Today I start my happinizing © journal! I am convinced (as per my research) that happiness is a skill- and thus needs conscious, purposeful, and concerted effort. I have looked at the studies, countless articles, and am still working out the details of my happinizing © equation- but here are some of the factors that I have worked out so far. November being the month of gratitude, this would be a great project for you to start for yourself as well! The great thing is that this is so easy! You will literally be reshaping your brain, to make a you an overall happier person, and you will also literally be adding years to your life and be an overall happier + healthier person!
So, here's *my equation:
H (D/W) = E^2, C, M + 3Gs ©
Here's what each of the factors mean-
H (D/W) = happiness/happinizing steps you must purposefully take on a daily or weekly basis.
E^2 = the two Es, Exercise (3 times a week min, 30mins of cardio each time) and Eat well (healthy balanced diet with lots of omega 3s). Also, there are countless studies, all which talk about how bad sitting is for you- thus, I recommend that we start using standing desks more, or at the very least, take a walking break every hour after you've been sitting behind your desk. Really, this will add years to your life.
CAK = Conscious Acts of Kindness. Go out, volunteer, write one nice email to a friend or coworker a day, do something nice for someone else for a change! It will release some dopamine into your brain and make you (and them) feel happier!
M = Meditate! I was shocked at all the studies that are out there that speak wonders about the power of meditation. Among the types of meditating you can do, I would recommend working on empathy and kindness meditation. This literally activates different parts of your brain, and makes you better at empathizing and being a compassionate human being. Also, as we read above in CAK, helping others releases dopamine, thus making you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
+ = Be positive!! Again, this sort of goes along with the 3Gs, but here write down three positive things that happened during your day. It will make much better at focusing on the rosier parts of life, regardless of how bad life may be at the moment.
3Gs = Always, before going to sleep, think of 3 things that happened that specific day that you are thankful for. Jot them down in your happinizing/gratitude journal, and really think about why you are grateful for them. Try to focus on intrinsic, and not extrinsic happiness factors, as intrinsic ones give you more bang for your buck.
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Now, there are also H factors that are more of reminders to keep in mind as we go through life. There's 3 factors to remember here: SPY
1) S = foster/maintain your Social networks. Do NOT neglect your loved ones, whether this means friends, family, significant others, etc. You need to have a social network for when the going gets rough, and also people who will be there to celebrate life's big and small victories with you!
2) P = PLAY! Remember that we live in a tiny little planet that is part of this huge universe. We have about 70-100 years to live in it, don't be one of those people that when their time was up, and they looked back, they realized they had spent their whole lives working, and never focusing on the things that really made them happy. So yes, make a concerted effort to make play time part of your daily or weekly routine!
3) Y = be you!! Don't spend your life focusing on what others want you to do. This is your privileged time to be on earth, so use it as YOU want. Say no to peer/social pressure, and do the things that you want to do.
Happinize on my friends, and thrive!
*and yes, this is my intellectual property since I have been working on bringing all these factors together to make happinizing as easy as possible- so no, you can't go out and publish a book on it...already on it ;)
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