Six Life-changing Habits for Lasting Happiness
Habits and routines. Two things hella connected to my state of being. I’m not perfect (nor will I ever be, good thing), but there are some things that stand out and stick around for me.
This is a list of six life-changing habits for lasting happiness. They’re a collection of behaviors and patterns that have given me clarity, confidence and, yes, happiness.
But everyone is different and I’m no happiness expert. So I don’t want to reduce or over-simplify the complexities of mental health down to some 1000-word article (or whatever this word count, I don’t know).
But if I can help you move the needle even just 1%, then I’m stoked.
These are the things that make me happier.
1. Do Something Meditative
Meditation isn’t just sitting in a corner and humming for an hour. It’s anything that quiets the thinking brain or calms the mind. Something that makes you feel present and happy.
Stress sucks. And it takes away happiness…sometimes slowly, sometimes abruptly.
But the more I meditate (again, literally and otherwise), the better I feel. I stress less and can deal with stressful moments way better.
It’s not an overnight thing, but it definitely compounds.
So find your muse. And do more of it with a meditative intention.
Explore more:
➤ Meditating for Creativity
2. Do Something Active You Enjoy
Apparently, exercise is good for you. But it also makes you happier.
I was watching a clip from a podcast with Method Man where he talks about how exercising makes him feel happier, more accomplished and less guilty about enjoying things like video games or relaxing.
It’s something that gives you confidence——that you can stick to something difficult and develop discipline.
I see exercise as anything active that gets your body moving. I’m not sure if that’s right or wrong, but it definitely beats doing nothing at all.
For me, my exercise is snowboarding, walking (thanks to living in Tokyo), yoga and pushups.
So, what (active things) do you enjoy? Start doing them more and you’ll probably feel more energized and happier.
3. Prioritize Your Passions
Doing more of what you love is an obvious way to feel happier. But do we ever truly make this a habit? And I mean, really prioritizing it.
When you let yourself fully indulge in the things you love, it’s permission to scratch an intuitive itch…to explore passions, no matter your age, background or skills.
Something terrible happens when you deprioritize your passions. You lose yourself and your core identity (maybe a little, maybe a lot). You get anxious and even angry.
And eventually, you have regret.
So schedule in some dates and times if you must, but just prioritize the things you love.
4. Take Action On Your Dreams
“Nobody is more anxious than the ambitious person who creates nothing.”
Learning is great. But too much learning without action sucks.
When you keep your dreams quiet and unrealized for long enough, they inevitably lead to stress, anger and (eventually) regret.
So as painful and uncomfortable as it can be, taking action always creates more confidence and happiness in my life.
This life-changing habit is a core focus for me right now. I’ve spent my whole life either on the sidelines (over-)studying or with just one foot on the playing field.
But ever since I started fully committing, I’ve been happier and more stoked.
Take action. It’s going to be awkward, messy and even bad. But it’s so worth it.
Explore more:
➤ Talk Less, Do More
➤ Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
5. Embrace Balance——Love the Messy Unknown
Comfort is nice, but only in small doses.
Too much Netflix creates ennui. Just like a slow morning that goes a little too long can lead to afternoon anxiety.
The greatest comforts in life come after the greatest discomfort.
Because sleep is better after snowboarding all day. A shower hits different after 22 hours in planes and airports. And the cake taste sweeter after eating healthy the week prior.
It’s all about balance, which is also about embracing discomfort.
So what does this have to do with lasting happiness?
When you push yourself to embrace discomfort (aka, the unknown), you grow. You get stronger and you develop confidence and a stronger sense of pride in yourself.
So keep learning, doing, trying and testing new things. Have more discomfort in life and do things that you’re scared of. Lean into the unknown and quiet the inner critic. Because I promise you, if you see things through, you’ll be happier for it.
Future you is counting on present you.
Explore more:
➤ I Fell In Love With Change
6. Fall In Love With Yourself
Self love is something I never practiced. I guess I never liked myself much.
Well, that’s not fair——I just focused on things I didn’t like and compared myself to others.
I always craved some future version of myself, who didn’t have the blemishes and awkward moments.
I was wrong.
The blemishes (metaphorically + literally) are exactly what make me unique.
This is a core part of my lofi lifestyle paradigm (embracing unpolished imperfections). But it’s also a recipe for better living and genuine happiness.
It takes time and work, but I’ve tipped the scale and I now honestly love who I am and who I’m becoming. I wouldn’t trade this journey (and all its ups and downs) for anything.
Cliche and trite? Maybe, but whatever.
It took me nearly 30 years to get here, and I’m f*cking stoked.
Getting to a place where I emotionally and viscerally love who I am (i.e. I’m perfectly happy and require nothing extra) has had the biggest impact on my happiness and mental wellbeing.
So if you’re not sure where to start, I’d say prioritize this.
If you’re not happy with a cup of coffee and yourself, then no yacht, extra money or success will fix that.
Alright, good luck out there——later ✌️
Want More? Nice. Here’s More.
