Tag Archives: Happiness

Good Health Is More Than Just Diet and Exercise

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When people think about being healthy, I would say that the first thing that comes to mind would most likely be diet and/or exercise. While I would absolutely agree that both are contributing factors to living a healthy lifestyle and extending your longevity; however, there are so many other aspects of being healthy that should not be overlooked. I made a short list of other things that people should also prioritize and balance out if needed in addition to eating healthy foods, taking health supplements, and working out. (If there is anything that I forgot to mention, be sure to share it in the comments below)!

Quality and Quantity of Sleep – I write the quality and quantity of sleep because both are equally important. It can be tough for people to fall asleep at night or clock in enough hours of sleep. As a result, that leaves people with low energy levels and over time can deteriorate one’s quality of life. Good sleep is a universal necessity that everyone can benefit from. I always recommend that if your schedule permits, find a time in the day to add a nap if needed to add some extra sleep time in your day.

Self Care (ex: skincare, personal grooming, etc.) – The way in which you take care of yourself matters and this is often a category that gets ignored due to a busy lifestyle. No matter how many professional and personal obligations that you have, it is essential to add self care to that list because taking care of yourself is a necessity! For me personally, self care can include the little things such as taking the time to wear products with sun protection during the summer months. It also means scheduling a monthly facial and/or massage. Never neglect yourself because you are your most valuable asset and deserve to be pampered!

Stress Levels – Throughout the course of our lives, it is natural that you will experience stress but it is important to try to find ways to eliminate stress in its entirety or find things to aid in reducing stress such as meditation. It is said that stress is a silent killer in people’s lives and that too much of it over time can take a serious toll on one’s life. It is for this reason that people need to try their very best to keep their stress levels at bay.

Mental Health – This often can be a taboo subject but it is definitely an aspect of life that should never be ignored. If you are not in a good place in your life, it is important to utilize the right resources to get you back on the right track. That might mean scheduling therapy sessions with a professional or going to a doctor to get a prescription. There should be no shame in seeking help when needed.

Happiness – Last but certainly not least, let’s not forget about increasing and maintaining your happiness levels. Your satisfaction with life matters and you should make this a focal point by pursuing the things that you love and eliminating the things that do not suit a purpose in your life. That might mean getting a new job, getting out of a toxic relationship, booking a vacation, and/or finding quality time to spend with your friends or family. Whatever it is that makes YOU happy, go for it! 🙂

Find Meaningfulness in Your Life and You Will Always Find Happiness

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I was reflecting on my life very much at the start of the new year and while I know I live a blessed life, I also know that I live an extremely happy and fulfilling one as well. People who know me personally know that I am not someone who gets sad easily and depression is definitely not something I can say I have truly ever experienced on a deep level. Of course there are days that bring its challenges but in the grand scheme of things, I love the life I am creating everyday and genuinely am a happy individual. Am I just born this way or am I doing something differently? Can others learn to live happier lives themselves?

My biggest advice is simple and it is a general principle that I have applied throughout my entire lifetime, both on a conscious and subconscious level: Find meaningfulness in your life and you will always find happiness. It is important to find meaning in all areas of your life whether it be within your profession, relationships, friendships, hobbies, etc. By finding meaning, I mean actually have a genuine connection and affinity towards everything you pursue. Don’t waste your time working for a company that you hate and that brings you down. Don’t invest your time in meaningless relationships that don’t have a significant impact on your heart. Don’t go through the motions of life because you feel you are “supposed to do something” or because “everyone is doing it.” You need to carve your own path and strive to find meaning behind everything that you do and happiness will always follow.

Create Happiness by Chasing What Makes Your Soul Happy

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While there are those who may have more naturally happier temperaments than others, I think it is up to us as individuals to generate our own personal happiness. The things that make me happy are probably going to be different than the things that make you happy. So rather than trying to do what it appears everyone else is doing or doing things that generically are supposed to create happiness, I have a better idea. Take a moment to really ask yourself: What makes your soul happy? I mean seriously think about it. Whatever that comes to mind and I am sure there could be quite a list of things that make you happy, it is now time to take it a step further and actually chase the things that make your soul happy.

To this day, I will never forget a moment of solitude I had in my apartment at some point during my last semester of college where I was experiencing happiness on a really deep personal level. I remember I was completing an art project in my room while listening to some really good electronic music (as FYI, this is my favorite genre of music). I just remember thinking to myself, “Wow, I am truly in my happy place–being in a state of creation and listening to really good beats.” Amazing how the simplest of joys are the greatest joys, isn’t it? 🙂

For me personally, going through college on an academic level was very mentally draining. I always enjoyed going to school but when I hit college, I always felt as though I was out of my element and quite frankly–I was tired of having to constantly study and take tests. The thought of dropping out was never an option that crossed my mind because I was committed to finishing my Psychology degree despite what my plans were after college. I discovered the best way for me to get through college was to fill up all of my free electives with art classes. Although it would most have “made sense” for me to go to graduate school upon my undergraduate studies if I wanted to continue my academic path of pursuing Psychology, I decided I was going to go to makeup school instead right after graduation. I had no idea if I was making the right decision but what I did know at that time was that this decision ignited excitement as to where my future was going to go. I also knew that my soul was very happy choosing to go in this direction although I was unsure if I was going to like makeup artistry on a professional level, let alone be good at it. Circling back to that moment in my apartment working on that art project, despite any feelings of uncertainty I had in regards to radically changing my professional path in life, I knew at the same time that I was making the right decision because it just felt so good inside to be doing at that very moment what I loved most–CREATING. It was the validation I needed in knowing that this was a step in the right direction because I knew that I was pursuing something that would ultimately make me happy.

Everyone’s road to happiness is going to vary but you should always be in the driver’s seat to determine where your personal road leads. I think people are very often concerned with what they feel they “should be doing” or what others are doing but you should really just be focusing on what you’re doing and chasing all the things you love to ensure you are happy because that’s what matters most! On a final note, I look at it like this: We all have one life to live, so why not make it a happy one? 🙂