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12 Ways to Celebrate You

Life should be filled with joyful moments. On top of that, as living, breathing human beings we all deserve to be acknowledged, appreciated and celebrated. Life gets busy for most of us as we juggle responsibilities and spend much of our time nurturing others. It is important that we each find the time to celebrate who we are, to honor ourselves for our efforts and triumphs, and to praise our resilience even during the hardest of times.Here are 12 ways to celebrate you!1. Take a breakTake a stay-cation or a vacation that includes lots of the activities that you love to do. If you love reading in an Adirondack chair in a beautiful location, find a way to do it. If you love eating delicious foods, indulge in going out to dinner at one of your favorite restaurants. Take some time out to avoid feeling burned out.2. Write a gratitude letter—to yourselfMany of us have taken the time out to express our gratitude to others, but very few of us have really invested the energy in focusing on what we are grateful for in ourselves. Write a list or a letter highlighting all of the things about you that you’re grateful for. For example: the ability to juggle work and family, or that you have found a way to live within your means. Or maybe you are grateful that you’ve been eating and living in a healthier way since January.Whatever it is, write it down! Later, if you are having a day where you are feeling particularly down on yourself, refer to that list to put some positivity back into your mind and mood.3. Unleash your inner childReward yourself with a rare moment of instant gratification. Has there always been an activity you have been dying to try? Indoor skydiving? Paintball? A ballet class? Try it!4. Have a “celebrate us” gatheringGet a group of friends together to celebrate each other and your friendship. Bring your own favorite dish to share at a potluck or go to a restaurant that has meals you all love. Toast to the importance of close, wonderful relationships.5. Give yourself the gift of extra timeWake up a bit earlier or go to bed a bit later so you can have some extra time in the day just for you. Drink a cup of coffee by yourself, read a magazine or cuddle up on the couch and watch your favorite TV show.6. Give yourself a social media shout outHop on Facebook or Twitter and write a post that simply says something like, "I'm feeling great today, I hope you are, too," or "I'm having a great day today, I hope you are, too!" Your social media circle will love that you are feeling happy, and they will appreciate that you're wishing good feelings on them as well.7. Start a joyful ritualOnce a week (or month), set aside time to take a hot bubble bath, read your favorite books, or end your day with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.8. Put some happy in your workspaceFind a gorgeous photo of a place you dream of going to and make it your wallpaper on your computer or smartphone. Start working on a plan to go there.9. Listen upMake yourself a "mixtape." Design a playlist for your iPod, phone or computer that is filled with songs that you love and that make you happy.Listen often.10. Buy something beautifulBuy yourself some flowers and put them in a prominent place in your home or office where you can enjoy them. Maybe this can even become a weekly or monthly ritual.11. Document yourselfGet a new picture of you taken by a friend with a great camera or even a professional photographer. It could be colorful, or arty and black and white. Smile—you’ll be glad later that you documented this moment in your life.12. Be kind to yourselfDo to yourself as you might do for others. Make a concerted effort to be as attentive and giving to yourself as you would be to a boss, a customer, a child, a friend or a mate. Make your wants and needs a priority and focus.Stacy Kaiser is a successful Southern California-based licensed psychotherapist and author of How to Be a Grown Up. A top relationship expert and media personality, Stacy contributes frequently to Live Happy.

