image source: bettle brained

I found this great post on little things that you can do to brighten your day. Not only are they quick, easy, and simple but anybody can do these things for quick pick-me-ups. I’ve never really wanted to re-post other peoples blogs (this isn’t a twitter page) but I really thoroughly enjoyed reading this post and would love to share it with others. I have added a few of my own comments into the list as well.

Our homes are an extension of who we are: what we do within the walls of our abodes shapes our mood, affects our productivity, and influences our outlook on life. Scientific studies have shown that we can have an impact on our happiness by adjusting the tiny little habits and routines that constitute our daily lives — we are, in fact, in control of our outlook on life.

It’s amazing how a few tweaks to our daily habits can become a catalyst for meaningful, positive change. Here are a few simple things you can do every day to feel happier at home.

1. Make your bed. In a popular post last month, I explained the many benefits of daily bed-making. Gretchen Rubin, New York Times best-selling author of The Happiness Project, explains that this three minute task is one of the simplest habits you can adopt to positively impact your happiness.

I remember as a kid getting so annoyed when my mom made it very clear that I wasn’t aloud to leave the house or do anything until my bed was made. If it wasn’t made my mom made her point again very clear and I generally spent a day or two stuck to that bed! haha

2. Bring every room back to “ready.” I learned this trick from Marilyn Paul’s clever book, It’s Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys. It’s a known fact: Clutter causes stress; order creates a haven from it. This mood-boosting routine is simple: Take about three minutes to bring each room back to “ready” before you depart it. (Unless you have a toddler, or a partner who likes to simulate earthquakes, three minutes should be sufficient.)

This is important and its one of those things that I just can’t wrap my brain around. I’ve never been able to pick up my mess as I go and then I end up spending a few days cleaning up a mess that I could have avoided to begin with!

3. Display sentimental items around your home. One reason that experiences (and memories of those experiences) make us happier than material things is due to the entire cycle of enjoyment that experiences provide: planning the experience, looking forward to the experience, enjoying the experience, and then remembering the experience. Make your home a gallery of positive memories.

This isn’t an issue in my home and has never been an issue with pretty much everyone that I know. My only two cents for this is that you should make those items relevant and matching. My partner has a tendency to put knick-knacks together just for the sake of having everything displayed. Ya.. Um.. NO! DO NOT put things out just to put them out. There is nothing wrong with rotating items around.

4. Start a one-line-a-day gratitude journal. Before bed, simply jot down one happy memory from that day. (If you have kids, you can ask them, “What was the best part of today?”) Reflection is an important part of happiness, and pausing to reflect on a positive event from each day cultivates gratitude. (An added bonus: Later, when your memory is defunct, you will already have all of your meaningful adventures recorded!) If you have trouble getting started with journaling, consider buying a book to guide you. Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, is a great one.

Journaling has been tough for me. I’ve never been able to keep up with it regularly but a one-line-a-day project is something that I think that i’m really going to consider next year.

5. If you can’t get out of it, get into it. This tip comes from The Happiness Project. I love the message: The dishes are not going to clean themselves, so you will do it, and you will like it! (Unless, of course, you can outsource this job, in which case I say: Nice work!) Otherwise, get into doing the dishes. Feel the soothing warm water on your hands. Enjoy the tickle of the tiny bubbles. Crank your favorite album at an unusually loud volume, do a couple fist-pumps while shouting “Can I get a hell yeah for the dishes? Hell! Yeah!” and pretend you love it.

I completely agree. I think that this is particularly important at work. We all have to do things we aren’t fond of. Get over it and get used to it! The only one thats not going to change is you.

6. Before you get up each morning, set an intent for the day. In The Art of Happiness, the Dali Lama says “”Every day, think as you wake up: today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.” Wow. What a wise man. I tend to wake up with a strong visceral reaction that says, “Attention human beings: Be afraid of me before coffee. Be very afraid!” Setting a daily intent makes a huge difference. Your daily intent could be something like “be productive” or “enjoy today’s delicious moments” or it could be something more specific like “say thank you to my loved ones today.” But it should not be another “to do” item on your list.

As I first began reading this I thought “great.. I can add it to my to-do list to make sure that it works”. Well, no. As you read on it mentions not doing that and making it more of a purpose for your day.

7. Do small favors for your housemates, expecting nothing in return (not even a thank you!). (That’s right, I said it: nothing!) Mow the lawn for your husband, but don’t expect him to pat you on the back. Make the bed for your wife, but don’t try to get bonus points for it. Take the trash out for your roommate, just because. The ability to cultivate strong, healthy relationships is one of the biggest contributors to health and happiness, but when you start to keep score, the benefit is lost. (No! It’s YOUR turn to clean up the dog poop!) It’s a well-known fact: When you do good, you feel good.

When you do good, you feel good. Knowing that you’ve done something good for someone else will make you feel good. Why not strengthen a relationship or two?

8. Call at least one friend or family member a day. You can do this while you clean, while you make the bed, or while you walk the dog. Texts and emails do not count! Make an actual phone call to a loved one, just to chat and catch up. We humans are social beings and studies show that even when we don’t feel like it, even if we are naturally introverted, socializing with our loved ones makes us feel better.

This I shall begin today! I so many times think about how I should have called this person or should really call that person a little more. My grandparents especially. I think how I don’t have time, i’m too busy, or just forgot. I need to make it a priority each day.

9. Spend money on things that cultivate experiences at home. Save money for a new grill for parties or a new DVD for family movie night — something that will encourage you to have people over and entertain. Plan a summer barbeque, invite your closest friends, kick back and relax. (And don’t forget to print out the pictures to remember the good times.)

I feel as if I disagree with this… sort of. I don’t buy games thinking of who it is I can invite over to play the game. But instead, spend your money on events you can due together. Perhaps events to a local winery, concert, or just a quick shopping trip together.

10. Spend a few minutes each day connecting with something greater than yourself. Whatever your spiritual beliefs — or non-beliefs — may be, studies show that connecting to a high power is correlated with happiness. Just stepping back to realize that we are part of an enormous universe can put some perspective on your annoyance with the those-are-definitely-not-mine-and-they-are-abso-fricking-lutely-repulsive socks under the coffee table. Before bed, spend just a few minutes contemplating something larger than yourself. Take a walk in nature. Write in a journal. Create a sacred space in your home. (Or if spirituality is really not your thing, create a home spa: light some candles, soak in a hot bath, delve into a good book… are you feeling better yet?)

SOURCE: APARTMENT THERAPY