We have to admit that we all want to be happy and healthy and it’s not an easy task to work in this sense, as sometimes we have to change our lifestyle to achieve our goals. Of course, there are a number of simple ways you can change your life and mood forever, but you have to be ambitious and motivated to continue this journey. 

In fact, one of the most important things that you need to take into consideration when it comes to improving your mood is how you choose to react when you notice a problem and this is all that matters. In other words, if you approach a positive perspective when analyzing the situation, then you will find solutions immediately and you will be happier, however, if you are a negative person, then you will suffer more in the long run.

It’s time to stop overthinking and start living your life. The truth is that happiness is not the same for everyone. We see and feel things differently. According to experts, happiness can be defined as the state of being happy and feeling or showing pleasure. 

So, here are some simple things that you can do today to make yourself happier. Read on to find out more info!

Exercise 

As you already know, exercise can be really good for your overall health, but lately, it has been shown that physical activity can cheer up your mood as well. To be more specific, physical activity can be good for both your body and mind, helping you fight off depression, anxiety and stress. 

Many people see this activity as something that pushes you to make huge efforts to increase your muscle mass, but this is a common mistake. You don’t need to do a lot of exercise to feel happier, because you can improve your mood just by going for a walk every day. 

According to health experts, people who exercise regularly are more likely to be happier and self-confident than those who don’t. The explanation is that when you work out, your body produces endorphins – a hormone that can kill pain and make you feel euphoric. 

Studies have shown that physical activity can treat depression and other mental illnesses. Some doctors use exercise as a healing therapy in the treatment of schizophrenia, depression and anxiety. In addition, exercise can reduce the risk of developing certain chronic diseases, reducing inflammation and improving your mood at the same time. Many people who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma say that exercise improved their mental health. 

Moreover, there are people who believe that working out when you are stressed or tired will make your condition worse, but this is another mistake. Researchers say that exercise can actually be an effective energizer and reduce fatigue. 

Change your sleeping routine

In general, people don’t get more than five or six hours of sleep a night these days, because some of them are stressed and these symptoms can lead to insomnia, while others have a chaotic lifestyle. However, medical experts recommend that you sleep about eight hours a night to be healthy. So, if you want to improve your physical and mental health, you should get enough sleep.

As you probably know from your experience, sleep can actually affect your mood. For instance, if you don’t get enough sleep you tend to be irritable, angry, anxious and inattentive. This hypothesis has been scientifically tested and is actually a fact that people who don’t sleep well at night tend to be angrier and less productive at work or school and also have difficulties in developing interpersonal relationships. 

Sleep deprivation (or partial sleep deprivation) has a significant effect on mood, so if you want to be happier (and healthier, of course) you should change your sleeping routine. 

Unfortunately, there is a vicious circle between sleep and mental health, because, as we said before, sleep affects your mood, but your mood can affect your sleep quality as well. “There’s a big relationship between psychiatric and psychological problems and sleep. So people who are depressed or have anxiety often have trouble with sleep as part of those disorders,” says Dr. Lawrence Epstein, Medical Director of Sleep Health Centers and an instructor at Harvard Medical School. So, in this case, it’s important to change your whole lifestyle and focus more on exercising and taking care of yourself. 

According to some recent studies that have looked at the effects of sleep on people’s lives, insomnia and poor quality sleep are often linked to depression. So, you should talk to your doctors in this case.

Be thankful for what you have

As Oprah Winfrey once said, you should be thankful for what you have and one day you will end up having more. This statement can be a motivational quote for people who focus only on what they don’t have and forget about their real blessings. 

So, if you want to improve your mood, mental health and be happier with yourself and your life, you should be grateful for what you have, for your family, friends, or other material things that you have achieved, such as diplomas, houses, cars and so on (depending on the values ​​of each individual). 

Try to take a short break for five minutes every day and just think about your blessings. We promise you that you will automatically change your mood. Don’t think about what you don’t have, because you will always be dissatisfied with your life and yourself, so you’ll end up believing that you are not doing enough – and that’s how frustration occurs. 

Try to cut the negativity out of your life and count your blessings every single day. According to experts, positive people are more likely to be healthier because they have a happier perspective on life and immediately find solutions to their problems. 

