Motivational blogger Khalipha Ntloko shares her top tips for finding more joy in your life, from adding more colour to your space to enjoying a sweet treat.
Joy is a feeling we all wish to consistently feel. Life feels full of colour, brighter really, when you are in a constant state of happiness. But, life isn’t always the rainbows and sunflowers we wish to experience. Sometimes, we find ourselves stressed from work or daily news reports, or by simply trying to keep up with everything that happens in our lives. Trying to find joy might seem like such a task in this day and age…
The good news, however, is that happiness is all around you and you can find it even in the busiest of moments. From adding colour into your space to exercising more, here are 10 easy ways you can find joy in your everyday life.
1. Affirm yourself more
Sure, this might sound easier said than done, but learning to speak positive affirmations about yourself is a great way to start seeing and attracting more joy in your life.
Positive affirmations are all about brightening your outlook on life, repeating words to yourself that are uplifting and helping you overcome negative thoughts.
Start by asking yourself: “What do you believe about yourself that is affirming?” Are you strong? Are you capable? Are you kind? Are you determined to succeed no matter the challenges you face?
When you speak affirmations about yourself out loud, it can positively impact your emotions and create a sense of self-confidence and happiness. See what happens when you begin your day by saying at least 10 positive affirmations about yourself. You’ll start to see yourself in a more positive light, and the smile on your face will become more permanent.
2. Make self-care a priority
Every once in a while, taking a moment for yourself to prioritise some TLC is something we all should do. Sundays seem to be the dedicated day for taking the all-important timeout to hit reset but you can choose a day that works best for you to practice self-care. On Mother’s Day, don’t wait for the kids to spoil you. You deserve to spoil yourself!
One of the best ways to help you prioritise self-care time is to make sure you don’t make the things you do feel like a chore. You should enjoy taking care of yourself! Play your favourite songs on speaker, cook that recipe you’ve been itching to try, relax with a face mask and enjoy your favourite Amajoya candy. These are just a few ways to enjoy prioritising self-care.
3. Take a sweet break
Speaking of Amajoya candy, an easy way to find joy in your everyday life is to stop and take a sweet break – both literally and figuratively.
In the busyness of today’s world, taking a moment to pause and be present can be an easy way to welcome joy into your life. This means knowing how to enjoy today as it is, and to let go of worrying about yesterday or tomorrow – stop to savour the here and now.
Taking a sweet break, in the literal sense, can also be a happiness booster. When you think about it, sweet treats usually form part of a happy moment – think birthday cakes, Valentine’s Day chocolates or Easter treats. There’s a natural association with sweet treats and happy moments, so when you need to take a break, do something different and include quality sweets like Amajoya candy to induce happiness.
4. Find joy in laughter
Breaking news: Laughter really is the best medicine, and no matter what is happening in our lives, laughter is an easy way to bring more joy into your life.
As we have become preoccupied with work, maintaining a social life and many other responsibilities, adults aren’t laughing as much as they should. But how can you change that? Stream a comedy show online during your self-care days, plan fun dates with your partner and friends, or start your day by reading a funny comic. These are just small but simple ways to raise your mood to create a positive mindset.
TOP TIP: Making someone else laugh is also just as therapeutic.
5. Make a “Joy” list
What actually brings you joy in life? As simple as this question may be, give yourself a moment to think about – really think about it. Is it spending time with the ones you love? Or trying something new like art or a musical instrument? Or maybe it’s getting lost in a novel?
If you can’t quite pinpoint the answer, try asking yourself: “What did I make time for that made me happy? What moments did I experience that brought me joy?”
Then answer these questions in a list format to get your “Joy” list. This gives you a sense of the moments you experienced joy, and provides the foundation in recreating them. For example, if you remember being happy when you were with friends for lunch, try reaching out to them to organise a time for you all to get together again.
6. Add colour into your space
Did you know that certain colours can have an impact on our mood and help us find joy in our surroundings? There’s a reason why blue makes you feel more calm while red brings a sense of danger. That’s all thanks to colour psychology, and if you’re looking to add some joy into your life in an easy way, look towards changing the colours in your space.
This doesn’t have to be a drastic change, like painting your entire room yellow if you want to feel more joyful (although by all means, go ahead if you love yellow). Some easy ways to add colour into your space include buying brightly coloured flowers like sunflowers, getting scented pillar candles in red or blue, or adding mugs in different colours and patterns.
7. Skip social media first thing in the morning
How you start your day really can have an impact on the mindset you’ll carry with you for the rest of the day. With this in mind, try and skip social media when you wake up in the morning.
These days, social media is filled with a lot of noise – both positive and negative – and if you try to cut through it all first thing in the morning, you set the stage for how you will feel throughout the rest of the day.
As an alternative, turn off push notifications to the social media platforms you’re active on, and listen to an uplifting podcast while you make that morning cup of coffee.
8. Exercise for at least 20 minutes a day
Studies have shown the link between physical and mental health, and that if you work out for at least 20 minutes a week, you’re happier than those who don’t work out. This is because of the extra oxygen that flows to your brain during exercise, and how chemicals like serotonin, get released to help you feel good and find joy.
The workouts you choose don’t need to be extensive; after all, you want to enjoy them instead of strain yourself, so pick workouts that you will like doing and are relatively easy (like running or rope skipping).
9. Spend time outside
A healthy dose of vitamin D is just what the doctor ordered when it comes to being happier. Spending time in nature is a huge mood booster and also helps to reduce stress and blood pressure, while increasing oxygen levels to the brain and serotonin (the neurotransmitter responsible for changing your mood).
No need to spend half a day in nature on a long hike; just two hours per week is all it takes to make you a healthier and happier person.
Take your cue from the Japanese and go “forest bathing”.
Or take walks in parks or by the beach to boost your mood and feel good. You can even try working out in the great outdoors to double your effects of sparking joy!
10. Have a gratitude attitude
Happiness is an inside job, and one way to be happier every day is to practice gratitude daily. This can have a positive effect on your mental wellbeing, and boosts positive emotions that keep you joyful.
To practically implement this, keep a gratitude journal and write at least five things that you are grateful for. Think of what is immediately around you, like your home and food, or the connections you have with friends and family.
Learning to appreciate what you have, and maintaining a grateful attitude towards that, will help you bring a smile to your face that lasts long and genuinely feels good.
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