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Finding Joy After the Pandemic

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Meditation Graphic

by Amanda Green

The pandemic was tough for everyone, and many are still feeling its effects. With the global death toll reaching beyond 4 million, you may be among many who are struggling to find joy after the pandemic.

If you do find yourself down in the dumps, don’t worry, you are in good company. Sometimes pulling yourself out of whatever funk you’ve ended up in can feel daunting. But, there is a way to be happy and find joy each day.

Learn Something New

Maybe during the pandemic, you were among the millions of people who picked up a new hobby. No matter. If you were or weren’t learning something new is a great way to find joy daily. Sometimes the best way to feel good about yourself is to accept a new challenge and crush it.

A perfect example is learning basic carpentry skills. Maybe you’ve been dreaming of sliding barn doors for a while. There is no better time than the present, especially when it comes to finding joy.

If you aren’t handy with power tools, or tools in general, try something else. Cooking, languages, painting, or drawing are a few popular choices.

Meditate

Meditation is an ancient practice that has survived the test of time for good reason. The effects of practicing meditation, which is not always spiritual, can help relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. To practice meditation, there are several options from which to choose.

For example, there is guided meditation.  It usually has a recording or person instructing you on what to do next. Next, and personal favorite among millions, is mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness is the practice of remaining rooted in the present moment.

If you intend on practicing meditation, remember to be patient with yourself. Do not compare one session of meditation to another. Not every session will be the same experience, and that’s a good thing.

Prioritize Health

After the past year, you may be reluctant to make the trip to the doctor’s office. But, if the past year has taught us anything, everyone should prioritize their health. In other words, do not take for granted the moments where you feel great.

Take a few moments and exercise, get the wart on your back looked at, or make a trip to the dentist’s office. By ensuring that you are healthy and strong, it can help you keep focused on the future. In other words, hope for the future can make the present moment, even if miserable, more enjoyable.

Prioritizing your health is not only going to see a professional, it is an everyday choice. Try establishing a new habit that adds to your quality of life. For example, make a point to include more veggies in your dinner rotations. You could also try replacing junk food with fresh fruit.

Don’t Sabotage Yourself

The past year has been difficult, no doubt, but that is made perfectly clear by a recent New York Times article. Sometimes the answer is as simple as telling yourself that it’s okay to feel joy right now.

It may sound silly, but some people need to know it’s okay to have survived the past year. Looking back, most people are discovering joy by rekindling old relationships. The extreme loneliness that came with social distancing had created a mental health bubble that’s still waiting to pop.

Don’t be a part of the problem, and know that it’s okay to enjoy yourself. Be happy, and know that the sadness you may feel is only temporary, no need to stay in it.

Master the Routine

Sometimes, joy and happiness can seem scarce because your brain is so focused on everything else. If you feel like there is not enough time during the day to breathe and stretch, maybe a routine can help.

Learning to master a routine is not just a good way to be productive, but it can make everyday problems easier to manage. In other words, try putting most of your life on cruise control with detailed lists, so your brain can spend more time doing the things it finds enjoyable.

It doesn’t matter if you enjoy reading or lawn bowling, find time for those things. Sometimes, finding that time is the hardest part, but in the end, it’s well worth the effort

This Is How to Keep Your Journal to Become Happier

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This Is How to Keep Your Journal to Become Happier

Happiness. Gratitude. Mindfulness. Don’t we all live for that?

There’s nothing wrong with that attitude. In fact, we all deserve to be happy and we should strive towards that goal for as long as we’re living. The problem is: it’s almost impossible to be happy all the time. Most of us are far from Buddha’s smile. But, there’s a good thing about it: the journey.

The journey towards happiness is bumpy. If we want to experience pure freedom and joy, we have to dig deep into our soul and mind, and get all the trash out of there. We have to develop an immunity against stressful situations, which we’ll keep experiencing.

Today, we’ll explore a method that makes us more conscious about the happy and less happy moments we go through: journaling.

Journey. Journaling. The similarity between the words is not a coincidence. By keeping a journal, we become aware of all emotions, fears, expectations, obstacles, and joys in our journey. We are witnessing our own way towards happiness.

Now, the question is: how do you keep that journal?

Tips: How to Keep a Journal of Happiness

  1. Understand the Reason

Why do you need journaling and how will it make you a happier person? You need that answer before you commit yourself to this practice.

Mindy Bennett, a writing tutor at EduGeeksClub.com, explains why journaling makes sense: “I had a job I loved, a great partner, and tons of friends to give me support whenever I needed it. Still, I wasn’t happy. Something was missing and I couldn’t put my finger on it. I tried contemplating over my life, but that didn’t work… my thoughts were too chaotic,” – she says.

