The question of how humans can be happy isn’t new. Philosophers have been asking and answering that question for thousands of years. Today, many people can feel like we’re further than ever before from having a “happy” society, especially with the information that, by 2030, depression is likely to be the world’s most common illness. But actually, the opposite is true — we’re closer than ever before, and the reason for that is that today more than ever, we understand what actions we need to take individually to make ourselves happy. These aren’t necessarily complete understandings. They may not make you happy all the time. But they’ll take you a long way towards feeling happy on a day-to-day basis, and in this day and age, that’s a reasonable expectation.
So what are these ways? Let’s take a look.
Connect With Others
Happiness is only real when it’s shared. Try as we might to live individualistic lives, the truth is that we’re a social species; we always have been and always will be. Giving a few hugs each day has been shown to boost happiness levels at a chemical level — there’s just something about skin-to-skin contact that resonates with us on a deep level. Talking also helps. As such, one key towards happiness is to simply invest in your relationships.
Head Into Nature
More people than ever live in cities. And you can see why — they’re convenient, you meet new people, it’s where the action is, and so forth. But it’s very much worth taking a stroll in nature from time to time, too. Studies have shown that nature can function as a fast-acting antidepressant, helping to boost mood in as little as fifteen minutes. And things get even better if you spend two hours in nature, which has been shown to have a significant impact on feelings of anxiety and depression.
Let Go of Stress
It’s hard to be happy when you’re stressed. Indeed, at its most extreme levels, it can temporarily prevent you from feeling joy. The solution? Get rid of stress. While you can’t always avoid stress, there are certain things you can do that’ll keep it at bay. Meditating, listening to brown noise, and buying some Delta 8 Gummies are just three of the things that you can do. In times of acute stress, it can be a good idea to book yourself in for a massage or book a relaxing vacation if it’s within your means.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
Finally, there are gratitude journals. Writing in these things can seem a little corny, but there’s a reason why so many people do so — they’re effective. Studies have shown that writing a daily gratitude list can boost your happiness in as little as two weeks. We all tend to focus on the bad things in our life or the things that we don’t have, but the truth is that you’ve probably got a lot of things going in your favor, and seeing them written down can be eye-opening.
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