How to do what makes you happy so you can stress less and live a happier life isn't as easy as it may seem at first, but it is definitely well worth the effort.
According to a study conducted by Harvard University, those who reported being happier also had more energy and were less stressed.
In this article, you'll find tips about how to live a more meaningful, happy life without stress.
What is the point of life?
If you look at your life and answer this question, chances are you'll come up with some pretty good ideas of what makes a more fulfilling life.
For example, if the family is most important to you, then making time for that might bring more happiness into your life.
Doing things that make you happy will have a positive effect on your life. You will feel better both mentally and emotionally, which in turn will decrease the amount of stress you're feeling.
Finding what you love and doing more of it often.
Life is busy; there's no denying it. Most of us are juggling family life, jobs, home upkeep and more while finding time to do what we enjoy doing.
It seems like there's never enough time in the day for all that needs to be done, which can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety. But what if you could do more of what you love and less of what makes you unhappy?
It's easier than it seems, but first, we'll need to look at how you got into that position in the first place. Is it because you do what makes you happy, but not enough of it? Or is it because you're doing things that don't make you happy in the first place?
You'll need to determine whether things make you unhappy and reduce your sense of well-being. These might include spending too much time at work or neglecting hobbies or relationships.
Once you identify what makes you unhappy, it will be easier to find ways to reduce those things and make the most of what you love.
It's also important to reflect on whether things make your life better or more enjoyable. These might include spending time with family, friends or significant others, meeting new people, getting exercise, reading, or pursuing a hobby.
Once you identify what makes your life better, it will be easier to do those things as often as you can.
What if it turns out that what makes you happy is spending some quality time alone? That's OK! Everyone needs their own time and space to recharge and find peace of mind. There's no wrong answer here.
If you want to do more of what makes you happy, you have to do a bit of self-reflection first to figure out what those things are.
Write down whether there are things that make your life better or happier, as well as areas of your life that cause anxiety or stress. Make a point of spending more time doing the things that bring you happiness and less on those that don't.
Being happy with what you have and who you are
Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to follow all of the rules and achieve perfection; we forget actually to enjoy this life. We become so busy chasing the next thing that we don't take time for what's important: happiness.
If you're looking for a way to do what makes you happy so you can stress less, then it's time to simplify your life.
Here are some tips on how to incorporate more happiness into your day-to-day routine:
1. Eliminate tasks that don't make you happy
If doing something doesn't bring a smile to your face, then stop doing it. It will only stress you out and make you miserable if it doesn't contribute anything positive or meaningful to your life. Make sure the time you spend is worthwhile and well spent by eliminating what makes you unhappy.
2. Stop chasing perfection
When was the last time you checked something off your list and thought, "Well, that was disappointing."? Never? That's right because there is no such thing as a perfect job or a perfect spouse. Stop trying to make everything else perfect and start focusing on making yourself happy.
3. Be grateful
If you're going to be alive anyway, why not live the best life you possibly can before it's all over? Being grateful for even the smallest things in life can change your perspective and make you much happier. The more grateful you are, the less stressed out you'll be when it comes to doing what makes you happy.
4. Give yourself time
You can't cram everything into 24 hours in a day. Give yourself time to breathe and relax by making sure that your time is well spent. Don't stress yourself out by trying to cram everything in, and instead, give yourself a little extra time so you can do what makes you happy.
5. Be positive
It's nearly impossible to be happy without being positive. If you're finding it hard to stay positive with all the pressure from school or work, try to surround yourself with positive people. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel if you're around other positive people.
6. Enjoy the little things
This tip is probably one of the most important pieces of advice on making what makes you happy so you can stress less. When everything else in life seems to get too complicated, take a step back and enjoy life. You don't have to spend money to be happy, learn how to appreciate the little things in life, and you'll find that what makes you truly happy is completely free.
7. Live every day like it's your last
Don't waste another minute of your precious time on this planet by doing something you don't enjoy. Life is short, and it really can be ripped away from you at any moment, so live every day like it's your last. Don't stress yourself out by wasting time doing something you don't love; instead, do what makes you happy.
8. Improve your life
When it comes to how we can improve ourselves daily, think about what makes you happy. Having healthy habits can make a big difference in your life. Since happiness is contagious, the more positive energy you put into the world, the more positivity will come back to you.
9. Don't settle
You deserve to be happy. Don't ever let someone convince you otherwise. Some people don't want you to be happy because being happy means being free. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't be who you want to be or do what makes you happy.
10. Realise it's up to you
The moment we realise that our life is completely in our own hands is a very freeing feeling. It's a feeling of true happiness that we can't really explain. Once you realize it's up to you and only you to do what makes you happy, it'll be easier than ever before to simplify your life and stress less.
11. Stop comparing yourself
Comparing yourself to others is never a good idea because everyone lives such different lives. One person might live their life stress-free, while another person has so much stress they can barely handle it. Constantly comparing your life to someone else's will only make you want their life more, which does nothing but cause you stress.
12. Spend time with the people you love
If anything that's proven to lead to happiness, it's spending quality time with the people you love. Everything else seems to fall into place when we invest our time and energy into the most important people in our lives. So why not make it a priority to spend as much time as possible with the people who make us happy?
13. Temptation is everywhere
Temptation can be found all around you, but don't fall for it. Too often, we think that doing what makes us happy is something that's supposed to wait until "someday". Don't mistake thinking you'll be happy when you reach a certain goal; instead, find happiness right in front of you by doing what makes you happy.
14. Love unconditionally
Unconditional love is the most freeing feeling in the world. Once you truly learn to love someone with no expectations or limits, it's possible to experience a type of happiness so amazing that it will change your life forever.
15. Live simply
Simplifying everything can be one of the best ways to learn how to do what makes us happy. When we go through our lives constantly trying to accumulate more and more things, it can be hard for the real reason we're on this planet to sink in. When you feel like your life is taking over (and it probably is), take a step back and live simply.
16. Be happy with who you are
We've all heard that before, but why does it have to be so hard? We all want to be better versions of ourselves, but constantly comparing ourselves to others can make it almost impossible. No one is perfect, and the sooner we realize that about ourselves, the happier we'll feel. When you truly learn how to love who you are, everything changes for the better.
Deeper Dive:
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Final Thoughts on how to do what makes you happy
Busyness as a status symbol has never been more popular, and it can seem like there's never enough time in one day to get everything done. We're all guilty of feeling overwhelmed, but sometimes we forget what actually makes us happy.
It's easy to dwell on the negative and constantly feel like we should be doing more, but why not do less instead? When we learn how to do what makes us happy, there are so many benefits.
There's nothing wrong with ambition, but sometimes the things that make us the happiest aren't ambitious at all. Sometimes it can feel like happiness is something reserved for other people, but real happiness starts when we stop pretending that's true.
Everyone wants to feel like they're in control, and we all deserve to be happy. So give up on trying to do everything and learn how to make happiness a priority.
This article aims to help you figure out what makes you happy and how to do more of it. Many things can contribute to stress, but the truth is that there's no one-size-fits-all solution for everyone.
Find some time today or tomorrow morning to take a few minutes with yourself so you can find your own personal "happy place". Once you know what makes YOU happy, enjoy doing MORE of these activities.
Hope you found this article on how to do what makes you happy to stress less useful! Drop your comments and questions in the box below!
More Resources
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