5 Ways to Feel Happy
If you feel like happiness is a moving target, you aren’t alone! No one is happy 100% of the time. And yet, we seem to be keenly aware of the absence of happiness and often look for ways to be happier, or at the very least experience less discomfort.
The good news is that there is some brain-science-based action you can take to help improve your mood by promoting the release of what are known as “happiness chemicals.” These neurochemicals (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins - represented by the acronym DOSE) send messages to the brain that increase our sense of well-being. Here are a few ideas to get your daily DOSE of happiness.
Dopamine is associated with reward and motivation. All too often, we turn to social media where scrolling triggers a dopamine release. A positive alternative is a gratitude practice. A gratitude journal can help to build connections in our brains to increasingly notice positive experiences over time. Try this: name 1-3 things that you are grateful for and appreciate.
Oxytocin is known as the “love hormone” and a natural pain killer. One way to increase oxytocin in your system is to hug someone - 20 seconds is ideal. However, you can also hug yourself if no one is available!
Serotonin is known as the “happiness chemical” and is good for overall well-being. Laughter is good medicine as far as serotonin and happiness are concerned, even if you are fake laughing! Spending time outdoors in the sunlight is good for serotonin production as well.
Endorphins contribute to feeling energetic or even euphoric. These chemicals are commonly known to be released through exercise which also helps with a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression. Some other options include listening to music or - my personal favorite - eating dark chocolate.
And now the perhaps not-so-good news for those of us who find happiness particularly elusive. The above suggestions are not stand-alone solutions or long-term fixes for deeper concerns. While regular engagement in these or similar practices may be able to strengthen your ability to experience happiness, they don’t really get to the heart of the matter, do they?
5. So, I invite you to also consider this question: What could your unhappiness be telling you?
You may be able to name the root cause of your unhappiness right away. Negative emotions, such as unhappiness, are a pretty good indication that something is out of balance or just plain wrong. Think about your physical health (is it time for a check-up with your doctor?), as well as your relational, spiritual, vocational, recreational, and environmental health. All of these contribute to overall wellness. Do you know what it is? If so, what needs to change in that context to begin to move the needle on your happiness gauge? What do you have control over? What can you let go of? Those are a whole lot of questions, but they might lead you to some answers.
There may also be deeper, and even historic, factors that are not as easily recognized. Lacking an understanding of identity, meaning and purpose, or the role of old or new emotional/relational wounds could be hovering in the background of your discontent. Digging a little deeper and tending to what needs attention or nurturing may be just what you need to forge a new and happier way forward.
Written by Alison Fuerst