There are times when life is difficult. And when things are hard, it can be helpful to remind yourself to enjoy the simple things in life. If you feel overwhelmed, with everything on the news or with issues in your personal life, focusing on positives is a way to lift your spirts and reduce feelings of anxiety.
If you are struggling and want to connect with a personal support coach, reach out. With experience helping individuals improve their lives, a coach can share strategies such as reframing your thoughts and focusing on small things that bring you joy.
How You Interpret a Situation
Remembering you are in control of your thoughts can be helpful. For example, instead of focusing on situations that are out of your control, focus your energy and time on positive emotions. Behaviors and actions that can improve your life. This could mean that instead of obsessing about posts you are seeing on social media, making the decision to log off and take a walk in your neighborhood.
Too often, people ruminate over past experiences or get stuck in negative thought patterns. When you cultivate an optimistic style of thinking, you can appreciate the joy of simple things in life. Yes, there may be adversity in one or two areas of your life. But are other areas thriving? Focus on those and move toward happiness.
Simple Things Make Us Happy
Instead of thinking about how you could be living a happy life in the future, appreciate the things that make you happy right now. You can lift your mood by actively pursing activities that spark joy. This could include one or all of the following.
- Feeling fresh sheets on your bed
- Smelling homemade food in the kitchen
- Dancing to your favorite song
- Listening to the wind or rain outside
- Talking with a friend
- Being active and exercising
When individuals what to be happy, they can obsess over becoming happy. But chasing happiness can lead to negative feelings. It may seem counterintuitive, but letting go of the pursuit and simply enjoying the now can bring contentment. As Kurt Vonnegut said, “enjoy the little things in life because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”
When you feel the state of the world or personal issues have you dwelling on negative emotions, make efforts to improve your life and lift your mood. The world is big and joy is abundant. Spending time in nature can be a great reminder of this. When we enjoy big blue skies or calming waters, it can undo our obsessive thoughts about day to day worries. Other strategies include taking a break from technology, meditating, and spending time with the simple things that bring you joy. To learn more about paths to life improvement, talk to a personal coach.