5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Significantly Up Your Happiness Game and Well-Being

Did you know researchers determined that three primary factors affect happiness levels, and only 10% of happiness is determined by external circumstances? Genetics (50%) and intentional activities (40%) make up the primary pieces of the pie. This was a very powerful revelation for me. It suggests that intentional activities offer the most promising means to increase and sustain levels of happiness.

I became an intentional warrior about everything—thoughts/affirmations, diet, sleep, exercise, gratitude, faith, social support, vision, goals, etc. Literally everything. Cultivating happiness is a constant practice. Your daily life, ergo your state of mind, is dictated by your daily choices day in and day out. Small, consistent steps are the foot soldiers that win the crusade for hope and happiness. You have to be in it to win it.

This means living with intention and not just operating on autopilot; creating a life based on choices, not habits; and practicing the sort of person you want to be each day. Sounds simple? It is. But it's not easy. It takes commitment and intention. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Here are 5 lifestyle tweaks that can significantly up your happiness game and well-being.

1. Gratitude

The research on the benefits of gratitude is undeniable. Studies show gratitude to be associated with greater happiness, life satisfaction, joy, and self-esteem. An attitude of gratitude is also associated with reduced depression, anxiety, bitterness, and loneliness. It rewires your neural pathways for good. It’s the easiest thing to practice and the payoff is enormous.

2. Thoughts/Affirmations

Excessive and ruminating negative thoughts and emotions are literal poison to your soul and use neural pathways as their means of attack. When you subject your brain to constant negative thoughts and emotions, you actually change its physical structure—and not in a good way. Sadly, the brain can’t differentiate between actual threats and perceived threats. Losing one’s job and worrying about losing one’s job can wreak the same neural and emotional havoc. Ironically, research suggests that approximately 85% of what we worry about never happens. So, you need to guard your thoughts and internal dialogue.

Moreover, evidence-based research shows that affirmations rewire the brain on a cellular level. It makes sense, really. If crappy self-talk can adversely wire the brain, then positive affirmations can interrupt those maladaptive neuro-nets and rewire your brain for happiness. When you engage in positive affirmations, the neural magic happens. Remember how the brain can’t tell the difference between a real threat and a perceived threat? The sword cuts both ways and works to your benefit with positive affirmations. Since the mind can’t tell the difference between real and pretend, affirmations can program your mind into believing a stated concept. Ah-mazing!

3. Social Support

The Beatles were on to something with their hit “All You Need is Love.” Countless studies show that love and social support are associated with greater happiness, life satisfaction, longevity, and physical health. Moreover, a meta-analysis of studies found that lack of social connections/loneliness carries the same health risks as smoking, obesity, not exercising, and alcoholism—sobering statistics. So, grow your garden of social support…it’s one of the best investments you can make.

4. Faith.

I’m not looking to proselytize. I avoid people who do that like the plague. But there’s just no getting around the fact that studies have determined faith to be an integral and significant predictor of happiness. And by faith, I’m not talking about confidence in Tom Brady’s throwing arm or J. Lo’s unparalleled ability to twerk. I’m talking about the Big Guy (or Girl), Universe, Spirit, Supreme Being, or whomever that higher power may be to you. For me, it’s God.

By “faith,” I’m referring to spirituality in all its forms, not any type of organized religion. Spirituality is universal. The specifics may vary, but all cultures have the concept of a sacred, divine force. Spirituality acts like a lamp, a guidepost. It lights your path during life’s darkest moments and allows the joyous moments to shine even brighter. Believing in something bigger than you; being about something more than you…is where it’s at.

5. Sleep/Diet/Exercise.

Lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise, and sleep patterns affect your brain’s health and neuroplasticity and your happiness. If you don’t think your daily habits affect your happiness, you’re fooling yourself. You can read every self-help book, keep a gratitude journal, and meditate daily, but if the rest of your lifestyle is junk food, sugary energy drinks, alcohol, little exercise, and poor sleep habits, it’s a happiness house of cards. Life and happiness are the sum of all your choices. Choose wisely.

