A sense of life purpose promotes physical, mental, and spiritual health. Purpose is fundamental. People who seek meaning beyond themselves are healthier, happier, and live longer. It’s vital to our well- being that we maintain a strong sense of purpose.
Load up your go-to playlist and press play: Music is super powerful when it comes to your emotions, and a 2013 study in the Journal of Positive Psychology found those who boosted their mood via their favorite songs made them feel happier, and that was only for 12 minutes. Just imagine what double that can do for your well-being.
Putting on your hiking boots and taking a stroll out in nature does a lot for your happiness levels. A 2014 study published in the journal Ecopsychology found those who took walks outside were significantly less depressed. And even better, that time spent outdoors also helped them handle any stress that popped up in their lives.
Throughout the day, you’re probably on your computer, phone, and Apple Watch—maybe even all at once. A 2012 study published in the journal Developmental Psychologyfound those who spend a lot of time using multiple different types of technology are less happy than those who don’t spend as much time in front of the screen, so don’t be afraid to shut off.
Simplicity can definitely be a good thing—especially when it comes to happiness. If your apartment has turned into a mess, take some time to get rid of what you don’t need and organize the rest. Having a freshly cleaned space will get your head in a much better space—and you’ll feel so good after seeing the finished product.
Those days when you take your time getting ready in the morning and slip on an outfit you feel your absolute best in are the days you feel the happiest, right? Ditch the clothes that don’t make you feel confident from your wardrobe and leave the ones that do: When you feel like you look good, your happiness levels shoot through the roof, too.
Hit Flow
Get into a groove. Be in the zone. Find your flow. However you characterize it, when you’re completely absorbed with what you’re doing, it means you’re being challenged and demonstrating skill at the same time. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes this moment as “being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”
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Eating healthy is important to not only your physical health, but your mental well-being too. Incorporating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy foods, and lean meats, poultry, and fish into your diet can help you stay healthy and energized. Along with exercising regularly and getting enough sleep, eating a well-balanced diet can do wonders for your mental well-being.
Choose smaller-leaved kale for tenderness and mild flavor, especially if you plan to eat the greens raw. Coarse, oversized leaves are tough. Look for moist, crisp, unwilted kale, unblemished by tiny holes, which indicate insect damage. The leaves should not be yellowed or brown. Kale stems are edible, so check to be sure that this part of the plant is also in good condition.
As the people got older, they tended to focus more on what’s important to them, and didn’t sweat the small stuff to the degree they did when they were younger, according to the project’s director, Dr. Robert Waldinger. Other research supports this mindset, and has found that older adults are better about letting go of past failures. “They tend to realize how life is short and they are more likely to pay more attention on what makes them happy now,” says Dr. Waldinger.
Source: Harvard Health
