In my previous blog, I looked at five areas that have been shown to improve people’s happiness levels. These included making time for yourself, practicing gratitude, finding meaning and purpose, adding some physical activity and being present in the moment, rather than dwelling in the past or future. This week we will look at five more areas that I work with clients on when they just aren’t that happy with life and think there is something more they could be doing.
Having a little fun
Look back at your life and make a list of what you have enjoyed doing in the past that you may not do anymore. Add a few of the things you currently enjoy or would like to try and start finding some time to do some of them. Smile at people in the workplace, say hello, risk them thinking you are a little crazy – they may smile back. It may even be exactly what they need. Although people seldom show when they are having a hard time a little kindness can go a long way to raising spirits.
Learn to be optimistic
Optimistic people are less likely to suffer depression and are more likely to be resilient in the face of set-backs. The good news is that, like gratitude, an optimistic mindset can be learned and practiced. Recognising negative automatic thoughts and challenging them is one way I work with clients to increase their optimism; another is to reframe situations and look at them from other angles to find the silver lining. All of these techniques can be learned.
Work on your relationships
A plant that is left in the corner without water is likely to wither and die, so it is with relationships. It is all too easy with today’s über-connectivity to believe we have a lot of friendships without really trying, but it is the depth of the relationships that is important, not the sheer number. Studies have shown that the happiest people all have good, close relationships, so expending a little effort to nurture your relationships pays off. Love has even been found in some studies to reduce the affects of pain. It truly does conquer all.
Discover your strengths
I once had a client whom I was working with to put together a personal statement for a university application. This client was young, terrified of not being good enough, and quickly realizing that they hadn’t got a lot of activities on their CV. So we looked at their strengths and showcased these. Discovering your signature strengths and finding ways to use them in your daily life has been shown to improve happiness and satisfaction with life long term. You can go online at www.viastrengths.org to discover these for free.
You are what you eat
And yes, I know that chocolate contains chemicals that are similar to our happy hormones, but a diet entirely of chocolate is not the answer. The secret is balance.
Eating foods rich in tryptophan, which is one of the building blocks of serotonin, which helps to regulate sleep, mood and how logically we can think could help us increase happiness. This is found in chocolate (yes, I know what I said earlier), bananas, oats, and foods high in proteins such as fish, chicken, beans, almonds and pumpkin seeds to name but a few. The research in this area is scarce and at times contradictory, but if it encourages me to eat a little more healthily, then I am happier already.
