How to create happiness these holidays!

Another year of being alive, can you believe it!? Defying all odds you managed to come into existence some time ago, and made it this far in the game. That’s pretty remarkable in and of itself!

But for some merely existing is not enough. Ye old “need to thrive not just survive”, as they say. A big part of life is living happily and healthily, to get the most out of your time on this little blue dot.

Being happy and full of hope is what keeps us going. So without further ado, here’s a few tips to boost your happiness over the holidays! 😀

1. Don’t buy presents, create experiences: Some people want specific items or money for Christmas (they might be right about what they want), but have you often found yourself wondering what to get for everyone else? Different people have different talents, get creative in your own way. Pick some flowers or make a succulent bowl. Hand-make cards and stick things on them like you’re 8 years old! Slip in-jokes into your writing. Code a cute program that tells people they’re awesome. Desperate for ideas? Make a collection of googly eyed pet-rocks for everyone! Buying a present for yourself? Short of the basics (water, clean clothes, security), buying a fancier phone won’t make you happier, buying a holiday will.
2. Recycle negative emotions: some people are lucky to have loving families, but others struggle to connect, or find that spending time with their relatives is stressful. Loving-kindness meditation is the simple practice of directing well-wishes towards other people, an evidence-based method of developing compassion and personal well-being. If you are religious, then pray for the well-being of the people that stress you out. In case these strategies don’t work, keep handy a polite reason to leave, you’re never obligated to spend time with people who don’t treat you with respect.
3. Find community: Not everyone has family to visit, and friends can be busy. What can we do if we have nowhere to go and no one to talk to? Find a local MeetUp group and make a connection. If you’re inspired by tip no.1 then you could surprise people in the group with a cheap but special present. Did you know residents in aged care can really appreciate a visit? “At one inner-city nursing home, virtually no one had visitors.” Why not ring around and see which care-facilities need your help? Give and receive consensual hugs. Think about adopting a shelter pet.
4. Donate to effective charities: if you want to have an impact on others, maximise your powers and hours by donating to charities that avoid being wasteful. GiveWell has a list of top charities, they have crunched the numbers and estimate that the biggest impact, most lives saved, or most improved quality-life-years per dollar are to be found in the charities listed. You might also be able to find a local Effective Altruism group on MeetUp.
5. Search for something Awe-inspiring: The benefits of feeling awe are underrated. “Awe is a response to things that are perceptually vast, that we don’t fully understand at the moment”. Go out on an adventure and try to search for something that will surprise you. Give careful attention to the mundane, imagine yourself in the scene of an arts film. Be in the moment and you might realise almost anything can be beautiful when you look at it with love.
6. Focus on your brain health: Depression and anxiety can have many causes, but one consistent contributor is an increase in inflammation. Eat plenty of omega 3 fats like from fatty seafood and flaxseeds, and avoid omega 6 fats like vegetable oils. Increase your polyphenol intake with fruit, vegetables and quality-tested, standardised, natural anti-inflammatory supplements. Exercise, and remember 10 minutes of walking a day is better than nothing. A burning in your muscles is directly strengthening your emotions. If you take medications, don’t forget to take them! If you have a habit of forgetting, set an alarm as a reminder. In fact, you can set an alarm right now!

And that’s it folks! We hope you’re able to incorporate a few of these suggestions into your routine and become a happier human being these holidays!

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Be happy and stay healthy peeps 😀

— Adam, Research & Development at Hapi.