Self-Care

Do What You Love

I am a believer in maximizing life. I think we should be who we want to be and live the life we hope to live. I believe all of us have a responsibility to ourselves to find whatever strength, power, support, tools and ideas we can to be who we truly want to be. Perhaps one of the greatest forces that we have inside to propel ourselves into living our most meaningful life is the energy we call passion. Passion is the accelerator to our car; it is the warmth that helps a cake rise; it is the feeling that drives us to grow, change and persevere. A passion for life When you think of the term “passion,” several different things may come to mind. For most people, romantic passion may be the first image that pops into their brains. While romantic passion is wonderful and important, for the purposes of this piece, I am talking about the activities, people and experiences that give us a rush of energy and excitement and drives us to greater success and happiness. More than a feeling While passion is a feeling that motivates us, it is something that does not always come easily or work under any circumstance. Of course, we have all either had or heard of experiences where a passion literally appears out of nowhere and fits perfectly into the constructs of a person’s life. Maybe you tried out a new activity and knew instantly that you would love doing this and you were able to make it happen. Sadly, these types of experiences are rare and may only occur once in a lifetime. For most of us, it is challenging to find something that we love with so much passion and then be able to carve out enough time to spend focused on it. If you are able to find something you are passionate about, investing time into it typically relates to how easily you can work it into your daily schedule and other commitments. Whether you have yet to discover your passions or you already have a long list of them, it is always great to find more. Here are my five tips to help you find what you are passionate about: 1. Brainstorm and research If you’re not completely sure what you are passionate about, spend time exchanging ideas with people who are close to you and finding out more about the activities, people, places or things that interest you. Try them out, and if you love and enjoy them and they give you an adrenaline rush, then you’ve just found new passions. 2. Look into your past Perhaps when you were a child, teenager or even a young adult, there was something that you were passionate about. Maybe there was something you loved to collect, a place you loved going, or an activity that you loved doing. Bring those old experiences back into your current life. 3. Spend time around people who are passionate Passion is contagious. Being around happy, enthusiastic and driven people can ignite some extra passion inside of you. 4. Make a mood board Print out pictures or cut them out of a magazine. Put them on a board to help stimulate your creativity and to remind you about things that you love. Once you have some ideas, go out and do them. (You can do this exercise on a big board, or even on Pinterest!) 5. Make a bucket list If the word “passion” has you stuck, and there is nothing that you feel that strongly about, make a list of all of the things you want to do that you have never done. Get excited about planning to do those things so that you can cross them off of your list. If there is already something you love doing, do more of it. Do you love baking? Spending time with great friends? Reading books? Going for a hike? Do more of those things. Taking the time and energy to focus on doing more of what you love allows you to live a more passionate life. Stacy Kaiser is a successful Southern California-based licensed psychotherapist and author of How to Be a Grown Up. A top relationship expert and media personality, Stacy contributes frequently to Live Happy.

Lifestyle

Put Some Happiness in Your Home

Happiness begins at home, they say. In fact, the more we feel that our home—our precious personal space—is a peaceful refuge from the world that truly represents who we are, the better we are likely to feel. Below are 7 easy ways to add some extra happiness to your home.1. Make your bed to start the day rightSo simple, yet so effective. When you make your bed every morning, you start the day with a sense of accomplishment and order. “It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed,” said Naval Admiral William H. McRaven, Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, in a recent commencement speech.2. Blue doesn’t cause the blues“All around the world, among every age, gender and income bracket, blue is people’s favorite color,” writes Bruce Feiler in his book, The Secrets of Happy Families. If you want calm, go for blue tones. “Blue reminds people of the ocean and the sky and is considered limitless, calm and serene.”3. Shop your own houseWe all have a tendency to think we need to buy something to make us happier. We often forget we already have what we need. Maybe you love new books, purple pens, a bright winter scarf or a comfy pair of jeans. Have you shopped your own house yet? Dig around in those closets and drawers, and you’ll get a happiness boost when you realize you already possess many of the treasures you seek.4. Dim the lightsInstalling dimmers for some lights in your house is another small change that can make a big difference. Dim lights—like those you’d see in a spa or wine bar—give your home a relaxing glow. Dim lights are the ideal backdrop for a date night, movie watching or intimate conversation. Even scientific research shows that dimming the lights in the evening puts us in a better mood.5. Have an inner sanctuaryYou need a place that makes you exhale with calm release as soon as you step into it. Maybe it’s just a corner with the perfect chair for reading or your dream garden in your yard. It could be a sunroom, a room with a view, or an incredibly comfy bed. Maybe it’s a decluttered desk or the world’s most organized garage that enhances your creativity. Make sure you have a some personal space in your home that feels like an inner sanctuary, and immediately puts a smile on your face.6. Create a memory wallSavoring positive experiences makes us happier. One thing you can do to make positive moments or events last a little longer is to create a memory wall. Hang family pictures, school banners and memorabilia, framed scrap-book pages from a favorite trip … anything you’d like to look at and think about again and again, every time you walk by.7. Fill your house with happyLast but not least, fill your home with people you care about. University of Hawaii professor of psychology Elaine Hatfield coined the term “emotional contagion,” which means we catch the mood of those around us. Create a happy home environment by choosing to surround yourself with OPP (only positive people).How do you add happiness to your home? We would love to hear your ideas! Share below!

