1. Smile
A smile is not only an expression of happiness, but it can also be a way to be happy.
Smiling can trigger the release of dopamine, a compound in the brain that can make us happier. You can start a positive morning by smiling in front of the mirror. You can also try smiling when you're feeling down and feel the difference yourself.
2. Grateful
The second way to be happy is to be grateful.
This may sound corny, but a recent study found that practicing gratitude can have a significant impact on hope and happiness. It's not just the big achievements in life that need to be grateful, but the little things can also be grateful and make you happier.
3. Deep and long breaths
Taking a deep breath is one of the body's instincts to calm down.
Reporting from Healthline, according to Harvard Health, deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress, meaning this is indeed a good thing to do and can be a happy way.
Here are steps you can take to calm down:
Close your eyes and try to imagine beautiful things.
Take a deep breath through your nose.
Exhale through your nose or mouth.
You can count to 5 when inhaling and exhaling for more stable breathing.
4. Admitting unpleasant things
The next happy way that can be done is to admit the unpleasant thing that happened to you.
When you get bad news or make a mistake, it doesn't matter if you feel unhappy. You can let go of that feeling for a moment. After that, you can think about what ways you can restore yourself.
5. Give compliments
Not only getting compliments can make someone happy, you can also give compliments as one way to be happy.
A study shows that acts of kindness can make a person get satisfaction. Giving sincere compliments is the most appropriate way to make someone happy while creating your own happiness.
The praise given is certainly not excessive praise or can actually be offensive, but sincere praise that can make someone feel more valuable.
6. Take a break from social media
Have you always thought that being active on social media is one way to be happy?
There is a truth that maybe someone can feel happy with what they do with social media. But in fact, social media tends to have a negative effect on a person's happiness.
Try to take a break from social media and spend time on other things like reading, meditation, socializing, or just spending time alone.
7. Choose foods that are good for the mood
Food not only affects the physical condition of a person, but also affects his mind.
Carbohydrates can trigger the release of serotonin or a hormone that can make you comfortable. Simple carbohydrates can cause energy spikes that are not good for you, so they are better avoided. Complex carbohydrates may be a better choice.
In addition, types of foods such as lean meat, poultry, nuts, and high-protein milk are believed to increase energy and concentration. While processed and fried foods tend to make a person sad.
So, if you want to be physically healthy and also happy, you should choose foods that are healthy for the body.
8. Exercise
In addition to food, another factor that also affects the physical and mind is exercise.
Regular exercise can help reduce stress, feelings of anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Conversely, exercise can also increase a person's confidence and happiness. You can start from the lightest physical activity to get used to.
9. Spending time in nature
Spending time in nature can also be a happy way, especially for those of you who feel tired of the routine in urban areas.
A study shows that spending 30 minutes or more a week in green spaces can help lower blood pressure and depression. No need to go far to get this pleasure, you can go to the green open space or the nearest park that is around the area of your home.
10. Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is also one of the keys to a happy way of life.
Generally, adults need about 7-8 hours to sleep every night. This adequate sleep will greatly affect physical health, brain function, to emotional well-being.
If you often feel sleepy during the day, there is a possibility that you need more rest. Try to go to bed at the same time every day to get regular and sufficient sleep.
11. Imagine
The last way to live happily is to imagine.
It turns out that the body has difficulty distinguishing between things that happen in imagination and those that happen in real life. When you imagine something happy, then the feeling of happiness you get may be real.
Of course, this imagination can also be used as motivation to realize various things you want in life.
If you question How to be happy, the answer is actually within yourself, because everyone can feel happiness differently.
The methods above are ways that you can try, if the method works, you can apply it regularly in your life.
