Happiness Blog

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!

Making checklists has more benefits than you may imagine. Checklists allow you to take abstract thoughts in your brain and break them down into concrete goals. Research shows writing checklists provides relief, because you feel more confident you will get the tasks done. And you should be more confident, because research also shows that writing down tasks does make you more likely to get them done. Then, completing the tasks will release dopamine in your brain. We’ve talked about dopamine on here before; it is a neurotransmitter that is released from small successes, and it makes us feel pleasure and motivation to do more. One final benefit of checklists is that going to check off that task releases additional dopamine, along with the dopamine released from doing the task itself. Why not have a little celebration for everything you accomplish, especially if it makes you more likely to keep accomplishing in the future? Hopefully, we’ve convinced you to grab a notepad and get planning!