How to Add More Joy to Your Life
1. Honor Yourself
One of the most helpful ways to find joy in life is by finding it within. Allow yourself to honor who you are, speaking kindly of yourself and reassuring self-love. Also carve out “you” times throughout the day, breaking mentally away from day-to-day stress and chaos.
2. Create A Joy Journal
Joy is mostly subjective and based on perspective, so think about and write down self-appreciations and what brings you the most happiness in your personal life, including the calm of you morning coffee or walks with your spouse each night after dinner. Seeing your joy list can further surface humbling and gratifying feelings.
3. Give Back
Give back and gain more! Volunteer at a local food pantry or humane society or simply being there for a loved one. Contributing selfless time deepens the meaning of life and sparks great feelings of joy.
4. Deal with Sadness
Although it may seem counterintuitive, dealing with sadness is extremely important. Sadness can overshadow feelings of joy, signifying the need to dig deep to the core root. Allow yourself to acknowledge negative thoughts and feelings, while granting yourself the opportunity to cry and assure yourself these feelings can be normal. After dealing with such feelings, more joyful feelings can emerge.
5. Live in The Moment
Whether dwelling on what could have been or anxious about the future, allow yourself to dismiss what you cannot control. Instead, live in the moment where you have the capability to feel happy and allow your brain to quiet down.
6. Laugh More
The best medicine is not found in the medicine cabinet… Laughter is the best medicine, as it can instantaneously bring joy to your life and lower stress levels. Increase humor in your life by smiling more, thinking more positively, and watching funny videos.
7. Embrace Your Inner Child
Thinking back on your childhood, you may envision yourself as a little bit more carefree. Fast foreword to today and the worry of bills, work assignments, and other responsibilities may have flooded such feelings. So let your guard down and embrace your inner child (even if such moments may feel embarrassing)!
8. Tackle an Endeavor
One of the greatest feelings of joy stems from the satisfaction of tackling and prospering in an endeavor. Whether it be building a new dining table to signing up for a race, challenge yourself and reap the ultimate benefit of its succession!
9. Play with Dogs
Did you know your mood can instantly boost by playing with dogs? Research has shown playing with dogs can increase the brain’s levels of the dopamine and serotonin, hormones associated to pleasure and tranquility. And not to mention, the companionship transpires onto your canine friend!
10. Get Active
Getting active and exercising bursts joy by releasing endorphins, also known as that “feel good” hormone, to boost mood and reduce stress. Even a 30-minute walk plays a large toll in mental health increasing self-ratings of energy, happiness, and self-esteem. Ultimately, it really is not so much how you get active, just that you are!
11. Dance for Joy
Let the music and beat distract from worries! In fact, a European study had shown that dancing is an active method shown to provoke positive mood changes. Dance has further shown to boost energy, creativity, and confidence, all while lessening tension and depressive symptoms.
12. Step Out in Nature
Allow yourself to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the technological world and step out in nature. Evolving and solidifying evidence connects nature with healthier and happier people, including the acts of walking outside for a mere 15 minutes, feeding birds, and planting flowers. And while nature may not be the miracle for all diseases, there is evidence suggesting its exposure can improve mental well-being and mood; increase life satisfaction, vitality, and meaningfulness, and mindfulness; and reduce high blood pressure, respiratory tract infections, and cardiovascular illnesses.
