How to find happiness in everyday moments
Happiness comes from being able to live and enjoy our present moment. Living in the present means not worrying about the future or feeling regret about the past, but being mindful of where you are in the here and now. This is easier said than done, and often takes practice.
Here at Meaningful Minds we help people find the joy in every day moments, so we thought we would share 6 Simple ways to find happiness in everyday moments.
1. Being more mindful means using our senses. Use each of your 5 senses every day. Really taste your morning coffee, smell the fresh air as you leave for work, listen to the sounds around you as you sit at your desk, feel the steering wheel as you drive your children home from school, feel the ground under your feet as you walk. Don’t zone out from what is happening around you. Be mindful and zone in!
2. Start practicing mindfulness from the moment you wake up. This sets the tone for your day and starts to create patterns of awareness in your brain. Allow yourself to just sit and take in what is around you, even for a few minutes before you watch tv, or check your email.
3. Be mindful of your breathing. Focusing on the way you are breathing (taking air in, and then letting it roll out), helps you to stop thinking. By focusing on your breathing you don’t have to concentrate on not thinking. In this moment you are not stressed about the future or consumed by the past. This is the first step of mediation.
4. Be mindful of your emotions. Connecting to the present moment, means connecting with all the parts of yourself- this includes your emotions. At various times of the day check in with yourself. Stop, pause and consider- “How do I feel right now?” – Irritated, exhausted, satisfied, or relaxed. Tune in with that emotion and sit with it for a few moments before carrying on with your day.
5. Disconnect from technology for an hour a day and spend time with the people around you. Being mindful means finding happiness in interactions with the people we love.
6. No matter how bad things may feel, focus on what is going right. There is always something that has worked out right- even if it is the weather. Be mindful and build on this.
