We’ve been showing you ways that research says brings more happiness and joy to our life but, as you’ve seen, there are so many! We want to make things easier for you, so we’ve prepared a calendar that you can print or save in your desktop with specific science-based action points you should follow to have a happier week.
Day 1:
Think of 3 positive things in your life. Close your eyes and focus all your energy on them for around a minute.
Why have we picked this for Day 1? Because it will make you think positively immediately. Besides, being consciously grateful will clearly bring a spark of happiness to your day.
How often should you do this? Every day for 7 days. Pick the time of your day that is best for you. Some say that it is best to do it in the morning to start the day with a positive attitude; some say that it is better at night so you go to sleep with a nice feeling and, thus, you wake up in a good mood. Your choice.
Day 2:
Find a moment to recharge.
It is important that we make time for ourselves and what we like, regardless of how busy we are and how many responsibilities we have on our shoulders. For the sake of this programme, you need to find in these seven days some space in your agenda to do something you enjoy. Examples are: reading a book, working on a hobby, sitting in the sun for 15 minutes, going to spa, etc.
How often? Every day for the entire week. So start planning! Don’t feel overwhelmed by this. Remember that they can be even 15-minute activities.
Day 3:
Meet with a dear friend.
Social relationships have an enormous impact on our happiness and wellbeing, and you’ve surely noticed that after a day at work where you had fun with your colleagues or where the entire atmosphere is friendly, or after you spent a warm and cozy Sunday with your family, or after that beer you had with a couple of friends.
Day 4:
Learn something new. Get a new book, go to a museum or an art gallery, enrol in a new course, or whatever you can think of.
Why have we picked this one for day 4? Because it is proven that continuous learning makes us more resilient and happy people.
This task could be combined with the activity you have planned for Day 2, since it will also help you recharge.
Day 5:
Day 5 will be a listening day. Today, you should try to speak as little as you can about yourself, your thoughts and your opinions, and listen to others’ experiences, feelings and points of views.
Why have we picked this activity? Because, as the Dalai lama said, “when you speak, you are repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.”
Day 6:
Try a new cuisine or get a taste of a new dish.
You may be wondering why we’ve picked this one. Well, it is an easy way to step out of our comfort zone, it’s pretty easy as well and it can be fun!
You can combine this task with day 3’s task (meet a good friend) for a nice combo 🙂
Day 7:
Engage in a deliberate act of kindness.
This one could sound as the hardest, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be. If you live in a big city, odds are that you will encounter homeless and beggars that you can help, but also listening is a very good example of kindness, so you really don’t need to make this very complicated.
Not too complicated, right? If you’ve enjoyed it, just extend it for another week, or as long as you want – and share it with anyone in need of better days 🙂