I would love to cultivate “happiness happening” where people become intentional and invested in daily practices to maintain their mental well-being.

In Happy AF: Simple Strategies to Get Unstuck, Bounce Back, and Live Your Best Life, we explore a whole host of strategies, all backed by research, that can help you up your happiness game. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, which is why we examined so many different strategies. Try each one on and see what works best for you. Just like any road trip, there is more than one way to get there. Have happiness habits be the norm rather than the exception. That way, the next time a storm comes (and it will), your happiness will not be easily swayed, helpless like a leaf in the wind; you’ll be firmly tethered, rooted in your happiness.

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Beth Romero was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. After a thirty-year sojourn on the West Coast, she recently moved back to Philadelphia. In addition to having made her a pizza aficionado, her Italian American, East Coast background inspires the straightforward, humorous, and self-deprecating narrative style that characterizes her writing. With a background and degree in psychology, Beth channeled her creativity into a successful sales and branding career. From Veep to Boss to Happiness Junkie, persuasive storytelling is her superpower. She showcases those skills to their fullest in this practical and entertaining how-to guide for happiness.

Website: https://bethromeroauthor.com/

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How to Show Gratitude in Business

It’s the time of year to reflect on what we’re grateful for. Although we often focus on gratitude for the holidays, we should practice gratitude more than once a year because it will help our businesses grow. 

Yes, showing gratitude can help your business grow.

It’s one of the easiest things to do but somehow always gets forgotten. People start to feel resentful, unvalued, disrespected, and unappreciated, which leads to an unhappy workplace with high turnover - unappreciated customers who don’t return to purchase from your business. 

Establishing a culture of gratitude is an easy way to set yourself up for success.

Why Gratitude is Important for Business

Are you more likely to do business with someone who takes your money and runs, or someone who shows genuine appreciation for your business? I’m guessing the latter (let’s face it, we all want to be appreciated). Showing appreciation for “your people” greatly improves the amount of business you receive and builds your loyal customer base. People will keep coming back to you when they feel truly appreciated and valued. 

On the other hand, employees and employers need to feel appreciated, too. An excerpt from Intelligent Change reveals something interesting about U.S. workplaces: 

“Recent research conducted by the John Templeton Foundation revealed that for Americans, the workplace is the least likely place to express gratitude. Although as many as 93% of the respondents agreed that a grateful boss is more likely to succeed, and almost all of them agreed that a simple ‘thank you’ at work made them feel valued and respected, only 10% were actually prone to express gratefulness. The majority, or 60% of the respondents, have never expressed gratitude at work, or have only done so once a year!”

That’s pretty sad! How does showing gratitude once a year foster a positive work environment? It doesn’t. Employees and bosses need positive affirmation, encouragement, and to feel respected and appreciated to be their best selves in the workplace. It will make work more enjoyable for everyone, which is important since we spend so much of our one life doing it. 

How to Adopt an Attitude of Gratitude

It takes a conscious effort to choose an attitude of gratitude. It’s not something that happens overnight, and even for those who practice gratitude regularly, it can be harder on difficult days. Adopting a gratitude mindset and intentionally practicing gratitude every day will get you there, though. And it’s definitely worth it.

Mindset

I like this definition of a gratitude mindset from Lucemi Consulting: 

“When you have a gratitude mindset, you focus on the limitless opportunities available in business and life because you already appreciate what you have. When you are grateful, you choose to focus on the positive things rather than the negative things.”

Mindset is key when adopting an attitude of gratitude. You can see opportunity everywhere, but you’re aware of and thankful for where you are and what you have today. No one can take away your choice to be grateful for the life you have or the opportunities you’ve been given.

Attract What You Put Out in the World

You attract what you put out in the world. (Yes, it’s the law of attraction - you knew it was coming.) If you’re constantly throwing negativity into the world, you’re going to get negativity back. If you switch that mindset and start putting positivity into the world, you will attract it back to you. If you constantly show gratitude to people, they will return the favor. 

