How To Be Happier: 8 Simple Secrets to Transform Your Mood

There is much scientific evidence that your outlook on life is as important as what you eat for staying healthy…

This post is part of an ongoing collaboration with The Chalkboard Mag.

The myth of happiness is that it’s a destination; some place we’ll reach when we have, do, are enough. The truth is that learning how to be happier is a mindset, and it’s surprisingly easy to access when you know what to focus on.

According to author, yogi and Energy Medicine pro, Lauren Walker (who’s mentor, Donna Eden, is the OG master of Energy Medicine), building a better, more positive outlook on life can be as simple as saying thanks and breathing a bit deeper. Learn about Lauren and her work with this inspiring interview, and then grab her simple strategies for boosting happiness below…

One of the most important things for health is your brain. How you view the world has an enormous effect on your health. This isn’t the New Age idea of thinking well of yourself.

In a world full of challenges, both internal and external, it can seem beyond difficult to stay positive. Here are some tools to help you:

BE GRATEFUL.

The studies are in: Feeling grateful makes you feel better. If you’re going through a tough time, this can be just the thing to turn you around. Find something, no matter how small, to feel grateful for — beautiful sunset, a warm cup of tea, a smile from a stranger. Write down three things a day and let yourself feel gratitude deeply in your body. This practice will bring an instant smile to your face.

NOTICE BEAUTY.

Even in the midst of chaos, there is always beauty. It can be huge, like a gorgeous vista, or tiny, like a little heart-shaped rock in an abandoned lot. The brain is wired toward negativity, so when you start to focus on and notice beauty all around you, you start to rewire your brain for positivity — and you feel happier!

GIVE THANKS.

This goes along with gratitude. Give thanks for all of the goodness in your life. Make a habit of giving thanks. Maybe bring it into your mealtimes. Before you eat, take a moment to pause, and say, “Thank you to all the people who’ve had a hand in bringing this food to my table.” It helps to put you into a gracious frame of mind to notice and be thankful for your life.

DEEP BREATH.

If you’re having a tough time, the best thing you can do is step back and take a few deep breaths. Breathing deeply in through the nose and out through the mouth helps activate the parts of the brain that bring you into calm and happiness.

STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR DAY.

No matter how busy you are, take a moment to pause and reflect on your life. Instead of just rushing through things, stop and do one of the above practices: Notice something beautiful, give thanks for the day or take a deep breath and feel your own miraculous body working.

FEET TO EARTH.

Plug into the abundant earth energy and de-stress by putting your bare feet on the bare earth. It’s deeply healing and feels so good. This is a great one to do with kids, as they love nothing more than getting right up against the earth; they can teach us so much about simplicity.

TAP INTO JOY.

Tap with one finger into the center of your forehead between your eyebrows when you feel joyful. This helps to reprogram joy into your nervous system.

MEDITATE DAILY.

Take some time out of your day to meditate. Something as simple as focusing on your breath for 5-20 minutes a day builds healthier brain function and rewires your brain for health and calm.

Doing one or more of these simple practices is enough to start to shift yourself out of difficult patterns and into more beneficial, health-giving, thriving joy!