The Art Of A Great Life: 7 Brilliant Ways To Actually Appreciate & Enjoy Each Day
Melinda Nagy | Shutterstock There's an art to having a truly great life and making time each day to appreciate and enjoy the often mundane day-to-day is the secret.
Cassie Holmes, PhD, a professor at UCLA and researcher on happiness, told the American Psychological Association that the happiest, most satisfied people take time every day to do things they truly enjoy. It's not the grand celebrations that make a great life. It's the little moments of joy.
7 little ways to have a great life by appreciating and truly enjoying each day:
1. Take time for gratitude
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We’ve all heard how important it is to practice gratitude. Your hippy friend will never let you forget it, and for good reason. Focusing on the good in our lives makes us feel happy and accomplished.
“Research shows that practicing gratitude — 15 minutes a day, five days a week — for at least six weeks can enhance mental wellness and possibly promote a lasting change in perspective. Gratitude and its mental health benefits can also positively affect your physical health,” reports UCLA Health, citing research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
2. Appreciate the beauty around you
When stress becomes too much, it’s hard to appreciate the beautiful things around you. One way I try to break out of this cycle is by taking my dogs out for a walk through the neighborhood. I’m lucky to live in a beautiful area with wonderful neighbors. It makes me feel grateful and calm every time I take in the environment. It doesn’t take much time, and it allows me to slow down.
Looking at the beautiful world around you releases feel-good chemicals. It can be difficult to see things in a positive light when you’re stressed. However, people who truly enjoy their lives know it’s important to take that time to enjoy and reset.
3. Allow yourself to enjoy moments with others
We all need to be better at slowing down. We all have found ourselves canceling plans with the people we love because of our hectic daily lives. Work and other responsibilities become our biggest priority; they’re important, but we also need time for ourselves. Humans are social animals, and staying holed up at home or in the office can negatively affect our mental health.
A study by the University of British Columbia confirms this. The researchers found that everything is better together. Spending time with the people we love makes us happier. It doesn’t always have to be an elaborate night out. Enjoying the little things is more than enough.
4. Stop comparing yourself to others
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Everyone is on a different path. Everything looks better from the outside. We see people with the job we want or the success we’re searching for and assume we aren’t good enough. Comparing yourself to others only brings pain and takes away from life’s happiness.
“Comparing ourselves, belittling our worth, or minimizing our strengths can validate our core irrational beliefs that ultimately we are not good enough, we are unworthy, or we are not reaching our peak potential,” Hannah Rose, LCPC, wrote for Psychology Today. “What would it look like for us to take each other off of pedestals? To stop assuming that everyone else is better or worse than us and recognizing that we are simply all on the same journey? To acknowledge that we are both all the same and all unique, at the same exact time?” This mindset might stop the comparison game and focus on being the best version of ourselves.
5. Do something every day that you enjoy
I don’t know about you, but I’ve convinced myself I have no time to do the little things I love. I’m a huge reader, but instead of curling up on the couch with a book after work, I feel like I have to be productive. The dishes need washing, and I have to get all that pet hair off the rug. By the time I’m in bed, I’m too tired to pick up my book. I say I’ll prioritize myself tomorrow, but instead, the cycle starts right back over.
The Mayo Clinic confirms that taking time for a bit of joy every day positively affects your mental health. It can help eliminate the stress we all deal with. Although it can be hard to find the time, it’s important. Even if it’s something small that only takes a few minutes, it can help prevent burnout.
6. Take in the ordinary moments
For many, if they’re not achieving something big or living a lavish life, it doesn’t feel like enough. Society has placed a lot of pressure on us to succeed. When we get caught up in trying to be extraordinary, we miss the ordinary things that matter.
“Research on positive psychology and well-being shows that happiness isn’t found in once-in-a-lifetime experiences, but in small, meaningful moments,” says Lindsey Godwin, PhD. Studies suggest that people who actively notice and savor ordinary moments experience greater long-term well-being than those who only chase major milestones.
7. Connect with the people you love
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There’s a difference between spending time with people and truly connecting with them. We are living in an era of distraction. Even when my friends text me, I can forget to reply. It takes so little effort to check in, but daily stress can get in the way. When I remember, it’s been days since the original message. It makes me feel extremely guilty.
We push people away, whether we intend to or not, when we don’t foster that genuine connection. Everyone is busy, so it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. Checking in, providing support when they need it, and playing an active role in their life, even from afar, can make you love and appreciate your life more because you know you have people in your corner.
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
