Bringing more joy into your life involves a proactive approach that should include doing things you like and being with people you enjoy. Do things that make you happy and take care of yourself. Read on for some reminders of what you can do to find more joy every day.
Do Things You Enjoy
Bringing joy into your life means doing things you will enjoy. That will mean something different for everyone, and that is okay. What makes you happy is right for you. Perhaps you like relaxing on the couch after a long day at work and playing Freecell on your laptop. Maybe spending time in the kitchen while baking a delicious batch of cookies and appreciating the process as much as the final product is your happy place.
The point is to seek out things that bring a sense of contentment to your soul and a smile to your face while you are actively engaged in them. It is important to note that preferences and tastes change over time, so try to not be disappointed if something once brought you joy and has now become boring. All you need to do is find something new.
Connect with People Who Make You Happy
Think about the way you feel after an interaction with someone who brings you down. Perhaps it is a stereotypically toxic person, someone who leans towards narcissistic tendencies and takes up all the air in the room, or an individual you have been in a disagreement with in the past, regardless of the content of the disagreement. You probably felt bad. Maybe you had a pit in your stomach. These are the people you want to actively and maturely avoid, if at all possible. Of course, making up with the person you disagreed with is always a good idea if there is a positive relationship to pursue. Beyond that, however, you can let go of people who do not make you happy.
Instead, you should actively work to spend time with people who bring you joy. Consider your best friend from high school, a college roommate, your sister-in-law, your sister, or a current co-worker. Maybe it is your gym accountability buddy who makes you happy. The point is to make more time in your schedule for those people. Invite someone to coffee, happy hour after work, or a walk on a sunny weekend afternoon.
Create Good Habits
Healthy habits lend themselves to convenience and ease. When things are easy, you tend to be happier. When you make it a practice to do the right thing, such as cleaning as you go or putting something away when you are finished using it, these acts do not necessarily bring you joy, but the absence of clutter and having to put everything away later will not weigh on you, and that is a good thing.
Look at your life and take stock of how you can create new and productive habits that will make your life easier. This also means you will have more time to do what you like instead of constantly trying to counteract your continued bad habits, and that is certainly joyful in and of itself.
Watch this video to learn how to create better habits for yourself and why some people are better at this skill than others.
Be Mindful of Your Screen Time
You are going to spend time on screens throughout the day. That is the world you live in, and unless the power goes out for a prolonged period, that is not going to change. Even so, you can make changes in your approach to using screens in your life. Pay close attention to how much time you spend on screens. Focus on quality over quantity by pushing the proverbial pause button on anything that causes you stress and does not bring you joy. If your outspoken relative continues to spread baseless claims on social media, you can unfollow them or hide their posts. You do not need to know their every thought on any particular subject.
Give yourself time to be on your screens, even while paying attention to the amount of time you are on them. Select apps, platforms, and websites that entertain you and make you happy. Use ones to communicate and follow people you appreciate and respect, and let go of the others. Play games if that satisfies you and piques your interest. Trying to beat your high score on a favorite game is a great goal to have.
Practice Mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness encompasses focusing on your body in a particular moment while turning off everything else. Shut out the noise in the world around you and do your best to turn off any intrusive thoughts. Focus on your breathing and how your body moves gracefully with each breath. Pay attention to the joy in your life and feel the love from the special people who are in it.
Another way to practice mindfulness is to express gratitude for acts of kindness. Think about anyone who has done you a favor or offered assistance without expecting anything in return. Perhaps it was that stranger in the parking lot who helped jumpstart your car on a cold winter evening after getting groceries. Or maybe it was your mom who sent you a care package for no reason at all. Say thank you when you can, and send someone a special note of gratitude. It will make them feel appreciated, and you will feel good in the process.
Engage in a Hobby
Hobbies are a wonderful way to bring more joy into your daily life. They are not work. Hobbies are just joyful activities of your choosing. Maybe you like painting, or perhaps working with metal is your preferred medium. Whatever you do, make sure you take time to appreciate the artform involved in the process of making your creations.
Get ready to bring more joy into your life when you incorporate these tips into your everyday activities. Play fun games, spend time with people who are positive and fun, and thank the people who help you.
