Archive for: Our Happiness Blog

Theodore Roosevelt said “comparison is the thief of joy,” and science has supported his claim; comparing yourself to others can hurt your self-esteem and lead to depression. There are billions of people in the world with jobs, relationships, houses, possessions, looks, and lives different from our own. There is no way to have it all, and comparing ourselves to others distracts us from the joys and successes of our own lives. There are ways to break the comparison habit. Identify your strengths. Work on fully accepting and embracing yourself; don’t try to be anyone but yourself. Let others inspire you rather than deflate you. If you have people in your life who constantly criticize you or make you feel less-than, try and limit your exposure to them. Spend time with people who celebrate you and make you feel good about yourself. Do the same thing to others in your life. Log off social media. And, perhaps most importantly of all, practice self-compassion. 

Have you ever thought about what you would do in your hometown or city if you visited as a tourist? Would you finally go to the art museum or the celebrated bookstore, or hike that popular trail? Would you try new restaurants? Maybe you’d sit in the park and take in the scenery around you, and passively observe the people who live there. Maybe you’d strike up a conversation with a local and ask them about their favorite spots. Sometimes we get into ruts when we’ve been living in the same place, doing the same job, and going to the same workout class every day, possibly for years. How can you approach your situation with fresh eyes? We encourage you to take a vacation right where you are. A staycation. Plan out a little day, and discover the richness and the breadth of the place where you already are.

We’re still toward the beginning of 2022, so it’s not too late to make a bucket list for the year! What should you include on your bucket list? You may want to include some goals you want to accomplish, maybe involving your career or your home. But we encourage you to make at least half of your items things you’d like to do for enjoyment, or for the experience. Such as baking your first cake, or taking a vacation, or going to visit that college friend, or finally getting that fun haircut you’ve been too scared to get. Making a bucket list can help you brainstorm and get creative about the things you’d like to do. You may not always give yourself the permission to think freely about the things you want to do, so this activity can help you uncover some of your desires. Also, you know how we love lists. Writing things down in list-form makes it more likely you’ll actually do them. And you’ll get good feelings each time you check something off! 

Storytelling is a practice that has been passed on for generations. We tell and listen to stories to make sense of the world, to impart and receive wisdom, and to feel connected to the people and the world around us. Stories help us understand ourselves and others. They help us cope with life. They help our memory and imagination. So next time you’re with someone, tell them a story, or ask them to tell you one. There are also plenty of ways to listen to stories when you don’t have access to other people, through reading, podcasts, Ted Talks, and more. We recommend the podcast “The Moth.” Each episode has a theme, such as “home,” and people tell true stories that center around that theme.

Have you ever walked into a restaurant where the lights are perfectly dimmed, nice music is playing softly, and the whole place smells delicious? I bet that put you in a pretty good mood. Why not make that your home? There are lots of ways to create a good atmosphere. You can use scented candles for a nice aroma and lighting. You can use your dimmer, or turn off the overhead light and turn on a lamp for some softer lighting. You can even buy lightbulbs that allow you to change the color of the light. You can find relaxing playlists on YouTube or whatever music streaming service you have. You may want to give Lofi beats a try. You’re worth the extra time it takes to create a cozy and relaxing atmosphere!

We think about our daily habits a lot. But some things don’t need to be done every single day to still be an important habit to develop in your life. We think it can be helpful to plan out your week so that you don’t skip out on these important tasks and activities. Think about what contributes to a healthy lifestyle that you don’t have to do every single day. Some examples are doing your laundry, going to the grocery store, calling a loved one, cleaning your room, going to your favorite cafe, meeting up with a friend, or working on a fun project or hobby. Planning these things throughout your week ensures that you are incorporating them into your life. If you don’t have time to make a schedule every week, you could just make a one-time checklist. Get a dry-erase board and write the things you’d like to do every week on there in Sharpie. Then use a dry-erase marker to check things off as you do them each week. These positive weekly habits can make a big impact on your well-being and happiness. 

Oftentimes, when we’re thinking of New Year’s resolutions, we think about what we want to bring into our lives—how we want to change, or what we want to start doing or achieving. Maybe you’ve already made a few of those. This year, we challenge you to take a different approach. Instead of being so focused on what you want to add, what if you switched your focus to really appreciating what you already have? Direct actions you can take include doing a gratitude list every morning or evening, giving thanks before you eat your meals, and calling friends or family more often to show you are grateful to have them in your life. Of course, looking to change and improve is always important, but so is truly embracing and appreciating all the gifts that are right in front of you, because that is one of the most important contributors to happiness.

We believe in eating healthy to support your mental and physical health, but we also believe in treating yourself every once in a while, and the holiday season is the perfect time to do that! There are so many recipes out there for delicious holiday treats. We like the idea of making cookies or a cake that you can decorate, because that gives you an additional opportunity to get creative. And we suggest practicing some mindfulness during the baking process—pause to notice how it feels to roll out the cookie dough, or how the house smells when your treat is baking in the oven. And sharing your treat with friends, family, or coworkers is an additional way to spread the holiday cheer!

It’s holiday season, it’s growing cold outside, and it’s getting dark earlier and earlier…. It’s the perfect time of year to stay inside for a movie evening! So grab your friends, children, or other family members, and put on your favorite holiday movie, or a holiday movie you’ve never seen before. If you don’t like holiday movies, any movie will do! You can spruce up the event by baking some cookies or making some hot chocolate. Remember that simple but fun activities like this can bring a whole lot of joy into your life and into the lives of others. And don’t forget to grab the blankets and pillows!