As a career coach, I work with clients who are not happy with their careers and spend most of their week completely unfulfilled. After spending another dissatisfied day at work, you deserve some happiness, right? Here are 14 great personal development tips meant just for you! *Patricia
Sure. Every day has its ups and downs, but sometimes you might find more downs than ups! Instead of waiting around for things to change, you can make an active effort to add a little happiness to your day.
There are times you may need to make a big effort, but most of the time all you have to do is something subtle and simple to completely change how your day turns out.
Here are several quick ways to add happiness to your day:
1. Watch a good movie. Curl up with a big bucket of popcorn and your favorite movie. Leave all your worries behind as you engage in an activity that you’re sure to love.
2. Just sit back and watch your kids or loved ones. Instead of focusing on yourself, take some time to focus your attention on the people you love. Relax, observe and think about how much you appreciate the fact that they’re in your life.
3. Call a close friend. A phone call with your best friend is a great way to pass some time in a way that is comfortable and familiar to you. Reminisce about old times or enjoy planning something fun for the future.
4. Grab an ice cream. Okay – it’s not a good idea to indulge all the time, but it is definitely okay once in a while. Enjoy your favorite treat whether it’s ice cream, a smoothie, or even Starbucks.
5. Take in nature. Just take it all in by watching the world around you. Do this by going on a nature hike or even just observing the beauty of the stars at night.
6. Enjoy a hot bath. This is a wonderful way to bring happiness to your day, especially if you’ve found the day stressful. Light scented candles and add the benefits of aromatherapy to the relaxing warmth of the bath.
7. Exercise or play a sport. Gather friends and family and enjoy a friendly competition. Sports are a fast and fun way to get some exercise and relieve stress.
8. Indulge… take a nap. One of my very favorites. Spoil yourself with an afternoon nap as this could be just what you’re looking for. Even a catnap – just 15 minutes of shut-eye can help you feel more energized and happy.
9. Give your partner a hug. Make the time to appreciate your partner. This is a great way to reconnect, especially if you’ve been really busy.
10. Go ahead be lazy. There might be times when you don’t feel as happy as you’d like because you expect too much from yourself. Give yourself some time to simply be lazy, with no responsibilities, and give yourself time to recoup.
11. Listen to favorite music. Music is bound to brighten up your day. Grab your iPod or music player and start cranking up the tunes.
12. Enjoy some casual conversation. Strike up a lively conversation with strangers. Chances are if you’re friendly and happy towards them, they’ll likely be the same to you.
13. Be thankful – start a mental list. Reflect on all the things that you’re grateful for in your life and list them in your head or write them down. You might be very surprised at how long your list is! Sometimes it just takes changing your focus – you’ll see what is going right in your life. And that is all you need to turn that frown upside down.
14. Enjoy some time with your pets. Most people consider pets as part of the family too. Give your faithful companion some of your time. Enjoy your time together.
It can be tough to remember that the list is endless when it comes to ways to brighten your day. Just be creative and try new activities that you might like. What is most important is that you seek a way to enjoy each moment. Do that and your life will be filled with new happiness.
Would you like to add happiness to your work day? Patricia Erickson is a career management expert and personal development coach with A Vita Career Management, with more than ten years of coaching experience. click here for more information on career coaching and to discover the secrets that will lead to your career success.