Do you remember the last time you laughed out loud or couldn’t stop laughing?
Days go by and then out of the blue you laugh. A real good belly laugh about something funny or hilarious. And you stop in the track and think “That feels good; when has it been the last time I laughed like that? When was the last time I felt so happy?”
You remember what made you laugh or gave you that feeling of happiness? And I’m talking about the real thing not just a smile or a little laugh!
It’s so easy to get caught up in the joggling of everyday life, we forgot these special moments that make life worth living, that make us look forward to the next day.
What makes you smile? Laugh? Gives you butterflies in the belly? For some, it’s a walk barefoot through the grass. For another, it’s pausing and listening to your child tell a story, it’s a spin on a roller coaster, a night out with girlfriends, or a really nice meal.
So… when was the last time you did something that makes you happy?
It’s been a while? Time to get back in the groove. The dark season is coming and it’s easy to feel a bit low. What will get you through the dark season? Days with barely day light and no sun at all.
Think about it, happiness lowers stress levels, increases immune system function, and lowers your risk of disease. It also makes life easier and more joyful.
You may ask what you can do to get your happiness boost, when it may feel for days there is nothing to laugh about. Here is my magic formula!
The Magic Formula for Daily Pleasure
Doing one pleasurable thing per day (or more!) is the most powerful antidote for gray, boring, or stressful days.
Grab a piece of paper, your favorite pan and a cup of hot chocolate or tea and let’s get started:
1. Make an “I love” list. List everything that you enjoy—nothing is too small or too large. If you enjoy it, get it on the list. Need some inspiration, here are a few of my favorite things:
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- A walk in nature by myself
- Good music – sometimes really loud to sing a long to 🙂 (right now I listen to Melody Gardot and Rebekka Bakken a lot and if I’m really honest I can’t wait to listen to christmas tunes soon)
- A cup of tea after my son is in bed – oh I savour this one!
- Cuddle time with my son or my man on the couch
- Reading a book
- A warm bath
2. Make time for these little pleasures during the day. Yes, if necessary schedule them and put them in your calendar so you won’t forget.
Take a look at how you spend your days. When could you fit in a little pleasure? Perhaps you could leave the office at lunch for a short walk? Maybe you could play your favorite music while doing the dishes or driving? Ask your friends over on the weekend?
3. This may be the hardest part. Repeat daily at least once—or more often, as needed. It’s easy to do it for a day or two, but for best effect keep going. Can you build it in your schedule so it becomes a daily routine? Something that is part of your day without you thinking about it. Many studies show that it takes about 21 days to form a habit. Can you commit for 21 days to do one simple small thing that brings you joy? And if you get of track, don’t beat yourself up, rather laugh about it and move forward.
A weird story
That reminds me, a while back before our son joined our lives, we (me and my partner) decided that we want to laugh out loud at least once a day, there’re many studies showing health benefits of a good laugh, so we wanted to try. Anyway, we didn’t find naturally something to laugh about, so had to fake it. Yes you read right, we faked our laugh to get the “job” done. But wow, was that hilarious. We would start faking the laughter and then just had to laugh for real. That was actually really fun and I can recommend it!
And that’s my last advice. This shouldn’t be another “should do” on your to do list, make it fun and light or leave it if it doesn’t resonate with you at this moment.
To get you started down the road of pleasure, give this luscious recipe a try:
Creamy Delicious Chocolate Pudding
This recipe is an easy to prepare and healthier version of your normal chocolate pudding. With it’s creamy texture absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
- 75 gr cashews
- 360 ml water
- 6 tbsl chia seeds
- 8 medjool dates
- 5 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 vanilla seed
- sea salt
Instructions
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Place cashews, water, chia seeds, dates, cacao powder, vanilla bean and salt into a high powered blender.
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Blend until smooth. Put the mixture into a container (mason jar or other) and refrigerate. When ready to eat, top with fresh or frozen raspberries.
GET EVEN HEALTHIER!
Are you curious about how happy good health can make you feel? As a Health Coach I can help you make your own healthy changes. Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about!
