Saima Ikram
Even when the circumstances are good around us, we feel the happiness depleting from our lives. In the quest for happiness, we spend a lot on the books that can help us to be happy. The emotional lows in our lives make us feel that only an outer source can help us to be happy. But this method only yields temporary feelings of elation and are not enough to provide us true happiness. Decades of research has proved that happiness is something that can be generated regardless of the genetics or the environment.
Making ourselves happy is an ongoing process and following are the few ways to do it:
Cardiovascular exercise:
Studies have proved that exercise acts as a wonder drug for our over-all well-being. It helps to reduce depression and has an efficacy similar to the antidepressants that are prescribed by the doctors. Cardiovascular exercise helps to grow new neurons in the area of our brain that has been affected with depression as well as dementia.
Healthy diet:
A great cause of increasing depression in this modern age is the use of processed sugar. Sugar has been proven to be directly related with depression. It causes unstable mood that keep cycling up and down. A fast growing body of evidence has found that avoiding sugar reduces the likelihood of depression. Therefore, we should focus more towards plant-based diet avoiding sugar and processed food. It will help improve our mental health and will keep us happy in the long-run.
A structured schedule:
Once we have a proper schedule to follow, we are less likely to become depressed. When we stick to a daily schedule it brings comfort to our mind and act as a therapy for reducing depression. Planned activity helps to ensure that we do our exercise and perform all our tasks on time.
Keeping a social connection:
Humans are social creatures by nature and isolation makes them depressed. Connecting with people is really important for our mental health. A sense of community adds to happiness and overall well-being. Research has shown that having a strong social connection helps in staying happy and reducing depression.
Avoiding internalization:
When we get caught up in the depressed feelings, we create a vicious circle of over-thinking, internalization, and unhappiness around us. We keep on thinking about the same thoughts again and again that lead us towards severe anxiety. Once we direct these thoughts outwards in the form of writing a journal or telling it to a person whom we trust, lightens up the burden from our mind. It releases our thoughts in a much better ways and helps us to feel satisfied and happy inside.
Self-compassion:
This element is really important in keeping ourselves happy. Self-compassion helps to connect with ourselves and makes us accept things without judgment. Depression makes us criticize ourselves and we feel down at everything but self-compassion helps us to feel hopeful. It generates the feelings of compassion for others and creates happiness within ourselves.
Via: Forbes
