If your sense of well-being is lacking, it truly affects your entire life. How you feel within plays a huge part in your physical and mental health, work productivity, personal relationships, and more. Without a good sense of well-being, you may be suffering unnecessarily. By focusing on measures to increase your well-being, you can improve your overall outlook on life, and learn to lead a happier, more productive existence. But how do you increase your sense of well-being? Here are a few simple tips that might help.
photo via Unsplash, J. Rice
Meditation
Meditation is a wonderful way to increase your sense of well-being. Even if it's just for ten minutes a day, you can develop a better sense of well-being. That's because meditation comes with a range of health benefits. By practicing it, you can reduce your stress levels, and improve the negative health habits that result from stress, such as heart attack. You can also reduce negative emotions and mood disorders. It can help you develop a new perspective on life and the world in general. It can help you stay calm and recognize what is important. Some people believe it can act as a form of medicine if you do it correctly. If you have never meditated before, check out local classes or online lessons that can show you the proper forms of meditation. If you want to try meditation on your own, find a quiet place with no distractions (silence those smart phones!). Then sit comfortably, cross-legged if possible, or in the full lotus or half lotus position. Close your eyes and begin concentrating on your breathing. Feel your lungs filling with air and try to focus on the moment, not your worries, the past, or the future. Meditation is really about being mindful of the moment, and appreciating the sheer gift of being alive and breathing.
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| photo via Unsplash, Mor Shani |
Get a Pet
If you've never had a pet before, you'd be surprised how much comfort and companionship they bring. This may be especially helpful to people who live alone. In fact, it is true that elderly people who adopt a pet actually have a longer life expectancy than those who don't. Pets make great companions, especially cats or dogs. They make you feel needed and wanted, and they are completely loyal no matter what you look like or how you feel. Pets can make you feel safer and more secure in your own home, and they can reduce anxiety. They can even make you healthier by encouraging you to get out and exercise. Dogs need walking every day, and some people even take their cats out for walks. Why not do a little investigation into the type of pet and breed of pet that you would like? You can invest in a fabulous companion from lucky labs, or visit a local pet store. Check out local shelters and adoption agencies, too. Whatever you choose, you will feel a greater sense of well-being if you have a pet.
Change Your Diet
Eating a healthier diet can improve your well-being in a variety of ways. A diet full of fresh fruit and vegetables can help you lose weight, it can result in you having a steadier mood, feeling more alert, and give you a happier outlook on life. It can also boost your immune system and prevent some illnesses.
Keeping a food diary helps us recognize what foods we consume on a daily basis. Writing down every addition to our diets (sugar in coffee, salt on our dinners, etc) we might see negative patterns or areas that need improvement. Sometimes looking back at what we have eaten can motivate us to change. So the next time you are at the supermarket, try skipping the sweets, breads, potato chips, and junk food. Leave them behind and opt for more fruits and vegetables. Test out new recipes using vegetables and fruits. You'll be happy that you did!
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| photo via Unsplash, P. Montes |
Practice Gratitude
Practicing gratitude is a fantastic way of helping you train your brain to change negative ways of thinking into positive ones. It can mean a total transformation in your mental health and can drastically improve your life, too. It helps you concentrate on the good in life and forget about the bad. You can practice gratitude by stating the things you are grateful for. Try doing this every day. When you wake up in the morning, write down three things you are grateful for in your life. These can be any three things at all, no matter how unimportant they may seem, such as, 'I am grateful for my curly hair' or 'I am grateful for the sunshine.' When it comes to gratitude, nothing is unimportant, and the smallest things sometimes matter the most. Try to find three new things you are grateful for every day, or even repeat the same three. You might just find that your negativity begins to wash away when you remember those little things that make you happy.
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