Today, there’s a lot of interest in learning what you can do to increase happiness. This can be a challenge because each person feels happiness in a different way.
For some it’s a bubbly feeling of glee, while for others it’s a feeling of peace and calmness. Sometimes, it’s a mix of the two or an entirely different feeling.
In order to increase your own happiness, it’s important to become aware of how it feels for you. Here are two exercises that might help:
Exercise 1: Take a moment and write about the last time you felt really happy. How did you know you were happy? What happened to make you feel happy? Remember as much as you can about that moment, including how you felt both physically and emotionally.
For example, I recently learned that my older daughter is engaged. I adore her fiancé and think they are a wonderful couple, so this was a very happy moment for me. Emotionally, I felt pleased, excited and filled with a sense of joy. Physically, I was smiling and crying at the same time. I do that sometimes when I’m happy; the tears come with the joy!
Exercise 2: Write down words you associate with feeling happy. Don’t spend a lot of time thinking about this; just write the first words that come to mind based on your ideas and memories. Consider saving this list and adding more words to it.
For example, here’s what I wrote: laughter, giddiness, calm, peaceful, awe, bubbling joy, wonder, amazement, excitement, and spontaneous laughter and tears!
I’ve said this before, but it’s a good idea to keep track of the times when you feel happy. Write down the situation and how you felt both physically and emotionally. Don’t be surprised if one time you’re full of giddy laughter and another time fills you with peacefulness and awe. It can all be happiness, if that’s what if feels like to you.
Every day, you have many opportunities to be happy. These opportunities can pass you by if you’re not aware. Therefore, pay attention and become more aware of how happiness feels for you. This is a major step to recognizing the happiness in your own life.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
You’re so right! Happiness does often “pass me by” without my noticing it. On the other hand, I’m ACUTELY aware of when I’m NOT happy.
Great advice. Since we attract what we focus upon, I’m sure that this “mind set” change will result in a dramatically increased happiness quotient for me!
Hi Sara. This looks good! It is a great idea you are sharing here, to focus on more of what we want. It’s so easy to rush on with our lives and forget all about this.