It doesn’t take much for us to be happy in life. And often, it won’t even cost us any money. Here are 10 signs that you’re a truly happy person and if you’re not, here are 10 simple things to start adding to your day:
©2015 Susie Lee
When I was growing up, I didn’t think I had many talents but the one thing I knew I had was the gift of encouragement. I loved cheering people up when they were sad or finding a solution when they had a problem. And since I’m generally easy going and happy-go-lucky, I always had a hopeful and optimistic outlook in life, even in hard times.
The fact is, even the happiest of people will have their off-days as they feel unmotivated, uninspired, or are emotionally unavailable. It’ll seem as though they’ve reached their maximum capacity to give – they can only say so many things, in so many ways, so many times.
If this is you right now, keep on moving – no matter how slow it may be. You may feel like ‘what’s the point?’ because you’ve lost your enthusiasm and zest. But these dry spells are necessary for growth as it prunes the unfruitful branches and turns off the autopilot mode. As with all things, this season will pass. And once it’s completed its work in you, you’ll re-gain your balance and start to bear fruit once again. Until then, keep moving.
©2015 Susie Lee
I’ve always been mindful of being proactive through the little things I do; like eating right, sleeping early, being thankful, and moving my body. With the warmer weather here, it’s been a treat to go outside for picnics, walk along the beach, and bike at night. Since I don’t buy a gym pass, I like to exercise through simple and free means like walking to the grocery store, vacuuming the house (which I really dislike), doing the dishes by hand, baking, gardening, or going for a walk after dinner. Although these simple activities will take up a part of our day, it’ll help us to slow down in life and benefit our health in the long run.
©2015 Susie Lee
This is a great info graph on why people give up – whether it’s fulfilling their dreams, maintaining a healthy body, or taking risks. I’m pretty sure we can identify with a few of these reasons at some point in our lives. Of course, it’s much easier to identify these issues rather than to deal with them directly. But in order to move forward in life we must remove these mental stumbling blocks we’ve created for ourselves. Remember, victory and defeat will always start in our minds. So it’s important to think the best of ourselves, maintain a positive outlook in life, and have a heart of gratitude as we look to the future. This’ll make all the difference as we pursue our dreams and create the life we want to live.
©2015 Susie Lee
If you want to lose weight, it starts with the first step. If you want to write a book, it starts with the first page. If you want to do something, you have to do something. There’s no amount of meditation, inspiration, and thinking that’ll help you accomplish your goal if you don’t take action. Stop humming and hawing on how you’re going to do and just start from where you are. Sometimes, overthinking can paralyze you and stump you from moving forward. Go on your first run, and see the domino effect on your mind and body, write that first page and see how the story unfolds. You’re not going to have it all figured out before you start, so you might as well just go for it! Trust the process and enjoy the journey.
©2015 Susie Lee
Your body is a temple, so make sure you take care of it. Whether you’re young or young at heart, it’s never too early or too late to start taking care of your body. Taking care of your body now, is an investment for the future. I’ve chosen a few creative info-graphs to help build and maintain a healthy lifestyle – the optimal time to eat, food additives to avoid (or minimize), the benefits of vitamins, and how much sleep we actually need.
©2015 Susie Lee
I’ve always been more of a night owl than an early bird. But sometimes, life may not give us the luxury to choose our personal preference of when to wake up. Whether we have to get up early due to work, family, or other obligations, here are a few tips to help us adjust to the morning rise and make our day flow just a little bit smoother:
©2015 Susie Lee
Being happy is all relative. What makes me happy might not make another person happy. So do something that brings you life, joy and makes you feels energized. It’s important to incorporate things into your life that makes you happy because it keeps you in the moment and takes you out of your head. Feeling this way will give you a natural high, a mental and emotional break from the necessarily mundane daily tasks of your life. It’s also very therapeutic as it helps you to cope and conquer the battles you fight within and out of yourself. Whatever it is that makes you happy, may it draw you closer to embrace the fullness of life and to those around you.
©2013 Susie Lee
With the fall season underway, it’s inevitable that these darker and colder days will affect some people’s mood and take a toll on their emotional well-being. Here are some simple things I do to boost my level of happiness during the wetter months:
I wear colorful clothing as I go for my walk.
I buy colorful bouquet of cut flowers for my house.
I buy (and eat) colorful fruits and vegetables.
I watch matinee movies in a theater or I rent comedy movies.
I invite friends over to play strategic board games (My favorites are Settler’s of Catan, Cities and Knights, & Resistance).
I host Texas hold ‘em poker tournaments.
I plan a small weekend (or overnight) get away.
I cozy up by the fire with a blanket, tea and a good mystery novel.
I walk in the rustling leaves.
I play indoor badminton.
I have friends over for a potluck.
I go for nature walks.
I escape to the mountains when they receive their first dump of snow.
I listen to my favorite playlists I haven’t listened to in a while.
I play my guitar.
I see live musicians or see a play.
I go shopping or hang out at the bookstore.
I go to the library or to the community pool.
I bake cookies.
I read, write and take photographs.
I take a warm bubble baths.
I go for dim sum or bubble tea.
I go out for a midnight snack.
I meet up with old (and new) friends.
Host a fondue or a raclette party.
My list is no way exhaustive but the main thing to increasing your energy and happiness is to stay active, engage with people, look forward to something, stimulate your senses, get some fresh air and HAVE FUN. I guarantee one (or all) of these things will put you in a better mood. Although the sun may shine less during these winter months, we can still choose to have a sunnier disposition inside of us everyday for our health and well being.
I’d love to hear what makes you happy during this fall season.
©2012 Susie Lee lives in Vancouver (one of the wettest places on earth)
living your best 