Here are some of my top tips for happiness that personally help me. I understand they might not work for everyone, but this is what keeps me in a happy space, and I believe most of these tips will work for everyone!
Surround Yourself With Positive People
This is a no brainer. Who you spend the most time around will affect how you feel and even how you act. I personally am super sensitive to the vibes and energy of others and I automatically tend to adapt to meet their level, which I am slowly learning to stand in my truth and not let others affect my mood.
Try to lift others up to your level rather than sinking down to theirs, and if this isn’t working out for both of you and you feel you are getting dragged down by their constant complaining and negativity then get out there and find another group of friends who inspire you, support you, share the same interests and of course laugh.. A LOT!
If you are vibrating at a high, positive level you will tend to attract people at that level anyway, and current friends will either rise to your level or begin to fade away.
Go to events, classes or other places where these types of people may be. Instagram and other social media platforms are also a great place to make new friends, and this leads me to tip number 2…
Saturate Your Instagram Feed With Positive Vibes (if you are on social media)
If you are going to srcroll aimlessly through social media, you may as choose to flood your feed with posts that are going to inspire you, motivate you, benefit you in some way and make you smile. Follow accounts that make you feel good! And delete accounts that don’t. Maybe spiritual accounts that post positive affirmations and quotes and other people that are raw, real and write captions that uplift you. If you love smoothie bowls for example (like me, if you hadn’t noticed) then follow accounts that post lots of yummy, pretty, colourful smoothie bowls! Find these accounts through hashtags and other people you already love to follow.
Watch And Listen To Inspiring Content – Learn
When I listen to motivational/spiritual speakers on YouTube or read a 'self-help' book, it uplifts my energy immediately and makes me feel inspired!
Find topics that inspire you on YouTube or listen to an informative podcast to learn something new and expand your mind.
If we don’t feel like we are learning or growing we feel stagnant and that can lead to us feeling down, unmotivated and can turn into a downward spiral fast! And try to steer clear of the news! It is saturated with negativity when there are also so many wonderful things that happen that they don’t show. If there is something important happening around the world then I’m sure it will show up on your news feed.
Move Your Body!
Do something every day to get your body moving. Even if you only have a short amount of time you can easily fit in a short 15-20 minute HIIT workout or power yoga. Or get up a little earlier to fit in a morning walk to help release those endorphins. It will make you feel 100 times better for the rest of your day! For me, I like to workout first thing to set me up for the rest of my day, and I have the most energy in the mornings. For you, it could be at night, listen to your body.
I love to mix up my workouts to keep things interesting with HIIT, circuits, running, walking, yoga, pilates, weights, boxing, hiking. Find the exercises you love to do and stick to them. If you find it more motivating to work out with someone then ask a friend or join some classes!
Gratitude
You can’t possibly feel down when you are genuinely grateful. Write in a journal or think of 3 or more things every morning when you wake up and right before going to sleep to start your day off right, and to ensure you also wake up in a good mood.
Genuinely FEEL grateful. Do this when you are feeling down about something to remind yourself how blessed you are that you have such an abundance of food, a bed to sleep in, a roof over your head, people that love and care about you, basically just being the miracle that you are as a conscious human on this planet hurtling through space.
When we feel grateful we attract more in our life to be grateful for. People are mistaken when they think they will be happy or grateful when they get “blah blah”, that’s not how it works, you need to do the work within and get happy and grateful FIRST, and then watch as magic flows your way. What are you grateful for?
Live In a Place That Resonates With You
You have to find the good in wherever you are and make the best out of it but if there is a place that just fills your soul (for me that is somewhere warm, sunny, tropical, with fresh fruit, vegan food, smoothies bowls and friendly people) and where you are living now doesn’t inspire you in any way (this includes your current job) then work towards changing it! Where I live, the sunshine and the people I am surrounded by means a lot for my energy and overall happiness.
Wake Up Early
There is something so peaceful and magical about getting up before everyone else, the energy is calm and quiet and it feels like pure time for yourself. If you go to sleep at a reasonable time you will wake up early feeling refreshed. Do some yoga, journal, meditate, if you live near the beach go for a walk or run along the beach and even watch the magic of a sunrise. You can also be super productive and get a lot done too, because you will have more time without rushing and there will be no distractions. I always feel the most inspired first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
Do What You Love
This is another no brainer. We only have one life, live it doing what you love! And do it with no expectations and because you genuinely love doing it, and opportunities will flow to you and present themselves and you will start meeting the right people in the right places.
