Habits That Lead To Happiness

You can’t click your heels three times and suddenly become blissed out, but apparently, happiness is a skill you can practice. University of California San Francisco psychiatrist and author Dr. Elissa Epel says small, repeatable habits can train your brain to notice more of the good stuff.

Start simple: do a few kind things each day. Send the funny text. Hold the door. Leave the nice comment instead of silently judging someone’s vacation photos.

Also, notice what makes you laugh. Step outside for a minute and actually look around, even if the view is mostly a parking lot. When something goes sideways, don’t pretend it’s wonderful. Just see if there’s a less catastrophic way to frame it.

Celebrate somebody else’s good news like you mean it. Give yourself a break when life gets messy. Make a quick gratitude list. Put the phone down for 30 minutes. Yes, the internet will somehow survive without you.

And go find a little awe: a great song, a sunset, a baby laughing, a suspiciously perfect taco.

The point isn’t to fake happiness. It’s to build tiny habits that make joy easier for your brain to spot when it shows up.

Learn more about these habits HERE!

Source: Real Simple
Photo by Jacqueline Munguía on Unsplash