Happiness ... we spend our lives looking for it and many times we have it in front of our eyes, in the little things (and people) that surround us. But of course, the hustle, stress and worries of day to day cloud our minds and do not allow us to appreciate them.
On DIVAIN, we want to present you with a series of small actions that you can incorporate into your daily routine that will make you see life differently. Apply them and you will see how a smile will be what most identifies you.
And if in addition to performing these actions, you apply one of these 10 perfumes that attract positive energy, happiness and positivity will be even more present in your life.
The 4 hormones of happiness
But before seeing what you can do to be happier in your day to day, let's see what the hormones of happiness are.
- Endorphins
Considered the natural morphine that the body secretes, endorphins are produced in response to stress or discomfort, although they are also generated when performing activities that have rewards (such as eating or exercising) or when having relationships. They block bad thoughts and put you in a pleasant state.
- Serotonin
Serotonin is a hormone and neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, sleep, appetite, or learning ability.
- Oxytocin
Although it is popularly known as the "love hormone", oxytocin is much more, since it promotes empathy, trust and bonding with personal relationships. They increase with the displays of affection from the people we love.
- Dopamine
This hormone and neurotransmitter is responsible for providing well-being to the brain, which is why it is known as “the hormone of well-being”. It is related to pleasant sensations as well as learning or feeling active.
As California State University researcher and emeritus professor Loretta G. Breuning explains, this “quartet of happiness” doesn't come up all the time. The brain cannot force the appearance of these hormones voluntarily, but must be activated by performing a series of actions.
And now comes the big question ... how to activate the hormones of happiness? With these small actions that we show you below.
What to do to be happy
Laugh
Something as simple and simple as laughter is a before and after in our emotional state. It is the bell that announces a happy person. And it is that laughter prevents stress and is the best way to combat negative emotions, because when we laugh, the massive production of endorphins is triggered and cortisol levels (also known as the stress hormone) are reduced.
Get up early
God (and the hormone) helps those who wake up early. We know that lazing in bed on a Sunday may seem like one of the best things in life, but being active makes us feel so much better.
By this we do not mean that you have to get up at untimely hours without having had a good rest. According to a study from the University of Toronto, early risers tend to be more positive and more satisfied than late-night people, who show higher rates of depression and pessimism.
They claim that this is related to circadian rhythms, since if you go to bed earlier and wake up earlier, your body is in tune with the revolutions of Mother Earth.
Spend time outdoors (if it is in nature, better)
Being in contact with nature or in a quiet environment outdoors reduces stress levels. Who has not felt totally renewed when taking a walk through a forest or a deserted beach? Breathing some fresh air is one of the greatest pleasures that life can give us.
Play sports
You don't have to become an elite athlete, but doing at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day has been shown to prevent discomfort and depression and make us feel much better about ourselves. This is because, when doing sports, dopamine and serotonin levels increase.
Disconnect from the world
It has been shown that turning off the mobile for a few minutes a day makes us feel much more relaxed since the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) decrease. Try turning it off and away from the Internet for at least 15 minutes a day. You will see how during that time you are much happier.
Connect and be kind
Interpersonal relationships favor the activation of 3 of the 4 hormones of happiness (oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin). The human being is a social being, so feeling loved and part of the world is essential for a good development and to achieve happiness.
On the other hand, kindness contributes to improving self-esteem and mood. Don't you feel happy when you help someone and they smile and thank you?
So now you know, if you want to be a little bit happier, incorporate these small actions into your day to day. You will see how they will mean a great change in your attitude, and therefore, in your life.
10 things you must stop doing to be happy
But of course, it is not enough to do things that make us feel better, but we must avoid at all costs those that give us bad vibes. We leave you a quick decalogue of the 10 things that you should NOT do under any circumstances if you want to be happier and feel better:
- Having to have everything under control (if you do, the stress will take over).
- Extreme self-demand. Self-criticism is fine, but without overdoing it or crushing yourself.
- Keep a closed mind. If you keep it that way, you are missing great things in life and the opportunity to be happier.
- Complain excessively. If you do, you enter a loop of unhappiness that you will not be able to get out of and it will also be more difficult for you to see feasible solutions to your problems.
- Pretend to be who you are notfor liking others. This over-effort wears out and causes unhappiness since it is the opposite of self-acceptance. In addition, it cannot be maintained over time (a liar is caught sooner than a lame person).
- Anchor in the past. The past is past, you have to embrace the future and never cling to what could have been and was not.
- Live your life according to the expectations of others.
- Criticize to everything and everyone around you.
- Load with responsibilities of others.
- Resist to changes.