If you really want to do something you will find a way, not an excuse. If you haven’t figured out what you love yet, keep experiencing life the best you can, listen to your intuition, your heart and your inner child and you will eventually discover it, promise!
Affirmations
Affirmations basically help to reprogram your subconscious and conscious thoughts to more positive ones! Stating a positive affirmation about what is relevant for you makes you feel good instantly.
From a young age what we are told by our parents, friends and society ends up getting programmed into our subconscious and we end up being triggered by the same things as we grow up. We also experience the same things that could be holding us back because what we believe becomes truth for us and what we attract into our lives. Everything is energy and like attracts like.
If other people, society or ourselves repeat something over and over again, we eventually start to believe it, that's how the brain works.
So how affirmations work is we repeat the positive statement over and over for weeks or even months until we believe it and it gets drilled into our subconscious.
Pick some of your favourite affirmations and write them on sticky notes and stick them around your house, or write a daily affirmation reminder on your phone.
Examples of some affirmations could be:
“The Universe is always working for me”.
“I speak my truth”.
“My bank account is constantly increasing”.
“I attract abundance and prosperity wherever I go”.
“I always attract the right people and circumstances into my life”.
“I am confident in myself”.
“I walk for Victoria’s Secret”. (That’s one for me!)
“I have my perfect apartment in my perfect city”. (Another one for me that makes me feel excited!)
Visualization
Visualization makes me feel great because you can basically use your imagination and make up exactly how you want your life to be or what you want to attract, in your mind. Make it clear and see it vividly and FEEL it like it is happening NOW. I usually visualize before I go to sleep while I am laying in bed. There has been a lot of studies on visualization. Your mind can’t tell the difference between you doing something physically or just visualizing doing it, so this one is also quite powerful in attracting what you want into your life.
Helping Others
Taking the focus off of yourself and onto helping someone else will change your mood instantly. Giving with no expectation. Give a spontaneous compliment to a stranger on the street (a random act of kindness), do something for a friend or family member that you know they will appreciate, buy some food or water for a homeless person on the street, do some charity ‘work’ locally or abroad. And remember, what you give out you get back!
Meditation
This one I am trying to do more of but I have been meditating more than I used to! There are so many forms of meditation but I personally like to sit crossed legged and rest my palms facing upwards on my knees with my first finger and thumb together. I close my eyes, consciously breathe in and out through my nose and stare between my third eye area. I let my thoughts fade and if a thought comes through I will acknowledge it and let it pass. I will meditate for around 15-20 minutes or so. The 20 minute mark is usually when I go deeper into meditation, if that happens I will sit for a bit longer.
There is something truly powerful about meditation and I can feel the connection to a higher source energy and to everything. Doing this in the morning puts me in a relaxed and clear mindset for the rest of the day.
Have a New Experience - Travel
Being the restless soul that I am, if I get stuck in the same routine everyday, after a while I start to go a tiny bit insane! We thrive when we feel we are always growing and learning and doing something everyday that gets us closer towards our goals. This keeps our energy and inspiration flowing and moving forward, not stagnant!
If you want change you need to change and do something out of your normal routine. Nothing changes if nothing changes.. Travelling is also great for growth and opening up the mind and new neural pathways.
The Little Things
Some small things that bring me joy are making an açaí bowl, other smoothie bowl or delicious breakfast or vegan desserts! Or (when I’m home in Australia) going for a run along the beach in summer and then jumping into the refreshing ocean, it is literally one of the best feelings. Or spending time with my Mum and family, travelling, blogging, making YouTube videos and editing them. Do more of the little things that you enjoy.
BE YOURSELF
There is no one else like you so be unapologetically yourself and you will also inspire others to feel safe to be who they are. How boring if everyone was the same right? Looked the same, thought the same, talked the same, walked the same. Don't spend your life trying to be someone else when you can focus on enhancing all of your strengths and unique qualities. The world needs who you were born to be. So just do YOU!