Finding joy in day-to-day life
“Everyone wants to live on a mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it”
2021 has been a challenging year for almost everyone with the coronavirus pandemic. This time of year leading up to Christmas can often bring about its own demands and anxiety. For some it might be wrapping up work for the year, and for others it might be thinking about the bigger life questions – whether one’s goals were achieved this year, or new year resolutions for 2022.
Whilst challenging circumstances and emotions can make it harder to find positivity and happiness in one’s life, the good news is that there are many things we can do to increase the joy in our lives. Wellbeing is a process, it’s not something that we arrive at overnight without putting in time and effort. Taking small steps and connecting with different parts of ourselves and our lives is a key way to start enjoying (or enjoying more) the small or big moments in present-day experience.
How to find more joy in your day-to-day life: 3 things you can do
Engaging with your senses: Using one or more of your senses can be very comforting, nurturing, and therapeutic. For example
Cooking or baking
Lighting a scented candle
Indulging in a hot drink
Lying outside or walking barefoot on grass or sand
Adding some colour and cosiness to your home: Our home environment plays a crucial role in our wellbeing. What fills up our home, whether it be objects, paint colour, feelings or energy… is essentially the first thing you are waking up too every day and the first thing you are coming home too. Research shows that colour can make us feel significantly happier.
Some ideas include:Add some colour to your bedroom or living room – paint a wall, add colourful and fluffy throw cushions, hang a fun print or painting on the wall.
Get house plants – not only are leafy green plants aesthetically pleasing on the eye and make an empty corner in a room look alive… but studies show that touching, smelling, and even merely seeing an indoor plant can reduce stress.
Exercise for the body (and mind): It’s a well-known fact that exercise is significantly related to overall physical, emotional, and mental health. Nowadays, studies show that exercising for as little as 10 minutes per day significantly increases the odds of being happy.
Go for a walk on the beach – not only does this get your steps in for the day, but walking barefoot on the sand with the sound of the ocean makes our mind relax and generates endorphins, the “happiness” hormone.
Take yourself to a boxing class – if you’re feeling like you have lots of pent up energy or just need a release, go box it away!
Do a High-Intensity-Interval-Training class with a friend
Go to a yoga flow or yin-yoga class
Sound-healing – this is pure healing for the mind and body. Something you have to experience to truly understand.