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Are you wondering how to make life more enjoyable? Some people think that in order to enjoy life, one must do the following:
Make more money.
Have the ideal friendship or connection
Become well-known or esteemed
But many people are nonetheless miserable despite having all of these things and more.
According to Thích Nhất Hạnh, a Vietnamese monk and the “father of mindfulness,” “there are more than enough conditions of happiness available for you to be happy right now.”
But why don’t we enjoy each day since there are so many things in life to be happy about already?
Because it takes practice to learn how to love life.
We must adopt a positive outlook, form virtuous habits, and give our lives purpose. Nevertheless, learning to live life to the fullest is arguably the best skill to master.
Here are 20 ways to make life more enjoyable.
- Show gratitude
It is impossible to have both thankfulness and unhappiness simultaneously. It’s that easy. You will see what I mean if you give it a try.
It seems sense that being thankful can lower the risk of serious depression, lower unpleasant feelings like jealousy, and boost self-esteem, according to numerous scientific research studies. Additionally, those who feel grateful tend to exercise more, sleep better, take better care of their health, and have lower stress hormone levels.
“Today, I am grateful for this nice cup of coffee in my hands, the book I’m reading that’s teaching me so much, and my adorable cat.” is an example of how to start a gratitude notebook or just write down three things for which you are thankful at the start of each day.
- Practice Mindfulness
Being completely present and conscious of where you are, who you are with, and what you are doing—without being sidetracked by thoughts, opinions, or feelings—is the practice of mindfulness.
Or, in the words of spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle, “Be there totally wherever you are.”
We can become serene, attentive, and joyful when we learn to live in the present.
The first step in practicing mindfulness is to cut off distractions from your surroundings, such as music, TV, and social media. Then relax your mind by ignoring your thoughts and concentrating on your breathing instead.
Another way to cultivate mindfulness is to learn to appreciate life’s small pleasures, like:
Taking a stroll through the outdoors and taking in the sights and sounds
Engaging in physical activity and experiencing your body
Appreciating the little things, such as a hot shower or a cup of tea
- Prioritize Yourself
If you never prioritize your personal needs, it’s difficult to enjoy life every day.
You need time to unwind, have fun, be productive, try new things, and build wholesome relationships if you want to feel happy and at ease.
Therefore, think about saying no the next time someone asks you to do something you don’t want to do. This is not an excuse for not being helpful or kind to others. It just indicates that you must attend to your personal needs first.
Save your time and effort. You’re worthy.
- Treat yourself with kindness
Everybody makes mistakes and occasionally falls short. Treat yourself with kindness during these times. Whatever has occurred has occurred. You can only learn from the past; there is nothing more you can do. At first, this could be very difficult, but with experience, it becomes simpler.
If you look closely, you’ll see that no matter who you are, what you’ve done, or where you’re headed, you deserve to be happy. The fact that you are alive is enough to make you joyful.
Permit yourself to enjoy this moment and feel content and joyful.
- Take a Break and Get Well
If you’re exhausted, burned out, or under stress, it can be difficult to learn how to fully appreciate life.
Everyone needs time to relax and heal.
But there is a lot going on in the modern world; we have to handle our finances, take care of our families, work, study, clean the house, stay up to date on COVID-19, and more.
According to Thích Nhất Hạnh, “it’s very important that we re-learn the art of resting and relaxing.” “It not only helps us focus, decompress, and come up with innovative solutions to problems, but it also helps prevent the onset of many illnesses that arise from chronic tension and worry.”
Therefore, schedule time to learn how to unwind and have fun.
For example, you could go for a brief stroll, read a good book, take a quick nap, or perhaps spend the weekend somewhere peaceful.
How to Make the Most of Life: A Quote by Thất Hạnh
- Appreciate Little Victories
Social media these days can deceive us into thinking that life is all about moving from one accomplishment or experience to another. However, life is made up of the times in between experiences and accomplishments, not the latter.
Since milestones only occur once every mile, don’t merely celebrate them. Instead, celebrate each stage of the journey to learn how to love life.
Enjoy every hour you spend studying and every satisfied client you serve, for instance, rather than just the exam scores and company earnings.
- Make an investment in yourself
It is an act of self-love to invest in our own personal growth.
By doing this, we are putting our health first. Additionally, we’re growing in self-awareness, which fosters contentment, acceptance, and self-compassion.
Seek out opportunities to better yourself and have fun while doing it.
You may, for instance, read a book on self-development, work out, journal, meditate, or enroll in a free online course.
- Encourage Good Connections
Being genuinely happy and fulfilled requires having healthy relationships throughout our lives.
In fact, the largest happiness study ever carried out discovered that “students were happier on a daily basis when they spent time with other people.”
Therefore, try to strengthen your bonds with your family and close friends.
Learning more about the five love languages—different ways that people express and understand love—might be helpful. You can strengthen your bonds with your loved ones by learning their languages.
- Get to Know New People
Not everyone’s life is filled with many intimate interactions. Furthermore, we occasionally need to make new connections to replace friendships that we outgrow.
Recall that our happiness and well-being depend on our sense of belonging and community.
Nevertheless, it has become increasingly difficult to make new relationships as a result of COVID-19, causing so many individuals to isolate themselves. With the aid of Facebook groups, online course communities, and social media platforms, it is still feasible to make new acquaintances online.
