13 steps to a better life
Thirteen actions most likely to encourage happiness:
1. Don’t compare yourself to others. Financially, physically, and socially, comparing yourself to others is a trap. Focus on your own life, on your own goals.
2. Foster close relationships. People with five or more close friends are more apt to describe themselves as happy.
3. Have sex. Sex, a long-term loving partnership goes hand-in-hand with this.
4. Get regular exercise. There’s a strong tie between physical health and happiness. Eat right, exercise, and take care of our body.
5. Obtain adequate sleep. Good sleep is an essential component of good health.
6. Set and pursue goals. The road to happiness is paved with goals. Continued self-improvement makes life more fulfilling.
7. Find meaningful work. Fulfilling work is a vocation. When you find it, it brings added meaning to your life.
8. Join a group. A church congregation, a book group, a Saturday morning bike ride, a knitting circle.
9. Don’t dwell on the past. Focus on the now.
10. Embrace routine. We’re happier with limited options. We don’t want to be overwhelmed. Routines help limit choices. They’re comfortable and familiar and, used judiciously, they can make us happy.
11. Practice moderation. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. It’s okay to indulge yourself on occasion — just don’t let it get out of control. Addictions and compulsions can ruin lives.
12. Be grateful. Practice gratitude. Take time to be thankful for the things we have, appreciate them more.
13. Help others. Altruism is one of the best ways to boost your happiness. Be nice in daily life.
Remember: True wealth is about relationships, good health, and self-improvement.
To see the detailed list with other links check it out ("i-appropriated" from Rubin) over at the Happiness Project
9 comments:
Well, I am failing miserably at a good number of those lately; thanks for the timely reminder!
Sex or adequate sleep? Can't have both!
Great 13.
what a purrrrfectly helpful list! i think i'll concentrate on no. 3 first, heee heee heee
Those are ALL great words to live by!
And I am SO impressed you wrote that poem! You are extremely talented with words and I hope you are working on getting it published if you haven't already! Not only does it have an awesome message, but you have such a flair in the way you use the English language. You have a very unique gift!
i love these - such a great list and good mantra to live by.
i will add:
feeling love and sharing it freely AND
follow your bliss every chance you get AND
laugh often and much AND
be childlike AND
live like there is magic in everything ... because there is.
I cannot agree with you more on all of those, particularly the show moderation and join a group part. Too much of a pleasure makes it boring. And joining a group really has me developing as a person(I think). finding meaningful work is excellent advice; there is a group of people in Japan who credit meaningful work for their extremely long lives(over 100 years!).
I could really use a regular good night's sleep. Happy TT.
I like number four, it's hard to talk to people about the need for exercise, it's one of those things they generally say "yeah, I know" about, then forget about promptly and then try to avoid me later because of it.
I really like this post, and the picture of the stairs. I think knowing ways to improve life is a good first step.
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