30 Ways to Boost Your Happiness Today

August 26, 2016 | 5 comments

It was almost sundown. I was in a bit of a hurry, but I knew that if I took the long way home from the day’s last appointment, I would capture a beautiful view of the sunset, as it slid down the sky behind our country church.

If I took the shortest route home, I would miss it.

The day was already leaving me feeling rushed. I had been pulled in a dozen different directions. Could I really afford a five-minute delay? But I felt God saying, “Girl, slooooow down. I have something to show you. Take the long way home this time.”

So instead of heading south down the highway, I turned west on gravel. I got to my church just in time, as the sun dipped below the trees. I parked my car, and let myself get lost in the moment. For the next five five minutes, I let myself simply exist, simply BE.

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Do you feel like you’re so rushed that you don’t have a second to spare? Have you ever felt like you’re so busy keeping everyone else happy, that you have no time to cultivate your own happiness?

What if I told you that you could begin to build up your sweet spot of happiness with five minutes of focused happiness work every single day?

That’s where we begin. Start small. Invest five minutes every day toward building more durable happiness in your life, no matter what else is going on in your life, no matter how busy you are, no matter how sad or horrible you feel. Even if you don’t know if you can get out of bed today. This is central to The Happiness Dare: Invest five minutes in seeking the kind of pleasure that brings happiness to your heart and brings glory to God.

I know what you might be asking yourself: Can five minutes a day really make a difference? Experts say yes, it can. Research reveals that five to sixteen minutes a day of focused, meditative thoughts increase the chances of a happier outlook on life. With investments of five to sixteen minutes, science says, you can be happier.

Start with five. Just five. And begin to alter your brain.

Warning: the renewing of one’s mind toward happiness is addictive behavior. The more time we devote to positivity, the more fuel we give our brains to establish new neural pathways. We make our brains stronger and better—and happier.

That night, after the sun went down, I felt a lightness in my spirit.

My deadlines were still there. My responsibilities were still waiting.

My circumstances hadn’t changed. But I had. I felt a peace, a calm, a palpable happiness.

How about you give it a try? Here are 30 Ways to Boost Your Happiness Today.

 

Related Resources:

Read The Happiness Dare by Jennifer Dukes Lee.

Take the FREE Happiness Style Assessment. Discover in five minutes what truly makes you happy.

Sign up to get 10 Happiness Dares of the Day in your inbox.

Share your happy moments on Instagram by using the hashtag #TheHappinessDare. We’re making Instagram InstaHappy!
Find me here.

by | August 26, 2016 | 5 comments

5 Comments

  1. Lynn D. Morrissey

    Wonderful suggestions, Jennifer. I feel happiness bubbling up just reading it. When I facilitate journaling classes, listmaking is on of our favorite techniques. It’s a great way not just to brainstorm possibilities, but to get to the root of things. Thanks for sharing your happiness at every turn.
    Love
    Lynn

    Reply
    • dukeslee

      I’m thinking it’s a safe guess to say that you would add journaling to this list! 🙂 Thanks for being a regular encourager here, Lynn. Means so much to me.

      Reply
  2. Monica Sharman

    31. Take the free sushi sample at the grocery store’s sushi bar. And then go ahead and buy some.

    Reply
  3. carrie

    Is there a printable of this? So I can hang it on my fridge?

    Reply

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