Engage in online conversations with others who share your interests, and take pleasure in the new viewpoints and characters that enter your life.
- Use Social Media and News Less
Reducing negativity in our lives is probably one of the simplest ways to increase our enjoyment of life, and cutting back on news and social media is one of the easiest ways to achieve this.
According to Annie Miller, MSW, LCSW-C, LICSW, “constantly reading the news can be harmful because it exposes us to negative information that can affect our brain.”
Furthermore, a recent study that was published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology found that social media had a detrimental impact on people’s wellness, particularly on loneliness and despair.
Cut back on the negativity and focus on things that make you feel good instead.
To better understand how you spend your time on news websites and social media, you might even utilize tracking software.
- Experiment
Our senses can be stimulated and our perspectives broadened by trying new things and traveling to new locations.
Have you ever wished to study or accomplish something? Has there ever been a place you’ve wished to visit?
Make a list of the places, things, and activities you would like to experience and learn. Incorporate both major goals like starting your own business and minor ones like ordering takeout from a restaurant you’ve always seen but never been to.
Next, put a few of these activities on your calendar! Work your way up to the more expensive products after starting small with rapid wins.
- Clear Out the Clutter
As they say, ‘Tidy space, tidy mind.’
It’s no secret that cleaning a cluttered home may be more difficult and irritating. However, neat and orderly surroundings can promote feelings of relaxation and serenity. Additionally, we can sell our unwanted items to make extra cash.
Set aside some items to give if you wish to clear out some clutter. Another option is to give yourself a task, like posting one thing per day to Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
- Invest in experiences rather than material belongings.
Experiences bring us greater happiness than material belongings, according to studies.
Why? Over time, the initial joy of obtaining something new wanes. But recollections from experiences still provide happiness.
So why not use the money for a memorable trip or experience the next time you want to spend it to feel happy?
And don’t forget about Airbnb Online Experiences if you’re at a loss for ideas during COVID-19!
- Engage in Regular Exercise
Exercise is known to benefit health, but might it also make us happier in the present? It certainly can.
In her book The How of Happiness, positive psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky states that “research shows that exercise may be the most reliable happiness booster of all activities.”
Spend some time exercising every day, whether it’s running, walking, lifting weights, or playing sports, to make each day a bit more enjoyable.
- Take Some Time to Enjoy Nature
We all know instinctively that spending time in nature enhances our happiness and health, and science has confirmed this.
For instance, one study discovered that taking a stroll in the outdoors elevates our mood and reduces cortisol, commonly referred to as “the stress hormone.”
Read under a tree, paint a landscape, have a picnic with friends, or go for a walk in the park when you’re feeling low. In any case, spend more time in nature.
- Keep a Time Log
Sometimes we have to understand where our time goes before we can learn to enjoy life more.
Keep a journal of your activities to monitor how you spend your time if you feel like your days are passing by too quickly and you’re not enjoying them.
You could find something that surprises you.
We may frequently find ways to cut down on time-wasting tasks and use the extra time to do things we enjoy when we become more aware of how we spend our time.
- Develop a Mission
It might be difficult to feel safe, effective, and appreciated if we don’t have a significant purpose to guide us.
‘It’s not enough to have survived,’ remarked British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. We ought to be adamant about living for something.
Try to find a purpose to give oneself direction and make life more enjoyable, whether that goal is to fight climate change, help others, or become the best version of yourself.
- Help Others
By looking for methods to help others, you can combine the benefits of having a strong purpose with the favorable consequences of having healthy relationships.
For instance, you may assist an elderly neighbor with household tasks or volunteer for a nearby charity. Check out this list of virtual volunteer possibilities or search for openings on a website such as VolunteerMatch.
If you’re pressed for time, you may instead look for little ways to help people every day. For instance, you could buy a coffee and a sandwich for a less fortunate individual, let someone in a hurry go first at the grocery store checkout, or donate goods to a charity.
- Break Negative Habits
Learning to live life to the fullest while suffering from a bad habit or addiction is rather difficult.
Alcohol, procrastination, eating, sweets, TV, social media, gossiping, pornography, and other toxic habits exhaust us and bring out the worst in us.
Recognize your vices honestly, and think about getting help to overcome them.
You may be sure that as those clouds begin to lift, you’ll be able to enjoy life more, even though it might take some time.
- Make a commitment to learning something
Although learning anything new might be fascinating and enjoyable, the first thrill frequently fades fast.
On the other hand, mastering something brings about a profound sense of happiness, pride, and fulfillment.
You can enjoy the process of gradually becoming an expert in a subject, skill, or pastime that interests you, whether it’s cooking, playing the guitar, or managing Facebook advertising campaigns.
And who knows where expertise might take you?
By encouraging you to spend more time “in the moment,” mindfulness can increase your happiness. It’s easy to dwell on previous errors for hours, days, or even years. Worrying about the future for hours is just as easy. You may be more present with the situation and with yourself when you practice mindfulness.
What impact does clutter have on your life?
Mental clutter can result from physical clutter. An untidy closet, for instance, may make getting out of bed every morning a chore. You can create a peaceful, tidy environment by clearing clutter, and your thoughts might reflect that. Practically speaking, you might also uncover things you can sell that aren’t being used.
Overview: How to Take Pleasure in Your Life and Work
It takes time and effort to learn how to enjoy life, but the benefits will always outweigh the costs. Here are 20 activities you may do to make your day more enjoyable:
