It is hard to believe it has been 30 days since we started this Happiness Challenge together. We covered a lot of happiness ground. If you have followed along with the tips I shared and made an effort to improve your mood, gratitude, and joy, I’m sure you are experiencing a lot of progress and growth.
Let’s take a minute and look back at everything we’ve covered this month. Go back to the emails and review as often as needed to create the change you desire-much of it is changing your mindset. As always, you can contact me in the Facebook Group or Messager for additional support. It’s. See the 30 Day Challenge topics below::
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Welcome And Why Happiness Is A Choice You Make Every Day
Make A Commitment To Cultivating Happiness
What Makes You Happy?
Start Your Day With Gratefulness
The Connection Between Doing Stuff And Happiness
Stress Kills Happiness – Easy Ways To Destress
Happiness and Exercise
We Crave Human Connections
Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff – Savor It
Finding Happiness in a Sea Of Sadness or Overwhelm
Fighting Against Our Brain’s Bias To Negativity
Build A Support System of Happy People Around You
Why Getting Enough Sleep May Be The Key To Happiness
Boost Your Confidence And Become Happier
Make It A Point To Make Someone’s Day
When All Else Fails, Fake It
Keep A Journal To Practice Gratitude And Happiness
Learn To Deal With Negative Thoughts and Emotions
Live In the Moment
Think & Communicate In Positive Ways
Giving Back Makes Us Happier
Meditating Your Way To A Happier You
Trade Things For Experiences (travel instead of more stuff)
Happiness In Simplicity – Declutter Your Life And Your Mind
Stop Complaining. Take Action
How Good Nutrition Can Help Your Mood
Sometimes You Need To Treat Yourself And Spend Some “Me” Time
Happiness Is Contagious
Are You Noticing A Difference?
I hope you’ve been following along and enjoyed this happiness challenge. It’s amazing what will happen when you start to pay attention to how you feel and do what you can to increase your happiness and those around you. I hope you have found some tools, techniques, tips, and ideas that have helped you increase the joy in your life.
Where do you go from here? Make the new perspectives and processes that you have learned in the last thirty days permanent. Since you have built momentum, keep going!!! Identify other areas to work on that have been obstacles in your happiness, then work on them. I encourage you to continue to journal whether using the Happiness Challenge Journal or something else. Journaling can enrich your experience and help you see your progress. It’s an excellent tool you can use to keep yourself on track.
Keep coming back to these posts as needed. It may not be a bad idea to bookmark this post as a quick reference tool. Above all, keep learning, keep smiling, and keep experiencing joy and happiness.
As for me, check out SheilaMcoaching.com to see upcoming events and more… If you haven’t already, join the Sheila M Community to be the first to receive FREE resources, updates, and product information.
I look forward to us achieving our goals, positively impacting the world around us, and living a passionate, purposeful, happy life!!! Yesssss
Throughout the past 28 days, we’ve been talking a lot about happiness and what we can do to increase how we feel. We’ve talked about a huge variety of different things, from how sleep, exercise, and nutrition can affect our mood to simple strategies like decluttering and practicing gratefulness.
Tomorrow I’ll give you a quick little review and we’ll make some plans to go from here. Today though, as this 30 Day Happiness Challenge is coming to a close, I thought it would be a good idea to take stock and see if intentionally focusing on being happier is making a difference. I know it has for me, but how about you? I hope you’ve been following along and trying the various ideas. One thing we talked about in the past is keeping a journal. The idea was to change thinking, be intentional in taking action steps to create the life ou desire, practice gratitude and pay attention to the good things about us by writing them down. That same journal is also a great tool to judge how you’ve been doing throughout this challenge. Compare the earlier entries to the last few or how you’re feeling now. Hopefully, you see some significant improvements.
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It’s important to remember that we go through seasons in our lives. There are times that we are happier and times that are more challenging and sad. It’s ok to go through those sadder phases. In one of the posts in this challenge, I mentioned that it would be sad if we only experienced happiness. We need sad to make the happy stand out more. Without the tough times, it’s hard to appreciate the good ones. If you’re stuck in a tough time, that’s ok. Do what you can to make yourself and your loved ones get through it and then work on bringing joy and happiness back into your lives.
More than anything else, I hope this short little challenge makes you more aware of the beauty and joy around you. It’s so easy to get sucked into our everyday lives and troubles to a point where we miss the people and things that will make us happy. This challenge was designed to make you more aware of them and create new, positive habits that you will continue to carry forward from here on out. We’ll talk a little more about where to go from here in tomorrow’s wrap-up post. For now, I hope this has made a difference to you and I’d love to hear how you’ve enjoyed it and what you’ve found particularly helpful. Leave me a comment, connect on social media, or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.
