How was your week? Are you excited because it’s finally Friday? What if I told you, you don’t have to wait one week to feel like Friday. In fact, you can make every day feel like Friday! Here’s the special Happiness checklist to keep on your phone as a reminder to live like Friday every day.
Have a 'happy hour'
I’m sure most people might relate ‘happy hour’ to drinking. But in this case, ‘happy hour’ doesn’t have to mean drinking or clubbing. Just spending some time doing something that makes you happy and excited can count as a ‘happy hour’. Whether it’s something new or something you’re extremely scared of but excites you, spare some time to do it.
Stay hydrated with fresh lemon water
If drinking water isn’t your thing, try squeezing some fresh lemon to add some flavor. Drop a few ice cubes and voilà! There are plenty of benefits that come with drinking lemon water. Besides being a good source of Vitamin C, it also helps improve skin quality and prevent kidney stones.
Here are some other benefits of drinking lemon water in the morning.
Enjoy a sports day with friends
It’s not every day that you can meet up with your friends and hang out. And it’s even less likely for those hangouts to have sports included (except maybe dancing in the club or going for a bowl at the alley). So why not try inviting your friends to have a Sports Day together every once in a while? You can all enjoy a friendly basketball match or even some casual badminton at the park. That way you can have some fun with friends while getting some exercise done.
Take mini-breaks to refresh
It’s great to be in the flow when you’re working but it’s important to take frequent breaks in-between. These breaks can help refresh your body and mind and boost productivity and concentration. You can use these mini-breaks to snack on fruits or stretch your muscles. If you have time, going for a walk and taking in the sunshine can help boost your happiness levels.
Spring cleanup your room
Whether it’s to welcome a new season or even a new day, it’s always a good practice to keep your room neat and tidy. From the book “A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind“, cleaning isn’t just about removing dirt. It’s also about cultivating the body and mind. Rather than treating it as a chore, try to enjoy the process, calm the mind, and free ourselves of attachments.
Here are some tips on decluttering at home.
Keep a "good things that happened" journal
Writing down all the good things that happened to you or your loved ones can bring a lot of joy to your life. Similar to writing a gratitude list, the “good things that happened” journal will keep track of all the positive events. When you’re feeling down or lonely, you can always pick up the journal and read through it. Just by reading about the happy times, you will feel much happier too.
Watch stand-up comedy
Just search on Netflix or YouTube for stand-up comedy and you’ll find a long list of entertaining videos. If stand-up comedy isn’t your type, there are plenty of comedy TV series and funny videos on the internet. If watching cute videos of animals being clumsy makes you feel happy, then watch that! I find videos on Japanese cooking and dessert extremely satisfying (maybe because I’m not a very good cook) so I usually watch Tasty Japan and other videos.
Lighten up your room
Pull open those curtains and let the natural light shine in! Not only does sunlight increase the release of serotonin in our brain, a hormone that improves our mood, it also increases our focus and improves sleep quality. Not to mention, you can save electricity and money by making good use of natural light. Here are some benefits of natural lighting at home.
Surprise yourself with a scheduled gift
Instead of waiting for someone to buy you gifts and make you happy, why not buy yourself a gift. By making use of scheduled delivery, you can surprise yourself with gifts you don’t remember purchasing. A popular gift choice is usually a flower bouquet but care package subscriptions are also a great idea. These subscriptions usually send you a box of surprises each month with different products for self-care. Here are some subscription box examples.
Don’t wait for someone to bring you flowers.
Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul.
— Mario Quintana
Blow some bubbles at the park
One can never be too old to enjoy blowing bubbles at the park. Just grab your bubble-blowing kit and head to the nearest park in your area! If you’re bothered by your age, just ask a friend to pretend to take photos or videos. Bubbles actually make a great prop for Instagram photos and videos.
Find a new favorite hiking trail
Rather than taking the usual hiking trail, try taking a detour or even a completely new path (make sure you put safety first!). You might notice things you’ve never paid much attention to. And who knows, you might even find a new favorite hiking trail.
If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
Sleepover parties & pillow fights
You don’t need a vacation to invite friends over for a sleepover party! From catching up with friends, to laughing over shared memories followed by a crazy pillow fight, sleepover parties are an all-in-one package. Chat, laugh, exercise, and have fun. But of course, we should be considerate and make sure we’re not disturbing anyone late at night.
Time for a new houseplant
Watching your new houseplant flourish can bring a lot of joy because it shows that the plant you nurtured and cared for is growing strong. Depending on the plant type, some houseplants excel at cleaning the air and releasing more oxygen. Here are some examples of air-purifying houseplants.
Dance like no one's watching
Really. No one’s watching. So just dance! If you feel uncomfortable dancing outside while being surrounded by strangers, then consider blasting Spotify in your living room with some disco music you’ve prepared and dance. Bring out the craziest dance moves you have as if you’re in a dance battle. Or there’s always the video game “Just Dance” and their “Just Dance Now“.
Jump into a pile of autumn leaves
If you find autumn leaves scattered all over your lawn, take this chance to rake up a pile and jump! You might be known as the silly neighbor but who knows, they might even join you cause it looks so fun. You can even keep a few leaves and press them into bookmarks or just use a marker to write thank you notes on them. I’m sure they would make a unique surprise.
Spoil yourself with ice-cream
For all the sweet-toothed people out there, it’s time to spoil yourself! With ice-cream and chocolate, some jiggly souffle pancakes, and other delicious desserts, fill your heart (and your stomach) with happiness and sweet dishes. If you can’t consume much sugar, maybe looking at delicately made sweets can make your day. One of my favorite Instagram accounts – @bakeree_ decorates the most beautiful cupcakes I’ve seen. Just looking at them makes me happy.
To Conclude
Don’t wait for Friday to come anymore! Make Friday happen by bringing the same excitement and happiness to your life every day. Feel free to save the Happiness Checklist on your phone to remind yourself to take action for your happiness.