Day 2 – Finding Your Happiness
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Happynesshub Hint Two
WRITE A LIST OF 10 THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY, OR FEEL ALIVE. GO THROUGH YOUR LIST AND MAKE SURE YOU DO ONE OF THOSE THINGS TODAY.
So… close your eyes, breathe in and out deeply three times, and ask yourself, “What makes me happy? Truly happy. When am I most happy?” Write down your list of around 10 things, more if you have them! What are they? Today, ensure you do at least one of those items from your list. When you’re winding down for bed, reflect on the experience, remembering the enjoyment you got from it. Perhaps even add it to your gratitude diary!
The Day 2 Film – Sally
Welcome to our Day 2 Happynesshub Hint Film with our very own Sally here to explain more about today’s exercise and fill you in on the nuts and bolts of how to get the most out of the day.
Welcome to our Day 2 film, which features gentle breathing, stretching and meditation. If you have any health concerns, please consult your GP first. If you have a yoga mat that is helpful, otherwise please do not practise on a slippery surface.
If you would prefer to follow a shorter breathing and / or meditation film (with no stretching) please click here. Or if you want an audio meditation only, choose how long you have, then click and go!
2 mins
5 mins
10 mins
15 mins
20 mins
A few years ago a friend said to me, “What right now makes you happy, truly happy?” It’s such a simple question it would seem, but I stared blankly and thought, I’m not sure I know. I then wondered what happiness was. What really did make me happy? Worryingly, I struggled. Times were tough and I really didn’t know.
Knowing what makes you truly happy is key to a fulfilled life. Therefore, I started to write down some things that did make me happy. Spending time with my family and friends was number one; but that wasn’t always possible. So I thought again. Having a bath, that was another. My list wasn’t that long because at the time I was bedbound and unwell, but I knew that it was important to try to do things in my day that gave me joy. So I set about trying my best. Slowly, very slowly at first, change began to occur. I started to discover more and more things that made my heart sing. For me, many of them revolved around people, but I soon discovered new ones, and now my list is pretty long!
Research shows that doing this exercise and, if you can, engaging in a variety of happy activities – whether spending time alone, reading or listening to music, meeting friends, exercising or doing something that feels particularly meaningful to you – will bring about different kinds of satisfaction that together contribute to your overall happiness.
The important thing is to try to make time to do things that make you happy, however big or small. On a busy day, it can be as simple as smiling at somebody; on another, it may be watching a favourite film. If you reflect on these activities at the end of the day, research shows that those experiences will stay in your memory and then you will be able to gain pleasure from them later on.
One of the changes I have noticed since I started this exercise is that I now find happiness in much smaller and simpler things, and that I am aware of them, and am able to reflect on them and be grateful.
So, in the busyness of daily life try to find time for yourself; and every day do something that makes you happy, however small. See how things change. Have fun!
Please click here for further research on Finding Your Happiness.