Read the ten elements discussed in the article below. Choose and list TWO that you think you need to work on the most. Also, note a specific think you can do to address those elements.
The Ten Keys to Happier
Living are based on a review of the latest research from psychology and related
fields. Everyone's path to happiness is different, but the evidence suggests
these Ten Keys consistently tend to have a positive impact on people's
happiness and well-being.
Do things for others
Caring about others is
fundamental to our happiness. Helping other people is not only good for them
and a great thing to do, it also makes us happier and healthier too. Giving
also creates stronger connections between people and helps to build a happier society
for everyone. And it's not all about money - we can also give our time, ideas
and energy. So if you want to feel good, do good!
Connect with people
Relationships are the most
important overall contributor to happiness. People with strong and broad social
relationships are happier, healthier and live longer. Close relationships with
family and friends provide love, meaning, support and increase our feelings of
self worth. Broader networks bring a sense of belonging. So taking action to
strengthen our relationships and create new connections is essential for
happiness.
Take care of your body
Our body and our mind are
connected. Being active makes us happier as well as being good for our physical
health. It instantly improves our mood and can even lift us out of a
depression. We don't all need to run marathons - there are simple things we can
all do to be more active each day. We can also boost our well-being by
unplugging from technology, getting outside and making sure we get enough
sleep!
Live life mindfully
Ever felt there must be more
to life? Well good news, there is! And it's right here in front of us. We just
need to stop and take notice. Learning to be more mindful and aware can do wonders
for our well-being in all areas of life - like our walk to work, the way we eat
or our relationships. It helps us get in tune with our feelings and stops us
dwelling on the past or worrying about the future - so we get more out of the
day-to-day.
Keep learning new things
Learning affects our
well-being in lots of positive ways. It exposes us to new ideas and helps us
stay curious and engaged. It also gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps
boost our self-confidence and resilience. There are many ways to learn new
things - not just through formal qualifications. We can share a skill with
friends, join a club, learn to sing, play a new sport and so much more.
Have goals to look forward to
Feeling good about the
future is important for our happiness. We all need goals to motivate us and
these need to be challenging enough to excite us, but also achievable. If we
try to attempt the impossible this brings unnecessary stress. Choosing
ambitious but realistic goals gives our lives direction and brings a sense of
accomplishment and satisfaction when we achieve them.
Find ways to bounce back
All of us have times of
stress, loss, failure or trauma in our lives. But how we respond to these has a
big impact on our well-being. We often cannot choose what happens to us, but we
can choose our own attitude to what happens. In practice it's not always easy,
but one of the most exciting findings from recent research is that resilience,
like many other life skills, can be learned.
Look for what's good
Positive emotions - like
joy, gratitude, contentment, inspiration, and pride - are not just great at the
time. Recent research shows that regularly experiencing them creates an 'upward
spiral', helping to build our resources. So although we need to be realistic
about life's ups and downs, it helps to focus on the good aspects of any
situation - the glass half full rather than the glass half empty.
Be comfortable with who you are
No-one's perfect. But so
often we compare our insides to other people's outsides. Dwelling on our flaws
- what we're not rather than what we've got - makes it much harder to be happy.
Learning to accept ourselves, warts and all, and being kinder to ourselves when
things go wrong, increases our enjoyment of life, our resilience and our
well-being. It also helps us accept others as they are.
Be part of something bigger
People who have meaning and
purpose in their lives are happier, feel more in control and get more out of
what they do. They also experience less stress, anxiety and depression. But
where do we find 'meaning and purpose'? It might be our religious faith, being
a parent or doing a job that makes a difference. The answers vary for each of
us but they all involve being connected to something bigger than ourselves.
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