Simple Self Improvement

There is much to feel gratitude for                         Image by 4653876 from Pixabay Today's happiness tip is feel gratitude for the good in your life. Rather than thinking about what you haven't got, look around and think about what there is to feel gratitude for. Many of these things might be simple and easy to take for granted. You will feel happier if you 'count your blessings'. There is pressure on us to want more stuff and be envious of those who appear to have a better life in some way. Advertising companies certainly encourage us to strive for more rather than be happy with what we have. They don't want us to be content with a roof over our head, modest furniture and the basic necessities of life. Many of the things we may feel gratitude for don't have a monetary value. You can't put a price on - sunshine rain friendship close family a tree lined street a park good health a sense

Image: Free-Photos from Pixabay Today's happiness tips is, value friends . Friends, both the really close ones and more casual acquaintances make us happier. Reasons we need friends- 1. They help you through the tough times We know talking to or just being with a friend helps us cope with the bad times in life. According to research published in Developmental Psychology in 2011, the level of cortisol (the stress hormone) reduces if you have the support of a friend. Close, long term friends are especially important when a relationship breaks down, someone dies or something else big that it is difficult to deal with happens in your life. The support of co workers, and friends who you don't know so well can also help you feel less isolated and give you strength to keep going. 2. You can talk to them about the big issues in your life. When you need to make a major decision it's helpful to have a friend to discuss it with. Rather than having all t

                                                            Image: ErikaWittlieb from Pixabay It is likely none of the happiness tips I have blogged about so far have surprised you. It makes sense that plenty of sleep, a balanced diet, exercise, a decluttered living space and such can contribute to happiness. Every now and then I come across something said to be linked to greater happiness which surprises me. Some research claims people who sleep on the left side of the bed are more likely to be happy. After reading this claim I did some more research on the internet. Whether the left side is determined when lying in bed or standing at the bottom of the bed and looking at it is a point of contention and some articles don't define what they mean by the left side. With this in mind, I wouldn't worry too much about which side of the bed you sleep on! One study had 3,000 participants. The study found those who slept on the left side of the bed have a grea

                                                             Image: Alexas Fotos from Pixabay Sometimes we come across instructions for hosting the perfect party, being the perfect parent, choosing the perfect present and so on. Trying to be perfect isn't going to make you happy but it will stress you. By the way, no one is perfect. The happiness tip for today is don't be a perfectionist. Instead make 'near enough is good enough' your mantra, except in situations where it really is important to get something spot on. There are times where it is important a person gets something right. I don't want a doctor who operates on me to have a 'near enough' attitude. However, there are many times when trying to get things 'perfect' is a waste of time and a source of stress. For more check out - http://selfavenue.com/the-pressure-to-be-perfect/ It is healthier to focus on progress rather than perfection. Looking at the progress you a

                                                                                                                 Image: Gerd Altmann Today's happiness tip is limit your choices . I do like to have choices, but like plenty of other people, I find having too many choices is overwhelming. I actually find a limited number of choices when it comes to what to wear, picking what to have for tea and which activities to be involved in makes me happier than when I have too many choices. This tip is linked to those of the previous two days, simplify your life http://simpleselfimprovement.blogspot.com/2020/03/thirty-one-days-of-happiness-tips-day-8.html consider decluttering. https://simpleselfimprovement.blogspot.com/2020/03/thirty-one-days-of-happiness-tips-day-9.html I am not extreme when it comes to limiting the number of items of clothing I own. But I have found it easier to decide what to wear now I have fewer choices and the things I own do get worn

                                                                                      Image:Bill Kasman from Pixabay Today's happiness tip follows on from yesterday's when I wrote about simplifying life. Today's tip is consider decluttering your life if you haven't already done so. The term declutter was first recorded in the mid twentieth century but I don't recall hearing it until the current century. When I got married in the nineteen seventies I was much too busy acquiring and accumulating things for my new home to think of the possibility of ever having too much stuff! However, a time did come when I decided I had too many things and needed to part with some. It has been an ongoing process for me. Some people believe more money and more things result in more happiness. Yes, some possessions bring a level of happiness and there are belongings that are very special to each of us, things we wouldn't want to be without. However, accumulati