daily Commitments Checklist.
Committing to Your Goals: I do this every day by writing from memory my current year’s goals as part of my Morning Routine in the Daily Commitments Checklist.
Taking Care of Your Body: Sleep, nutrition, and movement impact your happiness. Fitness is one of my core values which I review each morning; I have affirmations about sleep, exercise and nutrition, and there’s too much to share here, but I follow all the best practices we cover in the lessons on sleep, exercise and nutrition in Be Happiful.
Meditation: Breathwork and meditation are part of my daily routine and on my Daily Commitments Checklist.
Focusing on Others Instead of Yourself: I make sure that at least one of my three daily Gratitudes is about a person in my life, writing about who I am grateful for, and why.
Showing Appreciation for Others: On my Daily Commitments Checklist, I have ‘Send an Appreciation Message’. Showing appreciation makes both you and the other person happier. This practice also strengthens social bonds, which has a powerful impact on happiness.
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others: Greatly limiting (or eliminating) Social Media is a core principle of Happiful, and that removes the main way people compare themselves to others. I NEVER go on social media; not even for a second.
Exercise: Exercise is on the Happiful Planner and on my Daily Commitments Checklist, as is planning the next day’s exercise.
A Complete Unplug and Recovery: The Nightly Disconnect is one of the cornerstones of Happiful, and I follow it religiously. I am NEVER online after 6pm.
Your happiness is under your control. The Happiful system gives you the tools to make these habits a daily reality.
If you haven’t yet, start with our free Design Your Ideal Life course to create a life that aligns with what truly makes you happy.
“It is a truism that how you think — about yourself, your world, and other people — is more important to your happiness than the objective circumstances of your life.” - From The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky
Wishing you happiness today and every day,
Paul Mayer
Founder, Happiful