Another aspect of this is that whatever you’re putting out in the world, you notice more in your own life. In the case of gratitude, when you constantly praise people for the work they’ve done, you notice when people do the same in return. Sometimes small notes of praise can go unnoticed, but when you make that a core value of your business, you notice when people are expressing gratitude towards yourself and others. 

4 Ideas for Showing Gratitude in Your Business

Obviously showing gratitude is important to growing your business, but how do you go about actually doing that? Here are a few ideas of how to start.

Keep a Gratitude Journal

I like to practice gratitude journaling in the morning. It sets me on the right foot for the day. I make a list of 10-15 things that I’m grateful for. I try to be really specific, too. Not just “food” (which, of course, I am grateful for). Instead, I would write something like, “I am grateful that I have the means to purchase food I want.” Be specific when you fill out a gratitude journal. It will be fun to look back after a few months or even years to see how much you’ve grown and developed as a human. 

Be Grateful for Small Things that Happen Every Day

Do you know how many small things happening every day that you can be grateful for? Probably hundreds. During your gratitude journaling, identify small things that have happened to you in the last day or two that you can be grateful for. In addition (or alternatively), you can log your gratitude each night in a journal or app like Pixels. 

Send Gifts to Clients or Customers

Client gifts aren’t just for the holidays. You can send thank you letters when they sign with you, a quick birthday message, or a small gift of congratulations when they hit a milestone in their business. It’s always nice to receive “fun mail,” as I like to call it. It makes clients feel special and appreciated. 

Show appreciation to employees

We’ve all been part of the corporate world and felt unappreciated. If you haven’t, you’re one of the lucky few. It makes you dread work every day, resentful toward the company, and often straight-up miserable. Create a culture of gratitude and appreciation among employees. Give them positive affirmations, small gifts or thank you cards, and encourage employees to show gratitude among themselves, too. An appreciated employee is happier and has a higher job performance. Who doesn’t want that for the people who work with them?

P.S. Freelancers and contractors who do work for you count, too! 

I encourage you to practice showing gratitude daily. Start a daily gratitude journal, send gifts to clients or customers, and create a culture of gratitude by regularly showing employee appreciation. Not only will your business flourish, but you and everyone around you will be happier and more grateful people. We need more of those people in the world, don’t you agree?

How to Practice Gratitude (Because It’s Food for the Soul)

Next week is Thanksgiving, and although 2020 has been a wild year, there’s still much to be grateful for. 

Last year around this time I was writing about why we should have gratitude all year long, not just around the holidays. I stand by that, and in the past year I’ve learned a lot about the importance of gratitude. 

This year I wanted to share some new tools that I’ve used and seen because practicing gratitude intentionally every day has changed my life, and I think if you tried it it could change yours, too.

What is Gratitude & Why is it Important?

To be grateful means, “showing or expressing thanks, especially to another person” (Cambridge Dictionary). Gratitude doesn’t always have to be directed at a person, though. 

You can be grateful for events that happen to you, actions someone takes toward you, an inner quality, or even objects that just make your day better. For instance, when I think about what I’m grateful for in the morning, I often include things like the sunny day or my passion for words. 

While being grateful might seem simple, it’s incredibly powerful. As you probably know, sometimes bad days or bad experiences can make gratitude a lot harder to think about. Sometimes we just want to wallow in whatever negative mindset we’re feeling. 

And to an extent, that’s healthy. Having a full spectrum of emotion is a very human thing! But, just because we might be in the depths of despair, as one of my favorite characters always says, doesn’t necessarily mean there’s nothing positive or impactful happening. Unfortunately, most of life’s hardest lessons are learned the messy way and we only really appreciate them and become grateful for them later in life. 

How Gratitude Can Change Your Life

I’ve always been someone who expressed gratitude, but it wasn’t until this year that I decided to make a daily practice of it. I initially thought it was something that was nice, but that maybe people who wrote about the positive effects were kind of exaggerating. 

I mean, could one simple act of thinking about something really do that much? 

The stunning answer is actually yes! (Obviously I had to learn this the hard way.)

