Daily Mood Lifters - 5 Tips To Up Your Happiness Factor
By Jennifer Chappell Marsh MFT Intern #65184. Posted on .
We all have our "To-do" lists. How much of your list includes ways to keep your spirit up? Often, the demands of work, family and household upkeep means our needs get shifted to the backburner. When this happens, frustration builds and we can spiral into mental abyss. But, by incorporating little things into your routine, you can increase your happiness factor. So, make "YOU" a priority and use the tips below to improve your overall sense of happiness and wellbeing.
1.Be Present. Studies show that the practice of Mindfulness increases ability to regulate stress and improve immune system function. Mindfulness is the act of engaging your senses in the present moment. Practicing Mindfulness 10 minutes a day will improve your state of mind and outlook on life. So, take some time every day to focus your mind on what you are experiencing in that very moment.
2. Monitor Self Talk. Ok, so I'm not asking to evoke your inner Stuart Smalley (...and Doggone It, People Like Me) but we are often our own worst critic. Listen to the automatic narrative playing in your mind's background. What kind of messages are you sending yourself? Avoid these common types of negative self talk that erode self esteem:
- Mindreading - Assumptions of another's motive and/or feelings behind their behavior.
- Imperatives - Flexibility limiters that are signaled by I "should, ought, or must" statements about yourself or others behavior.
- Filtering - You only pay attention to the negative in the situation.
- Castastrophizing - "What if" statements
3. Take Care of Your Body. There's little question these days that there is a body/mind connection. When we feel bad physically, we suffer emotionally and vice versa. Exercise, diet and rest are often the very things that fall of the priority list when we need it the most. So, when things get tough - resist the urge to curl up in a ball with a bag of Cheetos. Instead incorporate these feel good practices:
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