Happiness-Boosting Habits That Take One Minute or Less
Because we could all use a bit more joy in our lives.
1. Start a photo journal.
Take a photo every day of something that made you smile or filled you with awe. If you do this consistently, by the end of the year you will have 365 photos of people, places, or things that inspired you and/or made you happy. In dark days like these, having visual reminders of joyful moments is a powerful way to create positivity in your life.
2. Have a “minute of silence.”
We are surrounded by noise and stimulation all the time. So, decide to devote at least one minute a day for complete silence. Don’t call it meditation, don’t set a timer (you can estimate a minute, I promise), don’t have a designated spot or pillow or anything. Just be intentional about doing nothing else for that minute. You can lay on the floor of your bedroom or sit next to a tree in your backyard. You can just be sitting on the couch in the living room. Just make sure it’s quiet, and then close your eyes and do nothing but breathe and take in the silence. It is a fantastic way to reset your mind and bring a sense of calm and peace into your day.
3. Make someone else smile.
Find a way to make someone else’s day just a little bit happier. Research has shown that small but regular acts of kindness have a significantly-positive impact on mental health and happiness. This can be as simple at smiling and waving hello to a neighbor (from a social distance), telling a funny joke to a friend over the phone, or even just tickling your kid. It can also be as complex as you want it to be; if you feel like going all out to make a family member or friend happy, then by all means plan a special meal or buy them a nice gift. But making it something quick and easy will make it easier for you to be consistent about it. And, if you don’t have someone around, or if you are unable to have anyone around due to covid, you can send a thank-you email to a colleague, or call a friend who you haven’t spoken to in a while. If no one pops into mind, you could even donate a few dollars to a charity that you care about, and feel good about knowing that you made someone in need just a bit happier.
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
― Albus Dumbledore (J.K.Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)
