Twelve Motivations to Find Joy (Despite Misery that Overwhelms Current Life Experience)
Despite occasional feelings of unhappiness, there are always reasons to be optimistic. Here are 12 ways to cultivate this outlook, based on our reader's shared experiences and empirical research.
- Appreciate life's simplicity: Living each day offers opportunities for positive change. Being alive brings the chance to shape your future, even in difficult moments.
- Cherish your circumstances: Residing in a country with a high standard of living comes with privileges often overlooked. These include individual rights, freedom of speech, and education, all of which are not universal across the globe.
- Embrace the outdoors: Walking, even when it rains, provides numerous mental health benefits. It can lower anxiety, boost self-esteem, decrease psychological stress, and support overall well-being [1].
- Find hope in tomorrow: Each tomorrow signifies a fresh start, offering hope for better days ahead. Sometimes life may seem difficult, but setting achievable goals and focusing on small, daily improvements can lead to significant progress.
- Recognize the power of vaccinations: As more people are vaccinated worldwide against COVID-19, there's hope for a return to normalcy without lockdowns and travel restrictions [1].
- Be a source of positivity: Acts of kindness can have a significant impact on others and help create a better world for everyone. Lending a helping hand, sharing a kind word, or offering a listening ear can bring joy and make a difference in someone's life.
- Accept and learn from past struggles: Overcoming challenges makes you resilient and better equipped to deal with future obstacles. Resilience positively influences achievements and psychological well-being [1].
- Cherish the small joys: Appreciate the small, everyday pleasures, such as enjoying a warm cup of tea or a beautiful sunset. Focusing on the little things can help shift your focus from negative thoughts to positive ones.
- Reflect on cherished memories: Maintaining a memory journal helps remind you of past accomplishments, making it easier to spot reasons to be grateful for in the present.
- Be thankful for a roof over your head: Having a safe place to live provides stability and comfort, which millions of others around the world lack.
- Embrace lifelong learning: The human capacity for growth and personal development is a remarkable reason to be thankful. By learning new skills and expanding knowledge, you can adapt to change and pursue your dreams.
- Value the richness of human experience: Embrace the world's diversity, seeking out new cultures, traditions, and perspectives. Not only does this broaden your understanding of humanity, but it also enriches your personal growth and fulfillment.
Happiness, while elusive at times, can be found by focusing on the positive aspects of life. By cultivating gratitude and being mindful of the abundance around us, we can develop a more optimistic outlook. If you have other reasons to be grateful, we'd love to hear about them in the comments below.
[1] Van den Tol AJ, Hamer M, Steptoe A. The effects of psychological stress on health: From biomarkers to disease prevention (Review). Int J Psychophysiol. 2014 Jan;91(1):1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2013.09.007. Epub 2013 Oct 16. PMID: 24143127.
- Gratitude for life's simple pleasures, such as a warm cup of tea or a beautiful sunset, can bring about a sense of happiness and help shift focus from negative thoughts to positive ones, contributing to personal growth and overall well-being.
- Embracing lifelong learning by acquiring new skills and expanding knowledge not only fosters personal growth but also enables adaptation to change and the pursuit of dreams, all of which are essential components of mental health and personal development.
- Finding gratitude for the privileges often overlooked, such as individual rights, freedom of speech, and education available in countries with a high standard of living, can foster a sense of contentment and happiness, while also encouraging appreciation for the diversity and richness of human experience.
- Valuing the benefits of being outdoors, including reduced anxiety, boosted self-esteem, and decreased psychological stress, can contribute to improved mental health and overall well-being, helping cultivate a more optimistic outlook on life.
- Cultivating gratitude for the personal growth that comes from overcoming past struggles and embracing resilience can provide a sense of hope and optimism, knowing that these experiences have made one stronger and better prepared for future challenges.
- Seeking out new cultures, traditions, and perspectives, and recognizing the power of lifelong education and self-development, can enrich not only one's personal growth but also one's mental health, happiness, and overall well-being.
){kind=link}