happiness

Photo cred: Nurdan Johnsingh.

We are currently exploring happiness in the circle of lovely souls I spend my Monday mornings with. Scientific research tells us there are some surefire ways to boost it! They are:

1. Deep belly breaths….I did this incorrectly until I started teaching yoga and really learned how to take deep breaths properly…inflate your belly on the inhale, take your breath up to your chest and then on the exhale allow your belly to sink back towards your spine releasing all of the air in your chest. An exhale should be the same length or a little longer than the inhale. This is naturally how we breath anyway…think of when you are falling asleep. It helps to relax the shoulders away from the ears, unclench your jaw, and soften your forehead and muscles around the eyes. Stop what you are doing at least a few times a day and breathe deeply.

2. Focus on that which you can control. We get so hung up on how others treat us, how our president lacks empathy and compassion (tough one for me), the weather, whether we get sick or not, what others think of us, etc. Let that shit go. Read and watch what feels good and inspiring to you. How you spend your free time and who you spend it with matters to your mental health. What you say yes and no to is also in your control. Mostly. Elizabeth Gilbert says, “you never had control, all you had was anxiety.”

3. Being in service to others. Just doing something nice for someone else makes them feel better and has the added benefit of making you feel better too. We all know this to be true. The other day a little boy at the grocery store told me he liked the rainbow on my shirt. I told him I liked his shirt too. Then he put his arms on his hips and behind his mask, his little muffled voice read the words out loud on his bright red tee shirt, “I’m just a little guy with a big heart.” He made my day and yes tears welled up in my eyes while looking at the wine. Anything you do that is creative like making banana bread, planting plants or writing nice words to someone is a true gift. Your creativity is a gift. And sharing it with others is love in action.

4. Eat, Exercise, Sleep. We know all of this but are we carving out enough time to rest, drink more water, and move our bodies a bit every day? It’s simple and so annoyingly hard sometimes! But no one can do this for us, we have to do it for ourselves. Many women I talk to (including myself at times) feel guilty about putting up our feet and resting during the day. We should be proactive, productive! Do more! No thanks…since we are already letting shit go, add that nonsense to the list. Rest is essential. It is necessary for our health. And happiness.

5. And lastly, gratitude. I know, I know, you have heard this one a million times too. But making gratitude a practice and a priority is truly soul saving. When my mom was sick, finding those little glimmers of sunshine saved me from being utterly heartbroken. Filling up your whole body with thankfulness for something or someone you love or for something that makes you smile is hugely helpful. It is building up a reserve that we can rely on when things are tough. When you wake up, before you go to bed, when you take a walk, at dinner, paying attention, maybe writing it down; notice what you feel grateful for (and not just on Thanksgiving). The more you practice, the more it will become second nature. Also, writing a heartfelt letter to someone can bump up feelings of wellness for an entire month!

I am really thankful for you, for taking the time to read this, and for being a part of the goodness in the world! Now go do something nice for yourself pretty please.

***Thanks again to Dr. Laurie Santos from the podcast, the Happiness Lab for sharing this information on happiness.***