A recent scientific study shows that people who think about the things they’re grateful for at least once a day reported feeling happier than people who don’t. How often do we eat a hot meal without thinking about where it came from? If we can focus our attention on being grateful for the things we have, we can actually improve our own moods! But how can we start to incorporate gratitude into our lives? A great way to practice gratitude is by writing a list of things you are grateful for every morning. Sometimes, writing out what you’re grateful for is better than just thinking about it in your head. If you’re someone who practices gratitude yet struggles with your day-to-day mood, don’t get discouraged. A recent study conducted by Harvard University showed that people who wrote thank you notes to those they were grateful for didn’t actually feel positively impacted. In other words, the results of the study showed that gratitude is actually something that needs to be attained. That’s why gratitude is regarded as a practice. Just because you say you are grateful for something, doesn’t make it true. If you can continue to practice gratitude every day, you can improve your ability to feel grateful every day. Because gratitude is linked to happiness, practicing gratitude is a way you can practice becoming happier! Another great way to become a happier person is by practicing mindfulness. Gratitude and mindfulness can be something you practice at the same time. Keep reading to find out how.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a person’s ability to be fully present and intentionally aware. When someone is being mindful, they are noticing the way they are interacting with external stimuli.

For instance, standing outside and noticing the warmth of the sunlight as it hits you is an example of practicing mindfulness. Another example of mindfulness is focusing on your breath as you breathe in and out. 

In other words, mindfulness is a state of focus. So, how can focusing on ourselves and our surroundings help us become happier people? 

Well, practicing mindfulness is a cross-cultural technique that has been used for thousands of years in order to quell intrusive thoughts. 

Have you ever focused on your breathing and noticed that your mind unintentionally trails off? This is what it means to have intrusive thoughts. Everybody has them! 

The thing about intrusive thoughts is that they are often associated with some sort of emotional response. For example, maybe an upsetting conversation you had earlier pops into your head. This intrusive thought can affect a negative emotional response. 

That’s where mindfulness comes in! Practicing mindfulness can help you observe intrusive thoughts non-judgementally and achieve a state of calmness. Check out the numerous benefits of practicing mindfulness below:

• Increased emotional regulation
• Reduced anxiety
• Reduced stress
• Decreased depression
• Improved memory
• Improved physical health
• Improved relationships

There you have it! As you can see, practicing mindfulness plays a significant role in our happiness.

Prioritizing getting a good night's sleep is another way to cultivate happiness in your life. Keep reading to learn more.

It all starts with a good night’s sleep. If you haven’t already guessed, getting a good night’s sleep is a great way to improve your overall mood. 

Sleep is necessary for your body to get the rest it needs. A good night’s sleep allows your brain to recharge, store memories, and process information. In other words, sleep plays a significant role in our ability to wake up energized, stay alert, and function properly throughout the day.

It’s no secret that if you have enough energy to accomplish your daily goals, you will be more fulfilled. Participants in a recent study proved that fulfillment is linked to being able to better cope with negative emotions.

In other words, finding fulfillment is a great way to become a consistently happier person. As we mentioned previously, it all starts with a good night’s sleep! If you can prioritize getting a good night’s sleep every night, you can achieve your goals. If you can achieve your goals, you will most likely gain a sense of fulfillment and become a happier person.

In addition, getting a good night’s sleep also helps the body fight diseases, heal, and grow. Most importantly, getting a good night’s sleep helps your body remain energized from dusk till dawn!

Additional health benefits of getting a good night’s sleep include:

• Reduced stress
• Think clearly
• Improve the quality of life
• Get along with people better
• Make fewer mistakes
• Decreased risk of auto accidents
• Decreased risk of heart disease
• Decreased risk of mental health disorders

As you can see, sleep is crucial in regard to functioning properly throughout the day.

If you struggle to get a good night’s sleep, click here to learn about what you can do to sleep through the night and wake up feeling well-rested. You can also check out NightCap, a delicious and all-natural evening cocktail made to help improve your quality of sleep.

