It may be cliché and overused, but it’s true that attitude is everything! It turns out, some of the lessons we dismiss quickly as children’s phrases, are some of the most important to remember.
When it comes to being a happier person, attitude plays a major role. Consider the words Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D and Professor of Psychology at the University of California, wrote in her book, The How of Happiness:
“Recall that 50 percent of individual differences in happiness are governed by genes, 10 percent by life circumstances, and the remaining 40 percent by what we do and how we think – that is, our intentional activities and strategies. The secret of course lies in that 40 percent. If we observe genuinely happy people, we shall find that they do not just sit around being contented. They make things happen. They pursue new understandings, seek new achievements, and control their thoughts and feelings.”
It’s true that each of our attitudes have a powerful effect on our self-image and happiness in general. Many have been dealt unfair hands when it comes to genetics or life circumstances. Some people will certainly have to work harder to find happiness than others. Regardless of where you are today, here are five steps you can take right now on your journey to fulfillment:
Take Better Care of Your Body
“You are what you eat!” This is another popular saying that has a lot of truth in it. Your gastrointestinal tract is lined with hundreds of millions of neurons that guide not only your digestive system, but your emotions. Additionally, exercise has been shown to boost the brain’s dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels, which are hormones that all directly affect your mood. The physiological effects of eating right and exercising regularly have an amazing impact on your state of mind. When you turn them into daily habits, those confident, happy feelings tend to carry over into all aspects of life.
Surround Yourself with Positive Influences
Cutting a negative person out of your life can be one of the toughest things to do. But when you aren’t bombarded by complaints, pessimism, and bad attitudes, your mental state will change and change for the better. Consider one negative influence on your thought patterns or actions. It could be a person, a TV show, a social media outlet, or a number of other things. Start by completely separating yourself from that negative influence for just a couple weeks and replace it with something that makes you feel good. You will notice the difference in your overall happiness.
Express Yourself
Sometimes the most negative influence on your life can be your own mind! People often get stuck in negative thought patterns and become almost addicted to feelings of inadequacy. Willing yourself to think positively does not always work for many people. One way to push these thoughts out is to express yourself creatively. Write about a bad experience you’re holding on to, let your anger out in a song, or simply practice the objective observation of these thoughts through meditation. However you do it, practice expressing your feelings over repressing them.
Accomplish Small Tasks
You know that feeling you get when you accomplish something? Even the smallest tasks- like cleaning your room or doing laundry- can improve your mood. Whether it’s winning an award at your job or simply crossing something off your to-do list, human beings feel better when we accomplish a task! Excuses often get in the way and are a barrier to accomplishment, so start with small tasks. You’ll start to feel more confident and eventually you’ll be accomplishing some of your major goals.
Seek New Experiences
Have you ever observed a child try something awesome for the first time? It’s a beautiful experience because those feelings that come with a completely novel experience only happen the first time. After that, your perception of the experience changes, and after a while – life can become mundane and monotonous. The only way to achieve those feelings of novelty again is to try new things! Even if it’s as simple as taking a new route to work, trying a food you’ve never eaten before, or finding a new workout routine, seek out new experiences. You’ll find that this world is abundant with options and that boredom and negativity are often a result of our own thoughts and lack of effort.
The journey to becoming a happier, more self-satisfied individual is different for everyone. No matter where you stand today, don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Focus on your own life, your own health, your own thoughts, and your own actions. Remember these five steps and try to practice one or all of them each day.
At BODYCRAFT, we’re offering 16% OFF all fitness equipment during February – the month of love, because we want you to be a happier, more self-loving person.