4 Key Steps To Living A Happy Life

We all want to live our happiest and best life, but many of us have no clue how to do that. Because I'm preparing for the 2019 New Year, New You program with A Pilgrimage to Self, I scoured the internet, asked many professionals and experts the steps they recommend to ensure we’re living a full, rich, and happy life. I narrowed things down to some basics to get us prepared to go into the new year.

Without further ado, here are the four key steps you can take to ensure you’re living a happy life.

1) Care for Others
One of the most rewarding things you can do in your lifetime is caring for others and showing them that they matter. It isn't a difficult task to show others that you care, and caring about other people is essential to your overall happiness. Helping others and giving to others can build stronger connections, improve your overall mood, and even improve your health.

You can start practicing caring for others by doing at least one kind thing for someone around you each day. Recently, A House With Four Rooms hosted a Random Acts of Kindness Challenge. Different kindnesses included paying compliments, helping people reach something on a higher shelf, holding the door for them, offering to carry something for someone with their hands full, etc.

Caring for others, supporting them emotionally, physically, or even financially, is a great foundation for a lifetime of happiness. You’ll build better connections, grow spiritually, improve your empathy, and feel like you’re doing something worthy, and in the end, you'll be much happier.

2) Connecting with Others
Whether we like to admit it or not, humans are naturally social creatures. We all need at least a small group of people we can trust with whom we can share our lives. Connecting with people is crucial to our happiness; this is one reason I wanted to create A House With Four Rooms, to provide an encouraging and supportive place when needed; matter of fact, I've coined Our Village to represent the followers on our Facebook page. You can join the group and follow here: www.facebook.com/ahousewithfourrooms

The stronger your relationships are, the happier and healthier you will be. Studies even show that those with stronger relationships tend to live longer. These strong relationships help to provide us with love, support, meaning, and improve our self-worth. These relationships also provide a place in which we can belong. This is so important for us psychologically, as we all want a group with whom we belong.

You can improve your connections with others by making a diligent effort to make more time for others. Schedule get-togethers and meals, give friends a call every once in a while, and stop skipping family events.

You should also try to make new connections to try to further your circle. Try chatting with someone new every day, be it a neighbor, someone at the store, or just the person pumping gas next to you; try to make some connections each day. My friend, Stephanie McFee is the Connections Curator, and she suggests "Live everyday with a smile and do one thing a day to Curate You!" (check out her course at http://Curateyou.net/)

3) Don’t Neglect Your Health
Your body and mind are connected; you’re with your body for a very long time and it’s the only one you get, so you need to take care of it. Regularly exercising not only improves our bodies and physical stamina but also makes us happier overall.

Exercise releases endorphins, which make you feel happier and more energized. As your body gets healthier and you start feeling better, you’ll also notice an improvement in your mood.

There are a few things you can do to start taking better care of your body. You can start by eating healthier foods, spending more time outside, going to bed at reasonable times, instilling a technology curfew, maintaining a regular workout routine, and drinking more water. All of these suggestions are ways to "air" out your Physical Room as suggested by the Indian Proverb: A House With Four Rooms.

4) Live More in the Moment
With all the distractions we have nowadays, it’s no wonder we struggle to live in the moment. Take time to notice the world around you, the people around you, the things happening right in that very moment.

Being more mindful and aware of your surroundings can truly help to improve your life. It will allow you to appreciate the present, miss out on less, and be more observant. It will also help to decrease your stress.

Take some time to relax and focus on your surroundings, the moment you are in right that very second. You’d be amazed how doing that at least once a day can dramatically improve your happiness and overall outlook on life.

A House With Four Rooms advocates for developing a meditation practice and offers a class by the same name. There are many ways to practice, and having a meditation practice is a great way to learn to live in the moment. 

As I prepare to welcome in the new year, I invite you to join me with A Pilgrimage to Self. The membership not only tells you what steps and PATHS to walk in order to live a happy and joyful life, but it teaches you how. 

Join the Waitlist for information and updates:

https://www.ahousewithfourrooms.com/p/thank-you-for-your-interest-in-a-pilgrimage-to-self

Here's to living a happy and joyful life!

Cheers!

Lisa