10 Ways to Live a Fuller and Happier Life in 2024
The year 2024 will be full of New Year’s resolutions longing for improvement and change. Some of us may stick to these, while others (more than half) will give up on them. So how can we use psychological techniques to live a fuller, happier life, leading to New Year resolutions sticking? Let’s find out.
A Fuller and Happier Life Can Come Easily
Now, spoiler alert. This list focuses less on goals of weight loss, job ambition, etc., and more on tangible ways to change your current life for the better. It’s a more forgiving and more fruitful resolution list.
By focusing on these habits, you commit to bettering yourself daily, in a simple, helpful way. We create new year resolutions to improve, to feel better, so what if you could pick up habits that actually cause that?
10 Ways to Live a Fuller, Happier Life
We are supposed to feel good in our minds and body, and we deserve to feel healthy. Happiness is the birthright of all. Having good habits, and cultivating them daily, factor into overall wellness.
Simple practices can have huge effects on wellbeing, leading you to find happiness. Check out these habits you can add to your daily routine to feel better. You do not need to master or perfect any of the habits listed, you are simply using them as a tool to live in a way that brings you joy.
1. Nourish your mornings
Your mornings offer a time of setting yourself up for the rest of the day, whether you use it or not is up to you. Try out a morning routine, one that actually works.
The beauty of a morning routine is that it can be as short or as long as you want it to be.
2. Enjoy the view
This habit boils down to seeing things as they are, not as you want them to be. There is merit in observing our surroundings, accepting what we cannot change, and adjusting what we can. Look around, do you enjoy the state of your room? If not, change it. Don’t underestimate the power of a pretty poster or a new rug.
Enjoying the view can also entail taking the take to look at nature, a scientifically proven habit in improving mood and mental health.
3. Notice your words more
The way you speak matters. Observe yourself. Do you tend to be more negative in your word choice?
We tend to be highly self-critical in the way we talk to ourselves when compared to the way we talk about others, so notice that too and attempt to change the habit. Self-care is caring about yourself.
4. Give the right effort
An effort is a conscious force we must use with caution. We don’t want to use too much effort into areas that cause burnout, insomnia, and exhaustion. We also don’t want to act in half-hazardous ways that produce no results.
The practice of noticing your effort can allow you to take care of the things that matter to you, prioritizing aspects of your life.
5. Mind your mindfulness
Mindfulness is all about being present at the moment. It is an instance of pure now-ness, where you do not judge.
This state can reduce stress, cultivate good coping mechanisms, reduce mental illness, and enhance your life greatly. Check out the 5 easiest ways to add mindfulness into your life here.
6. Honor your intentions
Honoring your intentions forces you to question why you do the things you do. Are you acting out of love, or jealousy? Do you use negative emotions to fuel you, or are you a being of hope?
Emotions are not to be repressed, however. Always notice a bad mood and cultivate behaviors that will change that.
7. Act with purpose
Act in ways that align with your purpose. If you want to be healthier, stop buying flaming hot Cheetos so often (this is an attack @ me). If you want to be stronger, take time to invest in yourself. Try out calisthenics, weighted workouts, or even push-ups.
Actions speak louder than words, so work to act in a way that aligns with the words you believe.
8. Allow meditation to become a habit
Meditation can change the way we think, it can change the physiology and chemistry of the brain. In other words, it’s a pretty powerful tool for improving your mind, body, and spirit.
Check out a beginner’s guide to meditation here and learn all the resources you need here.
9. Breathe with me
Just keep breathing. No honestly, right now at this moment, taking a deep breath can change your life for the better.
Here’s a quick technique. Right here, right now, breathe with me.
Sit with your back straight, feet planted on the ground, and place a palm on your lower belly. Breathe deeply through the nose, focusing on expanding the belly, and filling your lungs completely. Hold the breath for 4 seconds, then release it slowly through the mouth. Repeat this 3 or 4 times and notice how much better you feel.
Check out all the resources, from science-based benefits to techniques, here.
10. Start a nighttime schedule
Nights matter just as much as mornings. Cultivate a good sleep routine by practicing sleep hygiene.
Your light-dependent circadian rhythm, an internal clock we all have, affects sleep, metabolism, and aging so we must take care of our nights. Turn off electronics after a certain time, preferably 6 pm, but you can push it to 9. Do something relaxing to wash the stress of the day off.
Nighttime routines can be as long or as short as you need them to be!
The Takeaway
Use these 10 practices to spark lasting change in your life. The good news is that any of these actions can become a habit, so you will do them automatically.
Take care of the mind, body, and spirit with these practices in a way that causes lifelong improvements. New Year resolutions can be soft suggestions that take time to become habits and that’s ok.
Remember that health starts from within! Nourish the body with good, whole foods, take actions to nourish the mind, and watch how wellness flourishes.
Did you know the importance of gut health for all of the above? Gut microbiota influences your metabolism, your mental wellbeing, and even your physical strength. Check out all the resources you need to take care of gut health today for free!