Self-Care

Book the Time

I love to read. It’s an essential part of my work; it’s an important part of my social life (I am in four book groups); and, most important, it’s my favorite thing to do—by a long shot.Whatever you find fun, reading or otherwise, the point is to make sure you find time to do it. Having fun is key to having a happy life, so don’t let it get pushed aside by other priorities.Here are some habits that I’ve adopted to help me get more good reading done—and have more fun.1. Quit readingI used to pride myself on finishing every book I started. No more. Life is short, and there are too many wonderful books to read.2. Read books you enjoyWhen I’m reading a book I love, I’m astonished by how much time I find to read.3. SkimEspecially when reading newspapers and magazines, I often get as much from skimming as I do by a leisurely reading.4. Don't fight your inclinationsI let myself read what I want because otherwise I end up reading much less.5. Always have something to readNever go anywhere empty-handed. I almost always read print books, but I travel with e-books, too, so I know I’ll never be caught without something to read.6. Maintain a big stackI find that I read much more when I have a pile waiting for me. Right now, I have to admit, my stack is so big that it’s a bit alarming.7. Choose your own booksBooks make wonderful gifts—both to receive and to give—but I try not to let myself feel pressured to read a book just because someone has given it to me. I always give a gift book a try, but I no longer feel compelled to keep reading if I don’t want to.8. Set aside time to read taxing booksEvery weekend, I spend time “study” reading, which covers books that I find fascinating but demanding and that I might put down and neglect to pick up again. Now that I set aside time for study reading, and I finish those books.If you haven’t already, start now to develop good strategies to find more time to read—or to do whatever it is you find fun.Gretchen Rubin is the bestselling author ofThe Happiness ProjectandHappier at Home. Her newest book, Better than Before, all about how we can develop positive habits, is scheduled for release in March, 2015. She is considered one of the most influential writers on happiness today, and has become an in-demand speaker and keynoter.You can read about Gretchen's adventures atGretchenRubin.com.

Self-Care

The Happiness Movement

The Happiness Movement is about discovering your own authentic happiness, and sharing it with family, friends and your community. Happiness is contagious, and our goal is to create a world with more compassion, less strife and a greater sense of purpose and meaning. You can claim responsibility for your own happiness and become a catalyst of happiness in others’ lives.Collectively, our commitment to long-lasting happiness has the potential to change the world, one person at a time. True joy comes from spreading happiness to those around you. And like a pebble thrown into a pond, it only takes one person to create a ripple of happiness.Here are some ways you can help foster happiness:Smile! It’s a gift that people will instantly reciprocate!Give others the benefit of the doubtThe more you share happiness with others, the happier you’ll feel. Sharing articles from livehappy.com on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest … everywhere! Want a more efficient way to spread happiness?Give a subscription of Live Happy magazine to a friend and brighten their world. Or to spread happiness even further, give to 10 of your friends, and join our Gift10 list.Cultivate gratitude by focusing on the wonderful people and things in your lifeKeep a gratitude journal (it’s scientifically proven to increase wellbeing!)When you read a great article or book about happiness, pass it to friendsSpread Happiness—one small act can change the world. Take our #HappyActs challenge, do#HappyActs and tell us about itBe generous with your money, your time or whatever you can spareWrite someone an appreciative emailPick up a few pads of our Happy Notes, and post them wherever you feel that people need a lift.Exercise and get outside more—taking care of your physical wellbeing is important!Make plans to spend time with people you likeSeek out service projects, volunteer opportunities or aspects of your faith that add a sense of meaning and purpose to your lifeBring smiles all around by wearing Live Happy clothes and gear!We are looking for Happiness Ambassadors!Join our happiness movementand begin earning Live Happy loyalty points, which can be redeemed in our store for merchandise. (Log-in to your account for full details on ways to earn points. And please log-in before you purchase from the store for those purchases to earn points.) As a Happiness Ambassador you will also receive special coupons and be able to participate in exclusive contests.What are you waiting for? Join the Happiness Movement Today!