Wishing you a productive day!
Sheila M XOXO
Maximize Your Challenge Results With The 30 Day Happiness Challenge Journal and Workbook
30-Day Happiness Challenge Journal & Workbook
The 30-Day Happiness Challenge Journal and Workbook is a supplement to the FREE 30-Day Happiness Challenge. Click =>30 Day Happiness Challenge if you haven’t signed up yet. :-).
Use the fillable PDF Journal to respond to Challenge prompts, record your thoughts and develop a success plan. Each two-page daily challenge is filled with prompts and calls to action that provide an opportunity to develop a new mindset, incorporate change in your daily activities, follow a process to achieve your goals, and keep you on track and organized.
Ultimately, your transformation is a direct result of your investment in yourself. Change is not easy, rarely happens overnight, and will be challenged – so believing you deserve a better life is imperative to keep you motivated to achieve your goals. Whatever chapter of your life you are in, you write the next one… so make it a great one by working on yourself and pursuing your desires to live a passionate, purpose-driven, and happy life.
Beyond the FREE Happiness Challenge and supplemental Journal and Workbook, we are here to support you and grow as a community. Connect with us in the Happiness Challenge Facebook Group to connect with like-minded individuals seeking to change what isn’t working to achieve a happy, purpose-driven, and fulfilled life.
Customized to daily 30-Day Happiness Challenge tips and strategies
Fillable PDF Journal – Fill it out digitally or print
We lead busy lives and have all sorts of obligations as parents, professionals, and friends. It’s easy to lose yourself in everything that has to be done in any given week. While it’s great to give and spend lots of time with loved ones, there is a time and place when you should slow down and get a little selfish.
Sometimes you need to treat yourself and spend a little “me” time. Don’t feel guilty about it. In the end, it will make you a better parent, a better colleague, and a better friend. We all need to recharge and do something just for ourselves on a regular basis and it doesn’t have to be complicated.
If taking time for yourself to do something that you enjoy and that relaxes you isn’t something you’re doing right now, figure out what you may want to do. Maybe it’s reading a good book or watching your favorite TV show. Maybe it’s getting back into a hobby you used to enjoy. Maybe it’s taking a nap. Maybe it’s a simple as having 10 minutes to sit by yourself and think or thumb through a magazine.
Your first task is to find out what you want to do for yourself. Time to do what you enjoy is always a favorite. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time and involve anything complicated. Sure, a trip to the beach by yourself for a week would be great, but if that’s not an option, curling up on the couch with a nice cup of tea and a good book will do.
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Treating yourself to a new haircut, a pretty dress, a new gadget, or something that will help you enjoy your hobby more is another great option. Or keep it super simple, and pick up a favorite treat that you don’t have to share while you’re out doing the grocery shopping.
The point I’m trying to make is that it’s ok to treat yourself and do something for the sole purpose of making you happy. While a piece of fancy chocolate may not seem like that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, treating yourself well and caring for yourself can have a massive impact on the rest of your day and how you treat those around you. Give it a try. Do something nice for yourself and watch your happiness levels go up. You deserve it!
It is interesting to learn how much the food we eat can affect our mood. I think it’s no accident that since the advent of lots of processed food with added sugar in the Western diet, depression and other mood disorders have dramatically risen. We look for ways to increase happiness in various ways when the most straightforward solution may be to change what we eat. Let’s look at a couple of key ingredients and nutrients that have been shown to affect our mood directly.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
I’m sure you’ve heard about this fatty acid that’s found in fatty fish and certain seeds and nuts. There’s another fatty acid called Omega 6 and from what I’ve read, there’s an important balance between omega 3 and omega 6 that needs to happen. If you end up with way more omega 6 than omega 3 (which is often the case in a diet that consists of lots of processed foods), one of the side effects is depression.
Vitamin D
We then get the blues more in winter when we can’t get some sun outside. A big reason for this drop in mood is a lack of vitamin D. With the advent of strong sunscreen and a global health policy that warns us of sun exposure and cautions us to cover up or wear sunscreen; it’s no wonder that vitamin D deficiency has become a significant problem that also happens to affect our mood negatively.
B Vitamins
Being happy takes energy and a key ingredient in making sure we get the energy we need from our foods are B vitamins. This whole group of micronutrients is crucial in how energized we feel. Make sure you get plenty to feel your best.
Magnesium
Last but not least, let’s talk about magnesium. This is becoming more and more of an issue as our soils are magnesium depleted and less of this mineral makes it into our food. Lack of magnesium can cause insomnia. I don’t have to tell you how important a good night’s sleep is to your overall well-being.
