There is no better time than the start of the new year to embrace a positive attitude and create new habits that will bring more happiness in your life. So here is our selection of five ways to be happier this year!
1. Put down your electronics for an hour every day. We all know the internet is pretty amazing. But it is also addictive and that is why it’s important to switch off. Read a
book, go for a walk outside, and spend more time with your loved ones.
2. Take a daily walk. Exercice gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Researchers have consistently found that aerobic exercise has positive effects on mood, especially when people are feeling blue. Our bodies and minds are connected so, a couple of minutes of jumping jacks or a quick walk around the block may go a very long way.
3. Stop worrying. A whopping 85 percent of the stuff we worry about never actually happens. Even when our worries do become a reality, about 80 percent of those polled say they handled the outcome better than they thought they would. When you find yourself anxious over a possible outcome, brew a cup of tea, sit down and think about all the past situations you have been through... you can easily handle anything else that comes your way.
4. Forgive. Happy people are more forgiving than unhappy people, according to a recent Scandinavian study. Whether you start out happy or not, forgiving someone for a past transgression can make you feel better. But despite conventional wisdom, there is no need for reconcilling or pretending that everything is fine. Think of forgiveness as an internal process, something you do to help come to terms with a past experience and end your pain, anger and resentment. It is a gift you give to yourself and one that will help you drastically increase your happiness!
5. Plan a Trip. Ever notice how planning a trip is often more exciting than the actual trip? Research suggests that the anticipation of a vacation makes us happier than the vacay itself - and vacation length doesn’t affect our happiness levels at all. With that in mind, plan several short vacations throughout the year instead of just one long one. And remember that Chiang Mai city is always happy to welcome you! Remember: you are the one in charge of your happiness. You can’t control what happens to you, you can only control how you react to it. You also can’t rely on other people to bring you happiness, it must come from within, so focus on creating a positive mindset!
