1. Take a walk in nature
Take a walk without any distractions. Concentrate on your senses and bring yourself into the moment. What can you smell? What can you see? What can you hear?
2. Write a Thank You card to someone
There is no better way to feel good than sharing your appreciation with someone else. Think of someone who you could genuinely thank and send them a hand written note.
3. Read a self-help book
What you fill your mind with matters. If you want to feel happier, digest
4. Connect with a good friend
Our personal connections matter. Touch base with a close friend for a moment of joy.
5. Drink a cup of herbal tea mindfully
Pour yourself a nice cup of herbal tea (peppermint is my absolute favorite) and take the time to sit and drink it mindfully. Concentrate on nothing more than enjoying the tea.
6. Have a snuggle with a pet
Pets have a way of relieving anxiety and reducing our stress. Take the time to give your dog, cat or other pet a good pat and snuggle. They will love it just as much as you will.
7. Take 3 Deep Breaths
Stop regularly and take 3 conscious deep breaths. Breathe in and hold for a short moment before breathing out fully and completely. Deep breathing is an excellent way to calm us down and bring us back to our center.
8. Smell something delicious
Your sense of smell is often overlooked as a way to make you feel happier. If you have a favorite scent, open the bottle and take a quick smell, or light a scented candle. I like to have essential oil mist close for a quick pick me up.
9. Look out the window and find one thing to appreciate
Find a window and look out into the world and find one small thing to appreciate. Looking out my window now, I am awed by the beauty of nature. The green, green grass and the soft blue sky. It helps me realize there is something so much bigger than just me.
10. Read inspirational quotes
Jump onto Pinterest, flick through a
11. Review old photos
One of the benefits of Facebook is it makes it easy to review precious memories if you have previously posted them as photos. Go through your photo-log and look back on joyful moments. If you’re not a social media sharer, pull out your old photos and spend some time looking through them.
12. Listen to an uplifting song
I’m a big believer in the power of music to speak to our hearts. Find songs that help light you up. Two of my go-to’s – Fight Song by Rachel Platten & This Girl is On Fire by Alicia Keys. They excite me every time.
13. Watch an Inspirational TED Talk
TED talks are short 15-20 min talks about all kinds of things. Of course my favorite fall into the inspirational category. Three I love; the just released Shonda Rhimes talk and Brené Brown’s two famous talks.
14. Prepare yourself a nourishing meal
There is
15. Put on Clothes that make you feel good
Maybe that is yoga pants, or maybe that is a fancy dress. Put something on that may be out of the ordinary and just feels delicious to be in. I just popped on my ugg boots and my toes are so grateful!
16. Meditate
There is nothing more calming than quietening your mind and giving yourself some peace and space. If meditation is something new to you, I would highly encourage you to try one of the apps that can help get you started. I got into a regular habit with Headspace and am so grateful for it!
17. Give yourself a hand massage
Take a break and give yourself a hand massage. We usually just go about our business expecting our body to do as we ask it too, but sometimes it is nice to stop and take a moment to appreciate and rejuvenate our physical body.
18. Write with a colored pen
There is something joyful about using color where you can. To brighten up your day, try writing your notes in beautiful, bright colored pens. Your eyes will be much happier to look at your lists!
19. Listen to a motivational podcast
I am ashamed to say I was not an earlier adopter when it came to podcasts. It would be at least 6 years ago that a dear friend was strongly encouraging me to start listening! But wow – once I finally did start listening I was away and running. I even created my own Self-Help meets Psychology & Spirituality podcast called Here to Thrive (www.heretothrivepodcast.com)!!
The Podcast App is already installed on all iPhones so it is super easy to start browsing. The beauty of a podcast is that you can listen to
20. Practice gratitude
Whenever you need a quick pick me up, take a moment to stop whatever you are doing and write a quick note of 3 things you are currently grateful for. Sometimes when we’re in a tough situation, our minds start to focus on the negative, but when you take back your control, you’ll find there is always something you have to be grateful for. If you’d like some more reasons why this is a stellar idea, you can read this for a bit of extra motivation – 5 Reasons to Practice Gratitude Daily
21. Buy yourself flowers
Flowers brighten my world. I don’t see it as a luxury anymore, but rather a necessity to help keep me happy. Treat yourself, and be willing to spend a little something on your happiness each week. You deserve it.
—
Want more tips on how to be happy? Click here to sign up and receive a free mini guide with 8 Tips on How to Thrive in Life.
Hi. I’m Kate Snowise. I’m a Life Coach and host of the Here to Thrive Podcast. I help people get clear on what they want, need and crave, and then helps them take the steps to move towards that.
I believe life is about more than surviving and being good enough. Each of us truly has the ability to thrive and live a beautiful, aligned life where we remember and connect with our authentic selves. I have an MSc in Psychology (the positive kind that concentrates on what is right with you). To read more about my signature coaching program The Thriving Life Project
