Happy International Happiness Day!

What have you done to celebrate today? Why not celebrate EVERYDAY?  You deserve it.

In honor of this Happy Holiday I want to share some of my favorite tips to Living More Happy.

1. Get Outside

• Its easy to go through our days from home, car, work, car, home and only stepping outside to move between each place. How often do we sit outside and enjoy the world around us? Even in less than desirable weather, there is something to be said for breathing in fresh air after a rain or snow, even if for a minute.
• If you’re as lucky as us San Diegans, you should be taking your lunch, phone calls, even business meetings outside! I have been having my meetings on Mission Bay or the PB boardwalk for a walk or under a tree somewhere. Walking barefoot across grass or sand does wonders for the soul. Try it and maybe even get brave and do a cartwheel!

2. Get Grateful

• Make a list of all the things in your life you are happy for and put it somewhere you will always see. I keep mine on the inside of my medicine cabinet and read it twice a day while brushing my teeth.
• My new favorite happy habit is saying thanks before each meal. Weather it is in prayer form, Buddhist blessing or just an exclamation of “Wow I am so grateful to have this meal I am about to enjoy” raises the vibrations of your food and creates a much more aware and gracious attitude about eating, not just mindlessly stuffing our faces. ;)
• Tell someone everyday how grateful you are for them. Shoot a quick text or email or pic up the phone and call! It will definitely make their day and remind you of how lucky you are to have them and cherish them.

3. Be Proactive About Your Happiness!

Its not easy to just BE Happy. It takes practice and persistence. Set yourself up for success by creating positive reminders like Happy messages to yourself in the form of post-it notes, alarms on your phone, smiley face keychains, whatever it is that reminds you to smile.

Here are my favorite Happy Practices:

• Instead of going to bed to TV or silence, I turn on binaural beats, ambient music that helps me with my relaxation, mediation and actually has positive impacts on your brain! Click here for my favorite bed time tune. You can also use binaural beats to energize you in the morning, focus throughout the day or meditate!
• I also just signed up for a Meditation Vacation, a week long program through Happier, an app that helps you log happy moments in life making you more grateful and overall happier! Sign up here to join and get happier or just download the app HAPPIER.