How to Have a Happy Day

Spend time with a friend., Exercise., Give back., Set a goal., Seek out activities that engage you., Spend time in nature.

6 Steps 4 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Spend time with a friend.

    Call or go hang out with a friend who is happy.

    Being around someone else who is happy and positive will boost your mood, too.

    Make sure you are spending quality time with your friends, like talking and sharing, rather than doing solitary activities like watching TV or playing video games.Consider some of these activities that foster more positivity and sharing:
    Go on a hike.

    Share a meal.

    Volunteer together.

    Take a day trip somewhere new.
  2. Step 2: Exercise.

    Regular exercise relieves stress and depression, boosts your mood, allows you to sleep better, and has many physical benefits, such as improving strength and flexibility.While exercising on a daily or regular basis will give you the most benefits, you can feel happier and re-energized just by starting small today.

    If you don’t have a lot of time in the day for exercise, even a few minutes is better than nothing.

    Take a five-minute walk around your room, stretch for a few minutes in your office, or dance to your favorite song.

    Start small.If you’re feeling overly tired or stressed, pick something that’s comfortable, easy, and fun for you.

    Just get moving for 15 minutes, even if it’s to walk at the mall, garden, or play outside with your dog.If you have limited mobility or health issues, always talk to your doctor first about safe ways to exercise.

    It might be helpful to exercise for short periods of time, try simple stretches in a chair, or try exercising in the water if you have access to a pool., Take time to be kind to others, whether through doing small favors or volunteering.

    Being kind to other people will give you a sense of fulfillment and higher self-esteem, particularly if what you’re doing is meaningful for you and the other person.Set goals for helping others that are concrete, like making someone smile, making someone laugh, or listening to someone for 15 minutes.

    These goals are less vague than ideas of making someone happy or making someone’s day.

    Doing this will make you feel both happier in the moment and motivate you to keep giving back long-term, which will further boost happiness.Try these simple ideas to be kind to someone today:
    Bring someone lunch.

    Give someone your seat on the bus or train.

    Ask someone how he's doing and really listen.

    Call someone you haven’t talked to in awhile.

    Pick out a few items around your house to donate. , Take a few minutes in the morning to remember your purpose in life.

    Set goals for the day that will match up with that purpose.

    If you’re actively working to achieve your goals and mission, you’ll feel happier.For example, if your purpose and mission is to be a writer, you might set goals for yourself to write for 30 minutes every day, visit new places for inspiration, and talk to strangers to hear their stories.

    If you’re unsure of your purpose, ask yourself what you’re curious about or what excites you., Find activities where you can feel like you’re "in the zone" and fully engaged.

    For some people, this may be working, writing, painting, or running.No matter what it is, find something that is enjoyable and absorbs you.Think about moments when you've been fully engaged in something — when you lost track of time and even of yourself, because you were so into what you were doing.

    This is known as "flow," and it usually leads to a sense of joy and accomplishment.Doing things that fully engage you, that get you into a state of flow, as often as possible can increase happiness. , Research indicates that spending time outside in natural surroundings has a positive effect on health and reduce stress.Sitting in a garden, going to the park on a lunch break, even being in a room with some plants can all improve your overall well-being and health.

    Visit national and state parks, go camping, take walks in parks, or planting in your backyard are all ways to get some quality time in nature.
  3. Step 3: Give back.

  4. Step 4: Set a goal.

  5. Step 5: Seek out activities that engage you.

  6. Step 6: Spend time in nature.

Detailed Guide

Call or go hang out with a friend who is happy.

Being around someone else who is happy and positive will boost your mood, too.

Make sure you are spending quality time with your friends, like talking and sharing, rather than doing solitary activities like watching TV or playing video games.Consider some of these activities that foster more positivity and sharing:
Go on a hike.

Share a meal.

Volunteer together.

Take a day trip somewhere new.

Regular exercise relieves stress and depression, boosts your mood, allows you to sleep better, and has many physical benefits, such as improving strength and flexibility.While exercising on a daily or regular basis will give you the most benefits, you can feel happier and re-energized just by starting small today.

If you don’t have a lot of time in the day for exercise, even a few minutes is better than nothing.

Take a five-minute walk around your room, stretch for a few minutes in your office, or dance to your favorite song.

Start small.If you’re feeling overly tired or stressed, pick something that’s comfortable, easy, and fun for you.

Just get moving for 15 minutes, even if it’s to walk at the mall, garden, or play outside with your dog.If you have limited mobility or health issues, always talk to your doctor first about safe ways to exercise.

It might be helpful to exercise for short periods of time, try simple stretches in a chair, or try exercising in the water if you have access to a pool., Take time to be kind to others, whether through doing small favors or volunteering.

Being kind to other people will give you a sense of fulfillment and higher self-esteem, particularly if what you’re doing is meaningful for you and the other person.Set goals for helping others that are concrete, like making someone smile, making someone laugh, or listening to someone for 15 minutes.

These goals are less vague than ideas of making someone happy or making someone’s day.

Doing this will make you feel both happier in the moment and motivate you to keep giving back long-term, which will further boost happiness.Try these simple ideas to be kind to someone today:
Bring someone lunch.

Give someone your seat on the bus or train.

Ask someone how he's doing and really listen.

Call someone you haven’t talked to in awhile.

Pick out a few items around your house to donate. , Take a few minutes in the morning to remember your purpose in life.

Set goals for the day that will match up with that purpose.

If you’re actively working to achieve your goals and mission, you’ll feel happier.For example, if your purpose and mission is to be a writer, you might set goals for yourself to write for 30 minutes every day, visit new places for inspiration, and talk to strangers to hear their stories.

If you’re unsure of your purpose, ask yourself what you’re curious about or what excites you., Find activities where you can feel like you’re "in the zone" and fully engaged.

For some people, this may be working, writing, painting, or running.No matter what it is, find something that is enjoyable and absorbs you.Think about moments when you've been fully engaged in something — when you lost track of time and even of yourself, because you were so into what you were doing.

This is known as "flow," and it usually leads to a sense of joy and accomplishment.Doing things that fully engage you, that get you into a state of flow, as often as possible can increase happiness. , Research indicates that spending time outside in natural surroundings has a positive effect on health and reduce stress.Sitting in a garden, going to the park on a lunch break, even being in a room with some plants can all improve your overall well-being and health.

Visit national and state parks, go camping, take walks in parks, or planting in your backyard are all ways to get some quality time in nature.

About the Author

S

Steven Morris

Brings years of experience writing about hobbies and related subjects.

37 articles
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