TV psychologist Emma Kenny has today revealed a series of top tips that the public can apply to their everyday lives in order to live a happier and more healthy existence. How many of these do you do?
Smile
Say yes for 30 days of your life. Whether it’s attending that hot yoga class, going wine tasting with your mum or signing up for a half marathon, make a commitment to say yes to ANY opportunity that comes your way and do it no matter what! I promise your confidence will soar and you may discover secret talents you never knew you had
Family time is key. Make a commitment to eat around the table with your family at least twice a week. Research supports that families who practice this rule feel happier and more bonded than those who don’t. Making sure you have a no screens policy whilst eating together means your communication will be focussed and without unnecessary interruptions. It’s a small change that makes a huge difference
Be spontaneously kind. Random acts of kindness transform your life for the better and make those around you feel genuinely valued and appreciated. Simply popping a nice cake on a colleague’s desk, or writing a thank you note to a friend to remind them of their importance in your life makes the world feel like a better place for all concerned
Practise gratitude. Every single day write down three things you are grateful for and one thing you have learnt from. Pop these into a memory box so when you’re feeling in need of a boost you can dip in to remind yourself of all the things that matter in your life
Smile. The beauty of smiles is that they are contagious and if you smile at people, in general they will smile back. This makes your environment instantly more positive. Smiling is also clinically proven to instantly raise the happiness index and releases a shot of serotonin, the chemical that creates happiness
Chat to strangers because it will increase your life span. Studies prove that the more positive interactions you have the longer you live. Social interaction scores higher than eating a healthy diet, which means as long as you chat to someone while eating that chocolate bar you’ll enjoy a long life
Trust your passions. We all have dreams, but often we feel that they are too crazy, or outside of the box to even consider. Research supports the idea that happiness levels are higher in people who trust in their passions and live their lives doing things that they love.
Actively listen. That means really ‘hearing’ what the people around you are thinking and feeling. When we truly engage with the people around us, a whole new world of deeper and greater communication unfolds and this leads to more meaningful interactions
Raise people up. It is easy to fall into a negative mindset, but the reality is that positive thinking changes the neural pathways in the brain. The nicer you are to people and about people the better you will feel and the more natural positive thinking will become. It is win, win for everyone
Volunteer. People who volunteer feel happier than those who choose not to, because giving back feels good. Knowing you create a positive impact in the world gives you meaning, and meaning feels fantastic. Often we forget just how amazing and capable we are and when we volunteer we immediately recognise how powerful our impact can be
These insights have been released to coincide with the launch of AccorHotels’ new ‘From the Heart’ approach, which is taking the concept of personalised guest experiences to the next level, and highlighting the benefit hotel guests, staff and the general public can have from shared moments and heart-felt gestures.
Commenting on the tips, Emma says: “Many people are leading pressured, stressed or complicated lives. A kind gesture, a caring word, or even just a heartfelt smile can transform not only the way that person feels, but also the way you feel. What’s remarkable about this approach is how the simplest of gestures can make such a difference to people’s lives. Applying these tips to your life can put the delight back into everyday experiences - making any interaction between two people one that is filled with positivity and potential.”
Tagged in happiness