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While you may want to consider supplementing with some of these nutrients to fill the gap quickly, your diet will have a much better long-term strategy if you work on cleaning it up. The more processed foods you can cut out and replace with fresh fruits and vegetables, quality meats, and healthy fats, the better. In other words, eat a healthy diet made up of real foods and you’ll start feeling better.
Search more on supplements and the right foods to eat for optimal performance. Talk to your doctor. Request your next bloodwork include identifying important nutrient levels. I gained some great info researching brain power foods recently. I started noticing brain fog and reduced concentration. The information helped me incorporate nutrients and eliminate some foods to ensure I do all I can to live my best life. What do you need to change?
Since starting this 30 Day Happiness Challenge here on the blog and via email, I’ve been more aware of other people’s happiness. I’m sure you’ve experienced the same thing. It is causing me to look at people more closely and pay attention to their actions, feelings, and how that correlates. It’s been exciting and has given me some fresh perspectives on this whole happiness thing.
Something that’s stood out in the past few weeks is that the people that seem the most unsatisfied with their life and the least happy are the ones that spend a lot of their time and energy complaining. I’m sure you have a few of those people in your life as well. They are too busy talking about how horrible their life is that they don’t have any time left to do something about it. Or maybe they’d rather complain than change things. Either way, the solution seems to be simple. Stop complaining and start taking action.
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We all have times when we complain about one thing or another. Sometimes we do it in our heads, sometimes we vent with a close friend or family member. We grumble, get it off our chest, and that alone makes us feel a little better. That’s fine, provided complaining isn’t all we do. Sure, there are times when we complain, feel a little better, and the situation resolves itself. But there are other times when things won’t get better and we won’t feel happier in the long run unless we do something.
If you’re not happy in your job, start looking for a different position or even change companies. If you’re not happy with your salary and it doesn’t give you the funds to do what you want in life, work towards that promotion, take some classes, and do whatever it takes to start earning more. If you are stuck in a relationship that makes you unhappy, work on it, or take action to move on if you’re not happy with how your kids act; work on your parenting skills, and with your kids to improve things. If you’re not satisfied with how you look and feel, start eating healthier and get outside for some fresh air and exercise.
It’s truly amazing how much you can shape your life for the better once you stop complaining and start taking action. What will you do today to make your life better and increase your long-term happiness?
In my last post, I discussed how focusing on experiences instead of things can help reduce stress and increase happiness. Today, I want to take that one step further and focus a little more on getting rid of things – both physical and mental. The idea is to find happiness in simplicity.
One of the reasons vacations are so relaxing is because we are away from most of our stuff and the responsibilities that come with it. You don’t have to worry about all sorts of projects and chores around the house and can just relax and enjoy the space you are in. You’re away from appointments, work, and being reachable. This allows you to focus on the people with you.
While we can’t replicate this feeling of vacation, we can reduce the clutter in our lives and simplify things. This allows us to focus on what’s important and what makes us happy. Here are some simple little ideas to help you start decluttering.
Decluttering Your Home
Let’s start with the simple stuff. There are tons of books, blog posts, articles and even TV shows about decluttering. While it isn’t easy, what it boils down to is to go through your home, one room or one area at a time and finding the things you no longer need or want. These can then be thrown out or given away. The idea is that in the end, you are left with things you appreciate and a lot more clear space that’s more relaxing to live in and easier to keep clean and organized.
Decluttering Your Calendar
Next, take a look at your calendar or the activities and obligations in your life. Being busy makes us feel productive, but often the best use of our time is to cut out all the extra stuff that really isn’t necessary and doesn’t bring us joy. Don’t be afraid to be ruthless and even a little impolite at times. Feeling obligated shouldn’t be a good enough reason why you’re doing something. Get rid of it and then use the gained time to do things that help you relax, get ahead, and most importantly, make you happy.
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Last but not lead it’s time to declutter your brain. It’s incredible how much “junk” we let build up in there. We all have this running list of things we should do, ideas for future projects, what to cook, what to shop for, etc. We don’t realize how much brain power that kind of thinking takes up. The best way to deal with it is to do a “brain dump”. Get out a piece of paper and start writing it all down. Everything you have in your head that you think you need to remember from the book you want to read next and what to cook for dinner tomorrow to the meeting you need to schedule at work. Write it all down. Don’t judge, don’t edit, and don’t try to organize it. All of that can come later. For now, write it down to get it out of your head.
When you’re done, notice how much lighter and happier you feel with each area of your life decluttered. While it isn’t the easiest thing to do, it is well worth it and something you should try to do regularly.
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