“Then, I thought: why don’t I just write? It’s what I do for living, anyway. Journaling was the most overwhelming writing challenge I’ve ever faced. I had to express my fears and deepest emotions on paper. At the same time, this was a beautiful experience. When I write about what makes me happy or miserable, I reach a stream of consciousness that keeps me going. This practice helps me understand myself.”

A stream of consciousness. A practice that helps you understand yourself. That’s what journaling is all about.

  1. Find that Motivational Booster

First, you make a commitment:

“I’ll write in my happiness journal every single day.”

Repeat that to yourself. You’ll feel inspired for an entry during the beginnings. However, you may notice that your inspiration fades away within a few days. You’ll skip one day, making the good old excuse: I’ll just write something tomorrow. That’s called procrastination, and it’s not a good habit to have on the journey towards self-realization.

You need something that will motivate you to keep journaling on the long run. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Get a beautiful notebook and a fancy pen. It sounds silly, but you’ll be surprised how these little things can motivate you to write more.
  • If you don’t like writing by hand, you can start your Penzu It’s an online service that lets you keep your thoughts private. It lets you create a pretty awesome online journal that you can enhance with photos and images you find online. You can access it from anywhere and you can rest assured it will be 100% private.

You’ll be able to search through your journal, so you’ll easily find the exact entry you have on mind. As for the inspiration, Penzu will send custom email reminders to keep you going.

  • If you’re ready to share your journey with the world, create a Tumblr You’ll turn the journal into a blog, and the feedback will inspire you to keep going. When you gain enough followers, you’ll feel the responsibility to update the journal on a daily basis.
  1. You Need Only 10 Minutes a Day

Is your mind playing tricks on you, trying to convince you that there’s no time for journaling? Look; if you can’t find 10 minutes a day for an activity that leads you to a happier life, then there’s something really wrong with your schedule.

10 minutes is all it takes. Sit down. Clear your mind. Think: are you at a good place now? Why? Why not? Describe how you feel in this very moment and what would make you happier. Don’t edit anything. Don’t hold anything back. Just pour your feelings out. When you’re done, go to bed. You’ll do the same thing tomorrow.

From time to time, you can go through the entries and you’ll see your progress. With practice, this activity will become easier. You will stop censoring your thoughts and you’ll be completely honest with yourself. When you recognize your flaws and the obstacles that prevent you from being happy, it will be easier for you to take the right action.

  1. Practice Gratitude

When you start writing about your feelings, it’s easy to focus on the negative. You’ll complain. That’s okay. Don’t hold your bitterness back. The paper (or computer screen) can handle it.

However, you should never put your entire focus on negative thoughts. Recognize the obstacles, but give credit to the good things, too. Turn this into a routine: at the end of each daily entry, write what you’re grateful about. Even if it’s the same small thing every day, keep writing it down. With time and practice, you’ll train your mind how to be more optimistic.

  1. Be Specific!

Getting into details is not a comfortable thing to do. You’re hiding some thoughts and emotions from yourself. When you write “I was happy today,” ask yourself: why? What exactly made you happy? How did that thing make you happy? Why weren’t you happy about it yesterday? How can you keep that thing going?

  • I am happy for my partner.
  • I’m not happy with the way he treated me today.

These statements are too vague. When you write something like that, you’re not digging deep enough. How exactly did your partner make you happy or miserable? Be 100% honest with yourself. Remember: no one will read your journal. It’s all about revealing the truth to yourself and finding the path toward happiness.

Are you ready to do it? Why wait? Today looks like an awesome day for journaling!

Author Bio

Antonio is a hopeless optimist who enjoys basking in the world’s brightest colors. He loves biking to distant places and occasionally he gets lost. When not doing that he’s blogging and teaching ESL. He will be happy to meet you on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

How to Change Your Travel Habits for a Happier Life

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Autumn Road in Kentucky

Too often do you see people easily overlook the impacts traveling can have on your overall, general wellbeing. If you are spending significant parts of your day being held up in hectic traffic, then your mind will feel hectic too. It is hard to transition a stressful journey into a calm day, especially if you know the commute home will be just as bad.

Therefore, it is important to think about how you travel, and whether it is causing any negative effects towards your health. If driving to work is setting you up for a stressful day, then it could be time to look for alternative methods of traveling.

