Hacks to happiness

April 10, 2020

1:08 p.m.

Hi there! Back in June, I went to Florida with some of my really good friends. While we were there, we attended a church Called “Vous” in Miami. The experience was incredible, and I am so thankful that we had the opportunity to attend. When we had to come back home, I was so encouraged by what they were doing that I followed them on Instagram to keep up with the community that they were reaching.

A few days ago they made a post on hacks to happiness in this season and I wanted to share what they had to say, but also add some of my own!!

1. Go for walks – more physical activity = positivity. Half an hour of brisk walking three times a week increases one’s mood. I wanted to add to this and say it doesn’t need to be just a walk! (: play Frisbee, go for a bike ride, run, longboard, hike, whatever it is that you enjoy, just being outside enjoying the weather is proven to increase one’s mood.

2. 20 Minute Replay – reflection leads to celebration. At the end of the day, grab a journal and write down the good things that happened, what made you smile, who made you smile, what you did, and just reflect on how you were feeling as a whole.

3. Random acts of Kindness – Jesus says it’s more blessed to give than to receive. Although options are limited for the time being, I have also included some you can do from the safety of your own home. So hold a door for someone, send a random text telling someone how you appreciate them, call a friend or a family member, compliment people, leave random letters of encouragement, and one of the most important things you can do is simply be kind to yourself. I have attached a lengthy list of 100 random acts of kindness if you are interested: https://www.naturalbeachliving.com/acts-of-kindness/

4. Completely unplug – the post for @vouschurch says “Our mind and soul need moments of stillness and quiet. Often we can’t hear God because we never get still enough.” This doesn’t necessarily mean hide your phone to unplug, this could simply be deleting social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Whether it is for one day, one week, or a few months, this will not only decrease the amount of time spent on your phone, but also may allow you to reflect on areas that you may not have been giving much attention to.

5. Gratitude – As gratitude increases, so does joy. Every morning when you wake, grab that journal and write down three things you are thankful for. You honestly don’t even need to write it down, maybe say it out loud, that works too. I encourage you to somewhat go into depth though. Rather than saying (1) friends (2) family & (3) health à go deeper. Maybe say a friend or family members name and why you are thankful for them. Or consider saying what part of your health you are thankful for. Taking the time to think deeper creates intentionality and challenges one to really hone in on the importance of these things/people.

6. Set Goals – Let your passion run wild. If you have goals that seem out of reach, write them down anyways. If you are passionate about something, I still say go for it. Even if it is crazy and may not go how you planned, at least you know you tried and have faith in His plans for you. Nothing is too crazy for our God.

Although we have limited opportunity at the moment to go out and do some of these things, each one of them are absolutely doable from the comfort of your own home. So go for a walk, reflect on the positives in your everyday, practice random acts of kindness, unplug for a day, or 7, practice gratitude, set goals, and be happy.

Happy Friday, you are loved.