Secret to a Happier Mind: How to Train Your Brain for More Contentment and Well-being

Can you really train your brain to be happier and more content?

Research says happiness is a crucial parameter of good health. From improving your performance to reducing your risk of heart disease to increasing your life expectancy, happiness is a miraculous medicine.

But is it possible to be happy all the time? Feeling gloomy, irritated, sad, or angry at times is absolutely normal. These emotions make us humane. But if you are constantly living under these emotions, then there is a way to break free.

Researchers confirm that you can actually train your brain to be happier and more content.

Studies show that happiness is a habit that one can develop with practice. By paying more attention to positive thoughts, practicing affirmations, cultivating faith, and living in the moment you can actually be happier.

Here are some research-backed tips to Train your brain to be happier and more content

Train your brain to be happier and more content

You can actually train your brain to be happier with the rule of 20-20-20-20. Take 20 seconds every day to observe your thoughts and reset your mental wiring to a happy state. Then spend 20 minutes reading a book that motivates you or teaches you something new. Write your journal and mention 20 things you are grateful for. And lastly but most importantly, spend the last 20 minutes of your day de-stressing, planning, and saying an affirmation.

Here are a few more tips that will help you lead a happier life –

1. Unleash the power of positivity

Being mindful of your thoughts is very important. Just like you don’t allow weeds to grow in your house, you shouldn’t allow negative thoughts to grow in your mind. Being conscious of these thoughts will help you in filtering such thoughts that do no good. 

Another technique that often works great is replacing a negative thought with an affirmation. For example, the thoughts that trigger jealousy or anger when followed with a positive affirmation like – ‘one day I will have what they have will help in changing your state of mind. 

2. Practice gratitude

Several studies found that practicing gratitude is strongly associated with greater happiness. Researchers linked gratitude with better mental, physical and emotional health. It is also found to improve your relationships and social connections.

Just thinking of all the simple things that have made your life easier can make you feel more blessed. From the sunlight to the air to the water, you can be grateful for all things. Many successful people have a habit of starting their day with the feeling of gratitude.

3. Journaling your journey

Several scientific pieces of research have proved that writing can pave the path to happiness. In a study, participants who spent 20 minutes every day journaling their thoughts reported greater levels of happiness and better health. They also made fewer trips to the doctor in the following months.

Journaling is a proven stress buster. It provides an outlet for your negative emotions and makes you relieve your positive experiences. Writing a journal gives you the time to process your emotions and produces calming hormones in your brain. It can help improve your feelings of happiness and peace and decrease feelings of anxiety, depression, and distress.

4. Celebrate the small thrills

In the race of big dreams, people often forget to celebrate the small thrills. But experts say don’t wait for the big achievements to celebrate. Rewarding yourself for small feats can be the biggest motivator. Your brain associates reward with happiness and releases endorphins (the happy hormones).

Buying a dress, going shopping, eating your favorite food, playing a game, or doing anything you love can be a reward. So, celebrate your little feats with pomp and grandeur, and make way for bigger achievements.

5. Quit Multitasking now

Multitasking is often thought to be a boon, but research proves that multitasking is actually a bane. It slows down your performance, stresses your brain, impacts your memory, and ruins your happiness. Multitasking also makes it take longer to complete a task.

Focusing on one task at a time improves your performance and your satisfaction with the job. Research also says that multitasking jobs that do not engage your brain are not a problem, but engaging your brain in multiple things at a time is the problem. The simplest example is studying while watching TV. 

6. Balance your emotions with logic and reasoning

Our emotions often hinder our decision-making. That’s why experts say never take a decision in anger and never make a promise when you are happy. Balance your emotions with logic and this will help you in taking the best decision in every mental state. 

Whenever you know you are high on emotions, create a list of pros and cons before making any decision. This can be really helpful in preventing you from making some of the biggest blunders of your life. 

7. Help others to help yourself

Research shows that your brain releases happy hormones when you help others. Experts often recommend this to people who complain of depression or are going through a rough phase. Being able to help others bring a sense of purpose and satisfaction.

Also, make sure to surround yourself with people with a positive mindset. Research says that our emotions are contagious and people near us can affect our emotions. When you surround yourself with kind and positive people you automatically rub on their frequency. 

8. Take care of yourself

Several surveys have cited that the biggest reason for unhappiness and dissatisfaction in people is because they prioritised someone else or something else over their own happiness. This is the main cause of resentment in many people. 

That’s why stop procrastinating your priority. Take care of yourself physically and mentally. Research has proved that performing a physical activity even for 20 minutes can improve your mood, boost your good hormones, and fight fatigue. Eating healthy, practicing mindfulness, yoga and meditation can improve your happiness quotient.

Have you heard of Ikigai?

According to Japanese philosophy, having a purpose in life can improve your health, happiness, and life expectancy. So, if you are still wondering for a purpose then maybe it’s time to search within. 

Ikigai also says that having a strong social network can result in better physical and mental health. Humans are meant to live in a community and having a tight-knit community can help in boosting your happiness!

Your takeaway!

Happiness is proven to be a great medicine just like a simple smile can lift up someone’s mood, happiness can boost your health and increase your life expectancy. People who are happy also tend to be more successful in life!

Also Read:

How to find your purpose and Live a Happy and Healthy Life

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7 secret ingredients to a happy marriage

How to overcome grief?