As the holidays approach, I've been thinking quite a bit about traditions. And I thought about how habits are a form of tradition. Some habits may be positive, some not so much.

 

I'm reading The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, and he shared a few actions he learned from Shawn Anchor, author of The Happiness Advantage, who says that when done consistently over time, these 5 simple things will make you significantly happier.

1. Each morning, write down three things you're grateful for. Three NEW things every day. Teaches our brains to look for the positive.

2. Journal for 2 minutes a day about one positive experience you've had over the past twenty-four hours. Be as detailed about the experience as possible -- it causes our brains to relive it, doubling the positive experience.

3. Meditate daily. It doesn't have to be a big deal. Stop what you're doing (this is the hard part for me), and focus on your breath for two minutes. Trains your brain to focus where you want it to, and not get stuck in a negative loop.

4. Do a random act of kindness over the course of each day. It can be as simple as taking 2 minutes in the morning to send someone an email, thanking or praising them for something they did.

5. Exercise for fifteen minutes daily -- I would add, AT LEAST 15 minutes daily : ). Even a brisk walk can be a strong anti-depressant.

Jeff goes on to say that according to Shawn, doing just one of these consistently for 3 weeks will begin to rewire your brain. And, you don't have to do all five at once. The suggestion is to start with one, keep repeating it till it's a habit, a TRADITION!!, then add another and so on . . .

So, who's with me? Anyone else want to begin spreading happiness? Let's create a new tradition!

I started earlier this week, and will keep going. If you want to join me, and some other friends who are committing to spreading happiness, email me at tarasfitforlife@gmail.com, or text me at 970-471-4711.