Living a life that is happier and healthier doesn't require you making drastic changes. Sometimes just making small changes in your everyday life is enough. Here are a few things you can do to start feeling better inside out, everyday.
Don't rush your morning
How many of us wake up later than we should only to find ourselves rushing through the morning, skipping breakfast and heading straight out the door as soon as we can? That would be most of us. Unfortunately, that sets the tone for the rest of your day. If you're late in the morning, you're going to be late and rushing everywhere and for everything. That hardly allows for your day to be a peaceful one.
Waking up just half an hour earlier can change the way the rest of your day goes. Give yourself time to breathe. Read the newspaper if you like, drink a cup of tea and sit with yourself if that's your thing. Just allow yourself enough time to do everything in a relaxed manner in the morning, and you will find yourself feeling happier through the rest of the day.
Throw in some exercise
Most of us undermine the effect a good workout session can have, not just on our bodies but also our minds. When things aren't going our way, many of us resort to 'comfort foods' to uplift our mood. These foods might be comforting in the moment, but their long term effects are probably not what you desire.
Instead, workout. Dance, run, hit the gym - whatever you prefer. Just moving around and breaking a sweat can enhance your mood far more than you can imagine. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. Would you still want to pick that calorie dense chocolate cake over a run in the park?
Connect with others
Whether you're an introvert, extrovert or ambivert, every human being is a social being to a certain extent. No matter what your personality type, we all rely in some way or another on our relationships with our friends and family to bring in balance and happiness into our lives. So when we disconnect, often because of the busy lives many of us lead, it can bring in more sadness than joy.
Take the time to connect with other people everyday. Even if just for five minutes. Reach out to an old friend or call your siblings. If nothing else, get to know a colleague at work. Spending time actually connecting with the people in your life and around you can make you feel much happier even on a bad day.
Reduce the amount of time you spend on social media
Somebody else's life - utter and complete knowledge of it - won't make you happier. While social media can be great in some ways, getting onto it as soon as you open your eyes and then spending hours on it before you finally drop off to sleep is really not a healthy habit. Imagine all the other things you could be doing in that time. Spending time on social media before bed has also been linked to disturbed sleep patterns.
Instead, why not try and read a book or listen to some music? That should set you up for a good night's sleep.
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