“When transitions in life shake you to the core, see that as a
sign of greatness that’s about to occur.” Anonymous
Happiness is within reach even during major life transitions. During those times, we may easily fall into patterns of thought that can keep us stuck and not moving forward. During times of loss, struggle, and facing the unknown it’s important to create space for more happiness in your life.
Fortunately, the key to happiness is within you—but it needs to be nurtured. Below is a supportive menu of happiness ignitors. I invite you to start where you are and choose one to focus on at a time. Once you feel led, you can choose another from the menu that lights you up. Even amid major life transitions, you deserve happiness and joyful moments. They are there just waiting for you to claim them.
12 Ways to Create More Happiness in Your Life:
- Embrace an attitude of gratitude. It has been proven that just 3 things for which you are grateful each day yield a change in your attitude and increase the number of things you are grateful for and therefore your happiness. It’s hard to feel unhappy when things are making you grateful. Start with being grateful for sleep or your bed and go on from there.
- Put yourself at the top of your to-do list. As women, we are taught we are supposed to take care of everyone, and that means before ourselves. This is wrong! If we are not prioritizing ourselves, who will? How will we have the energy to give to others if we are fully depleted? Simply put, we won’t.
- Create space each day to relax and nurture yourself. This is not a luxury; it is a requirement! It doesn’t need to cost money and can be simple. You want it to be easy so you prioritize it and do it. Nurturing can be reading a book, taking a bath, going for a walk or treating yourself to a spa day. Whatever makes you feel cared for and loved,
- Explore new places and experiences. When was the last time you tried out something or went somewhere new? While going through a life transition, we often feel stuck. It is when you tap into new experiences you may discover more of what lights you up and gives you a fresh outlook on life.
- Do more of what lights you up. Once you’ve discovered what lights you. up—create more space for it and do it as often as you can. Doing things that bring you joy and light you up bring you happiness!
- Connect with friends, family, and community. Sometimes, when we are going through a difficult transition, we don’t want to be around others who aren’t. It can be hard to be around people who are laughing and having fun. However, this may be exactly what you need! It is important to remember that we can feel more than one emotion at a time AND it is not “cheating” hurting anyone by denying yourself laughter and joy. Be around others who lift you up and make you smile. Don’t isolate; it keeps you feeling miserable.
- Create a home that feels like a sanctuary. Even little steps make a big difference. That may mean putting the laundry away as soon as it’s done. Picking up clutter that may be overwhelming can lift a burden. You deserve to live in a healthy, happy, and peaceful!
- Get physical and move your body. Moving your body moves the stagnating and stuck energy. It helps clear our minds, energizes us, and gets endorphins moving. It gets you out of your head and clears your mind. It helps any negative thought patterns dissipate. Plus, it’s healthy!
- Stay curious. Ask yourself and the Universe the hard questions. What is it that I want in my life What did I use to enjoy? What am I afraid of and why? What if this is happening for me instead of to me? What would I want to do if there were no downsides or limitations?
- Release Comparison. We are all different. Everyone grieves their losses at different intensities and for differing lengths of time. Each loss is unique, too. Comparing contributes nothing positive to your life. It makes you feel like you’re not moving fast enough, grieving deeply enough, or the other person is in the same situation.
- Get professional help if you need it. Sometimes we need some assistance or boost when confronted with a lifequake. It’s the sign of a strong person to realize we need help, seek it out, and accept it. Finding professional assistance rather than relying on friends or family is often the best choice for a few reasons: they are trained to help, it is their job to help you so it doesn’t become a burden, and they have access to helpful resources.
- Minimize watching of the news. Watching the news can be stressful and anxiety-provoking. Unfortunately, in today’s world, television news can be very jarring, violent, and disturbing. Many of us have imaginations that magnify the horrors we see. We don’t need to add to the already stressful situation we are going through in our life transition.
- BONUS Strategy: Create a Vision Board. Vision boards are helpful tools; they allow us to create a vision of what we want our future to look like and by doing so manifest these ideas. There are many ways to create one— cutting out pictures from magazines, doing a virtual one online with photos from your photo collection, or ones found online. You can even create a “movie” version with music. The important part is to look at it a few times a day and imprint these concepts into your mind. It lets the Universe know that this is what you want for your life. You will find you manifest what’s there!
Affirmation: I am strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when I need help, and brave enough to ask for it!
If it is happiness you seek, try these thirteen ways to bring more into your life. Start with the one that speaks loudest to you and slowly move on. Be patient and give yourself grace. You are building a strong foundation on top of one that may have crumbled. The new one needs to be sturdy, and that takes time. It builds resilience.
Remember you have survived 100% of your rough days. You can do this! I believe in you! As Jim Rohn said, “Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” Take the first step!
