According to Psychology Today, “a happy person experiences frequent positive emotions, such as joy, interest and pride”. Another definition says it relates to life satisfaction, appreciation of life, and moments of pleasure. Money may not be able to buy happiness, but it can certainly buy things that bring you joy, pique your interest and provide you with moments of pleasure!
5 gifts of happiness you can give yourself
Happiness is… Surrounding yourself with flowers
Yes, we are jumping right in here! We do what we do because flowers bring us so much happiness and we want to share it with everybody. What better gift to give yourself than an Enjoy Flowers subscription? Gorgeous fresh-cut flowers arriving ever month, or even twice a month, to brighten your personal space with life. Thrive Global reports that “People surrounded by flowers appear to be less agitated, anxious and depressed, and also they seem to have an increased life satisfaction overall.”
If you want to learn a new skill, sign up for the Enjoy Flowers DIY subscription. Take extra pride in the flowers around your home by designing the arrangements yourself!
Happiness is… A tranquil space in your home
It doesn’t need to be big, just a place where you can breathe and find your centre. Find a quiet spot with lots of natural light. Invest in a high-quality yoga mat and aromatherapy candles. Finally add flowers known for their positive and relaxing qualities. Some wonderful choices are orchids, sage, jasmine, lavender and chamomile.
When you walk in from work after a busy day, before you start preparing food, do some stretches and breathing in your space. Even if you pick up again on work later, take a moment to disconnect from it completely and reset yourself to “home” mode.
Happiness is… Mindfulness
The creator of the Mindfulness movement, Kabat-Zinn, defines it as follows… “Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one’s attention to the internal and external experiences occurring in the present moment, which can be developed through the practice of meditation and other training.” To find happiness, we need to be able to truly experience the smaller moments in our lives. While it may sound simple enough to say you need to bring your attention to the present, there is a fair amount of work in unlearning the bad habits we live with. You can learn mindfulness.
Mindfulness reading
Besides what you will be learning, reading itself brings people happiness. Disconnecting from the noise around you and losing yourselves in words is amazing for the mind and the soul. Try these books on mindfulness:
- This. Only this. by Michael H. Brooks. An International Book Awards winner, the book is both practical and humorous in its approach. From the website, “In this practical approach to mindfulness, there are no new belief systems to adopt or special rules to adhere to. Rather, what’s required is a letting go of our set beliefs and acceptance of what simply is. In this moment, this experience, peace is within our grasp.”
- The Healing Power of Mindfulness: A New Way of Being, by Jon Kabat-Zinn. A “deeply optimistic book, grounded in good science and filled with practical recommendations for moving in the right direction,” (Andrew Weil, MD), “from one of the pioneers of the worldwide mindfulness movement.”
- Search Inside Yourself, by Chade-Meng Tan. “This is a book recommended by giants as Daniel Goleman, author of the international bestseller Emotional Intelligence, Jon Kabat-Zinn, perhaps the world’s most renowned mindfulness expert and author of Wherever You Go, There You Are, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader and author of The Art of Happiness, and Tony Hsieh, New York Times bestselling author of Delivering Happiness and CEO of Zappos.com, Inc.” from The Happiness India project.
If you prefer a more personal experience, look into your closest mindfulness or meditation retreat. Learn how to connect with yourself and be in the moment in a space removed from the busyness of day to day life.
Happiness is… Finding your fitness style
Most of us spend long hours indoors working. Our exercise for the day is most often walking to and from the coffee machine. Nobody needs to remind us of the endless health and emotional wellness value movement and exercise brings. Finding the fitness style that works for you is so important. After all, we aren’t all made to run on treadmills in life… Maybe your thing is CrossFit or martial arts; Pilates or hula-hooping. If you need to try a few different fitness fads to find the one that’s right for you, do it! You will never regret spending money on your health!
Happiness is… A change of scenery
Book yourself into a boutique hotel or a BnB… Somewhere that you can switch off, and go for long hikes in the woods or swims in the sea. It doesn’t need to be far from home, you just need to have everything on hand without having to think. Find a place that has luxury bedding, beautiful food on order and amazing spa treatments. All you need is 48 hours away, doing only what brings you happiness.
What does happiness mean to you?
