Happiness, who doesn’t want it?
Although typically known as a feeling, happiness is more of a state of mind and a conscious choice. Admittedly, achieving this state of mind can be more elusive on some days, and being happy doesn’t dissolve the inevitable hardships of life. Regardless, being happy undeniably makes life that much more worthwhile and enjoyable.
Happiness isn’t just emotional, it’s physical and mental too, acting as a good indicator and factor of our health. Follow these 4 holistic lifestyle changes to promote overall happiness.
1. Address your basic needs
Our physical body is literally our vehicle through which we live our lives. A body that is uncared for will send out various signals as a call for help and to rebalance. When our body is in balance, we’re better equipped to be more receptive to happiness and be more resilient to external stressors that could rob us from it.
If you’re feeling unhappy, try consecutively having a good night’s sleep, regular meals, and adequate hydration. Everything seems less daunting when we’re well rested, fed, and hydrated, and for good reason. Food, water, and rest are our most basic needs. Ensure that you have this and watch your physical body feel so much better.
Make addressing your basic needs a lifestyle that you can easily and willingly follow. Find the tools and practices that will make taking care of your most basic needs a joy to do. Some ideas include:
- Prioritize quality sleep with a digital sunset and a relaxing night time routine. This can involve yoga, journaling, an aromatherapy bath, reading a good book, meditating etc.
- Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary. Invest in a quality mattress, pillows, and sheets to motivate you for bedtime and promote quality zzz’s.
- Stay hydrated by drinking and eating water-rich foods. For people who find drinking water challenging, try eat your water in the form of watermelons, cucumbers, green juices etc.
- Carry around a water bottle and pop in some fresh fruits and herbs such as lemons, apples, and mint to help motivate you to get your 8 glasses in.
- Learn to make your favorite meals and snacks. Homecooked meals are always best as you know exactly what type of ingredients go in. Choose a few key dishes that you genuinely enjoy and make them in big batches to be frozen and ready for you when needed.
2. Spend time in nature
Science, psychology, and good old testimony have shown the boundless positive effects that being in nature has on us.
The combination of fresh air, sunlight, and scenic greenery physically, emotionally and mentally alters our state of being and heals, soothes, and restores tired minds and bodies.
Make it a regular habit to immerse yourself in nature to bring yourself back to balance. If the great outdoors isn’t an accessible option for you, try adding more houseplants to bring nature into your home instead. The idea is to immerse yourself in a more natural surrounding that promotes relaxation and a sense of simplicity amidst all the noise and draining demands of everyday life.
3. Keep Vitamin B12 Handy
Vitamin B12 is needed to create and properly absorb serotonin, our happy hormone which is a key neurotransmitter to promote an overall feeling of wellbeing and to keep negative feelings such as stress and depression at bay.
If you often feel sad, you may be deficient in serotonin and consequently, vitamin B12. Keep your levels up by eating vitamin B12-rich foods such as fish, red meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. If you’re watching your animal-product intake, opt for fortified foods that contain vitamin B12, B12 supplements and plant-based sources such spirulina, to get in your daily dose of this vitamin.
4. Eliminate Toxins
Not only do we need to incorporate certain things in our life, it greatly benefits us to eliminate certain things as well to feel balanced and happy. Take a moment to look into what makes you happy, and only keep, support, and give energy to what supports that.
With that said, remove or cut down on the various toxins in your life that likely don’t serve or support your happiness or even your general wellbeing such as:
- Pro-Inflammatory junk food such as fast food and artificial processed food, which are laden with chemicals that hamper your health.
- Negative self-pitying thoughts and excuses that stop or slow you down from getting and/or achieving your goals.
- Toxic relationships with people who don’t truly care about you or support your happiness.
- Clutter in your home that you no longer use, that stress you out, or that negatively distract you from your goals.
The reason behind cutting out ‘toxins’ in your life, is to literally make space and only give priority to what makes you happy. The clearer your space and surroundings, the more easily you and your happiness can flourish.
Make happiness a series of lifestyle practices that you willingly want to do. Fresh air, clean food, a good book, a steady support system of friends and the right nutrition are just some key factors that will help you feeling your best and make you want to choose to feel happy.
If happiness could be bottled, it would probably be Vitamin B12. Keep this serotonin-producing vitamin within reach so you can ensure that you get your daily dose of this ‘happy vitamin’. Try our Vital Vitamin B12 drops which come in an easy-to-carry bottle, perfect to act as nutritional support that promotes happiness.