Another great way to become a happier person is by finding ways to self-regulate your emotions. Let’s discuss how below.

Cultivating happiness starts with self-regulation. Keeping a consistent and regulated schedule is critical when it comes to self-regulation. How can you attain fulfillment in your life if you don’t work on yourself every day?

It becomes much easier to feel motivated to work on yourself when you set aside a little bit of time to do it every day. This is where self-regulation and keeping a routine comes in. 

Did you know that self-regulation goes hand-in-hand with your circadian rhythm, your 24-hour wake-sleep cycle? Consequently, if you want to become a happier person, keeping a consistent and healthy routine is a great way to regulate your sleep-wake cycle, feel alert and well-rested throughout the day, and improve your overall mood.

Not only does maintaining a consistent routine play a role in regulating your circadian rhythm, but studies show that it can also help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. With reduced stress and anxiety, you’re that much closer to cultivating long-term happiness in your life. 

Like practicing gratitude and mindfulness, keeping a routine can also play an important role in emotional regulation and have a profound, positive impact on your mental health.

What are some examples of self-regulating routines that can help you become a happier person? I’m glad you asked. Take a look at the things you can implement into your mornings to keep the energy high throughout the day and improve your overall quality of life.

• Meditate
• Stretch
• Drink water
• Listen to music
• Drink EarlyBird
• Make your bed
• Take a shower
• Journal
• Exercise
• Clean your room
• Eat a yummy, energizing breakfast

It can also be helpful to plan out your day every day. Consider writing To-Do lists, so that you can stay organized and focus on your happiness.

Did you know that daily exercise can help you stay in shape and improve your day-to-day mood? Here’s how. Exercising is a great way to improve your cardiovascular health because it helps your body pump oxygen and essential nutrients to your tissues and muscles. This process helps keep your heart and your lungs healthy. If your heart and lungs are happy and healthy, you will feel more energized! Thus, implementing one hour of exercise into your daily routine is another great way to maximize productivity, cultivate fulfillment, and become a happier person.

If you wake up with little to no energy every morning, it could be a sign that your body isn’t getting the proper nutrients it needs. This can have a profound negative impact on your mental health, making it that much more difficult to be happy. 

In order to wake up, stay energized throughout the day, and achieve your goals, your body needs fuel!

If you want to wake up feeling happy to take on the day, take a look at some foods you can incorporate into your diet that provide your body with natural energy. 

• Avocados
• Spinach
• Watermelon
• Kale
• Almonds
• Banana
• Dates
• Eggs
• Chia seeds

It’s important to keep in mind that processed foods or foods with added sugar might give you a brief energy spike, but will always leave you feeling tired and energy deficient. 

Simple, all-natural foods are great sources of energy. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are all great choices for keeping fatigue at bay and finding the energy to cultivate daily happiness.

If you’re looking for an easy energy fix but don’t like the foods listed above, not to worry. There are plenty of all-natural energy drinks that taste delicious and have been proven to positively impact your mood.

For instance, EarlyBird is a delicious and all-natural energy drink designed to help you maximize productivity, stay hydrated, and improve your daily mood. Keep reading to learn more about EarlyBird and how it can help you become a happier person. 

EarlyBird is an all-natural morning cocktail made especially for goal-oriented people like you. Not only does EarlyBird help keep you focused throughout the day, but it's filled with hydrating and energizing electrolytes. EarlyBird contains a unique blend of green coffee bean extract, antioxidants, L-Theanine, and L-Tyrosine. Not only does this genius blend help wake you up in the morning, but it keeps you feeling awake and alert all day without crashing. In addition, EarlyBird contains zero grams of sugar, zero carbs, and zero calories. That’s why it’s my personal favorite lifehack for being the best version of myself every day.

It goes without saying that doing things you enjoy can lift your spirits. But how often do we set aside time for laughter, or to do activities we enjoy?

Laughter is scientifically proven to improve your mood, mental health, and immune system! 

In addition, laughter can help you relax when you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed. In other words, if you can set aside thirty minutes a day to do an activity that brings you joy, you can become a happier person.