By building exercise into your travel routine, you will be reaping in double the benefits. For a start, walking or cycling to your destination will give you time to clear your head, and over time it will boost your fitness. If you haven’t cycled for years, then this is the perfect time to start again, as there are facilities and cycle lanes set up on most roads to make your journey safe. You could be surprised at how quickly you can get to your destination when you’re not sitting in traffic.

Another plus is, if you exercise more, you will also have a boost of happiness through the release of endorphins, making it a win-win option. Furthermore, you could save huge amounts of money by opting for this method of transport.

Alternatively, maybe catching public transport is the root of your problem due to the constant worry of being late and unreliable connections. Maybe you are sick of the discomfort from over-crowded buses or trains. This kind of regular discomfort can cause anxiousness, panic attacks and slowly build towards mental health issues. If you are in this situation, then it might be better for you to work out whether it is better for you to drive to work, or ask your employer if you could work different hours to avoid the heavy traffic and avoid busy times on public transport.

If driving isn’t an option because you haven’t learnt to drive yet, then you should think about learning. You could pass your test on a quick course and prepare for your theory test online here. Being able to drive will give you much more freedom and provide happiness.

However, sometimes public transport is the only effective method of travel within major cities. If you catch a train, then you are able to perform tasks driving a car would not permit. You can grab a seat, take out your laptop and/or tablet, and either relax or prepare for the working day. This is a perfect way to utilize the time otherwise spent driving, cycling or walking, and can help the busy businessperson.

Similarly, you can spend your time on public transport completing simple errands such as grocery shopping or gift buying.

There are lots of ways you can make changes to set you up for a happier life, so make sure you invest in a way of life that can help you lead a blissful, healthier lifestyle you will be thankful for years down the line.

Author Bio:
Lucy has been working in the fashion industry for six years. A dedicated follower of all things fashion and beauty, she is passionate about new industry developments. Lucy is now a full time freelance fashion writer.

4 Ways to Improve Your Happiness at Work

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In a perfect world, your job would provide you with plenty of interesting tasks, the opportunity to use your skills in a rewarding and stress-free way, funny and engaging co-workers and a beefy paycheck at the end of every week.

… but this version of workplace utopia does not reflect the reality of your workplace, at least not most of the time. Sure, you like your job and it helps to pay the bills, but lately you feel more stagnant than inspired and constrained rather than empowered.

Fortunately, there are plenty of tangible and effective things you can do — starting today — that will help you to feel happier in your career. Here are a few great places to start:

Consider Becoming a Part-Time Entrepreneur

In his book “The 10% Entrepreneur: Live Your Startup Dream Without Quitting Your Day Job,” Wall Street expert Patrick McGinnis offers an intriguing idea. Nurture and embrace your entrepreneurial spirit and explore ways to start your own company, while still holding onto your steady job and paycheck. By launching your own side gig, which should be something you truly love to do, you will probably feel more creative, energetic and inspired, while avoiding the financial strain that comes with getting a new business off the ground. There are plenty of low-risk ways to get a side business off the ground. Consider using gig-economy platforms like Handy, Upwork, Amway and others. Using McGinnis’ equation, strive to put four to five hours a week toward your entrepreneurial goals. In time, you may find that you can leave your current job and focus on your new career full time.

Look for Ways to be an Intrapreneur

While entrepreneurs start their own business, intrapreneurs look for ways to better their existing job and company. As Key Differences notes, for some people, being an intrapreneur can be immensely rewarding, and can definitely help boost your workplace happiness. If you have been with your company for some time and are familiar with all aspects of the business, approach your boss about taking on a larger role in improving the workplace and products. Rather than using your own finances like an entrepreneur, the intrapreneur can use the company’s resources to help fund new ideas, redesign the way things are done and make improvements.

Change When and How You Work

Depending on where you work and what tasks you must complete, you might be able to tweak your schedule and responsibilities to make your job more enjoyable. If you’re an early bird who struggles to focus after 4 p.m., talk to your boss about adjusting your shift to match your inner clock. As Work It Daily notes, if you love certain parts of your job more than others, see if you can cut back on the tasks you do not enjoy to emphasize the ones that bring you satisfaction. If you are a journalist who’s tired of writing “negative” hard news stories, you might see about switching your beat to community news or writing for a smaller paper that emphasizes uplifting feature stories.

Reward Yourself Along the Way

An effective way to boost your workplace spirits is to treat yourself for a job well done. As The Muse notes, this can be as simple as promising yourself a fancy iced coffee drink once you finish an especially boring or challenging task, or setting aside a small portion of your paychecks to spring for that new outfit, exercise equipment, electronic device or other goodie you really want.