Be kind and do good deeds

Giving a helping hand to an old woman who is carrying her groceries or helping her cross the street safely, donating money, clothes or food to people in need or animal shelters, teaching children in the orphanage homes something new that you are good at, such as a new language, hobbies, workouts and so on – are just a few good deeds that you can do to prove your kindness and improve your mood. Helping other people will not only make you feel happier, but it can also save the lives of those in need.

Doing good can help you improve your spiritual state and this is a scientifically proven fact. One of the most important things that you can achieve in life is inner satisfaction. Knowing that you have helped a person or animal in need will fill your soul with joy.

In fact, helping other people can keep you from focusing on your own problems and help you develop new social connections as well. It will always be a good idea to make new friends! 

Reflect on your personal journey 

We have to admit that life is like a journey and we are here to explore a lot of things and enjoy them to the fullest! We are always happy when everything goes terribly well, but we tend to forget about our efforts when we have failed and this is a big mistake that people often make. 

In other words, once you forget the path that led you to where you are now and the things that you went through, you start to become demotivated, frustrated and dissatisfied with your life. In this case, it’s very important to remember that everyone will fail at some point in their lives, but it’s important to be proud of yourself because at least you have tried and still have the knowledge gathered during your life journey. 

That being said, the main idea is that you should appreciate yourself and your efforts more if you want to be happier and more positive.

Take care of yourself and have some “me time”

These to do lists are useful if you want to be motivated for a long period of time, but they can also keep you under pressure. So, one of the most important things that you have to pay more attention to is your personal care routine. According to medical experts, people should always have some time for themselves to relax and enjoy the things they love the most. 

Whether we are talking about watching a movie with your significant other or taking a hot shower and doing your skin routine, you should take a little break from your worries or those everyday tasks that can stress you and enjoy life. Taking care of yourself can be a great way to improve your mood. 

Try to forgive people who hurt you 

Trying to forgive people who hurt you may feel impossible, but forgiveness can help you improve your mental health and mood. Forgiving people who have hurt you doesn’t mean that you have to continue to live next to a toxic person or still be friends and talk like nothing happened, but to move forward with your life and let go of pain and anger. 

Forgiveness can help you make more space for positive feelings. Forgiveness doesn’t mean that you have forgotten what they did to you, but this is the only way that you can free your soul from negative feelings. 

If you want to be happier and get rid of negative feelings forever, you should try to forgive people who have treated you badly and focus on making new memories and living your life. 

Surround yourself with positive people

There are a lot of internal and external factors that can make a person feel anxious and stressed, especially in these days when there’s a pandemic crisis. So, if you have friends who are going through a rough time, you should try your best to make them feel better again and don’t tell them your problems all day long, because it’s not all about you.

But if you are that individual who doesn’t feel good and is stressed and your friends are always negative, it’s time to make new friends or limit interactions between you. If you want to improve your mood and mental health, you should get rid of people who are draining you of energy, making you feel tired and exhausted. 

According to medical experts, your state of mind, well-being and mental health can be easily influenced by those around you. When you share space with a negative person, you pick up their energy… and you don’t need this when you are already feeling down, right? Before changing something in your life, it’s essential to ask yourself how another person makes you feel.  

“Boundary-setting is massively important in relationships,” said Kailee Place, a therapist at her private practice, Shifting Tides Therapeutic Solutions in Charleston SC. “Not only are boundaries helpful for your own needs, but they’re also helpful for others to know how to best connect and interact with you.”

“Without boundaries, there’s potential for bitterness and resentment to grow, leading to fractures within the friendship,” Place says. “Making your boundaries known with clear, assertive communication leaves little room for guessing or assuming, and in the end, little opportunity for negative feelings between people who care about each other.”

Learn new things

Having a hobby is one of the most important things that you have to take into consideration if you want to be happier and healthier, of course. Learning new things can boost your mood, improve your mental health and sometimes your physical health if the hobby involves any type of exercise. 

Hobbies are made to bring pleasure and happiness into your life, right? So, they can make you feel better, help you relax and improve your state of mind. According to some studies, people who have hobbies and love to learn new things are happier than those who don’t. 

When you have a lot of tasks to complete at work, or you simply hate your job but you need money to survive, you start to feel stressed and anxious, but you can relax and feel better if you are doing something you love.