Although there are probably a thousand reasons we should practice gratitude, I wanted to focus on 3 major ways that gratitude can drastically change your life. These are things most of us strive for, but many people get stuck on the “how” part.

1. Make you happier - Can you imagine waking up and starting your day thinking about the good parts of your life instead of social media or email or the fact that you don’t want to go to work (even if you work from home)? Thinking about what you’re grateful for makes you happier. I mean, it makes sense, right? Focusing on the good rather than the bad increases happiness about where you are right now. I’m not the only one who thinks that, either!

2. Make you more satisfied - If you are thinking about what you’re grateful for once or twice a day, it means that you are thinking about your life in the present moment. Sometimes it’s harder to find things to be grateful for than others, but it really makes you stop and think about the good. And when you can see the good in your life, you’re much more likely to be satisfied. This is especially important in a world that’s constantly encouraging the extra “grind” to be better, get more, and do all the things. Gratitude helps you appreciate the now.

3. Change your outlook on the future - When you can appreciate the now and think positively about it, you can change your future. More doors seem to be open (or at least within viewing distance), more possibilities seem to present themselves, and life just feels...better. It’s not necessarily even that your life feels awesome right now, or that you don’t want to achieve more than you have right now. When you can look at the current positives, though, you can imagine even bigger, more exciting possibilities for the future, and that’s priceless.

3 Ways to Practice Gratitude

It seems like a no-brainer that if you can be happier, more satisfied, and change your outlook on life - all HUGE  promises - that you’d want to at least investigate the “how to” part, right? 

Most of us are busy and the thought of another thing “to do” might be cringe-worthy. But, I promise that practicing gratitude doesn’t have to be time consuming. There are multiple ways to begin, so I’ll share a few and you can choose a place to start.

Morning & Evening Lists

I journal every morning, so I track my morning gratitude there. I simply write down 3-5 things in list format every day when I’ve done my writing and move on. This portion of my journaling literally takes 30 seconds or less. 

In the evening, I use an app called Pixels to log my day, and I note 10 things I’m grateful for in my log there. If it seems like a lot - it is! But, it does make me consider the small joyful pieces of the day that would otherwise likely be overlooked.

Gratitude Log

If you don’t journal (I don’t blame you, it is a time commitment - maybe I could convince you to try that, too?), I’ve created a printable log for gratitude. You can print it out as many times as you want and it’s very low key. 

There’s a place to put a date and a box for you to write what you’re grateful for each day. That’s it! Not a lot of other clutter, so you won’t be distracted. You could also do multiple notes for one date if you wanted, like I do, and it will be very neat and tidy when you look back at it.

GET IT HERE

Gratitude Journal

I’ve also created a gratitude journal if you’re wanting a little more inspiration to get you started on your intentional gratitude journey! It includes 5 weeks of entries with multiple inspirational quotes for each week. It’s undated so you can print it again when the month is over.

GET IT HERE

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Next Steps

I don’t make promises often, in part because I don’t promise things I can’t follow through on. Gratitude, however, is one of the things that I’m willing to promise will change your life. When you’re intentional about it every day, you’ll be happier, more satisfied, and your outlook on life will be much more open and positive. 

With that in mind, here’s what to do next:

1. Think about what you’re grateful for. Take a few moments right now to think about a few things that you’re grateful for in your life. 

2. Figure out a way to document your gratitude. Check out the gratitude log and the gratitude journal and see if one of them appeals to you! If you’re already a journaler, you can start by making a space for it each day, too. 

3. Make a plan to reflect on what you’re grateful for. Sometimes life is complicated and it’s just plain hard to figure out what the good pieces are. I get it! Especially with the pandemic going on and everything else that has happened this year. If you need some help, I can always work with you on figuring out what tracking method might be best for you, and how to start creating that habit. Click here to read more about working with me.
   

My challenge to you is to name something you’re grateful for right now, and then figure out a way to create a daily gratitude habit.

Do you practice gratitude? Have you used one of the tools I mentioned? Do you have a different tool that you use to track gratitude? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.