Self-Care

Happy Acts Challenge

In honor of the International Day of Happiness (March 20), we're inviting everyone to spread a little joy through happy acts.Here's how it works:Do as many Happy Acts as you can from now until March 20. These are small things-with a big impact. They're everyday, thoughtful expressions that others do for us - and that we intentionally do for others. They can be as simple as waving hello, sending an encouraging message to a friend of buying a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line. The possibilities are endless.Once you complete your Happy Act share it on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook using #HappyActs.Then keep on spreading your Happy Acts! Help spread the wordand tell your friends to do and share their own Happy Acts!Also, we'll choose a few of the people who post the most Happy Acts to be featured and interviewed for an upcoming issue of Live Happy magazine!Do you accept the challenge? If so, join our International Day of Happiness newsletter. We'll share some of our favorite #HappyActsposts, and give tips on making each day happier for you and those around you.

Self-Care

IPEN’s Top Books of the Year

The International Positive Education Network is a newly formed research organization designed to encourage scholarly research and engage in practical implementation of positive psychology ideas in the classroom.Its steering committee includes some of the most prominent names in the field of positive education and positive psychology, including Martin Seligman, James Pawelski and Angela Duckworth. Live Happy is proud to be a partner and sponsor of IPEN, and the research they commission.“The current paradigm of education values academic attainment above all other goals,” says James O’Shaughnessy, a London-based education entrepreneur who chairs IPEN. “We believe the DNA of education is a double helix of two intertwined strands—academics, and character and well-being, which complement one another and are mutually reinforcing.”“The current paradigm of education values academic attainment above all other goals,” saysJamesO’Shaughnessy, a London-basededucation entrepreneur whochairs the IPENsteering committee. “We believe the DNA of education is a double helix of two intertwined strands—academics, and character andwell-being, which complement one another and are mutually reinforcing.” - See more at: https://www.success.com/article/what-if-schools-graded-character-and-values-as-much-as-math-and-reading#sthash.n2Jl3nCP.dpufFor those passionate about psychology, education and innovation, we present IPEN's list of the best books of 2014.Character Compass: How Powerful School Culture Can Point Students Toward Success byScott SeiderThe Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution by Walter IsaacsonPowers of Two: Finding the Essence of Innovation in Creative Pairs by Joshua Wolf ShenkOpposable Mind: Winning Through Integrative Thinking by Roger MartinThe Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly: A Novel by Sun-Mi Hwang (translated from Korean by Chi-Young Kim)How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul ToughThe Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne BrysonIntelligent Virtue by Julia Annas

Self-Care

On a Happy Note

My favorite part of The Happy Wall is watching it from a distance. Curious, people walk gingerly around the perimeter, smiling as they read what others have written. Then, they pick up a piece of chalk and make their own addition. It’s a joy to witness other people’s joy!A bumpy roadI wanted to create something interactive and fun. In the end I am thrilled with my giant chalkboard art installation that asks people, “What makes you happy?” With the help of many collaborators, The Happy Wall went up November 29 in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami.It took me a long time to reach a place where I could make such a joyous thing happen. I spent much my youth struggling to feel anything but miserable, inadequate and anxious. I finally broke free from depression’s steely grip, and that journey inspired me to help others struggling with similar issues.Pursuing happinessI started turning my attention toward writing and speaking about the pursuit of happiness. I talked to others about overcoming depression and how to live a joyful life. But I wanted to do more.The response to the wall has been heartwarming. Every day, hundreds of people make their mark on the wall, drawing, doodling and writing.What makes you happy?From beer and lacrosse to singing out loud, from reading a good book to being vegan, from kindness to guinea pigs—you never know what makes people happy, and what you’ll find scrawled on the wall. Elaborate drawings of family movie day, surf scenes, odes of love!Popular topics include family, friends and boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives ... when people are asked to stop and really consider their priorities, love is often at the top of the list.The wall is a place of positivity and engagement. More than anything, I wanted people to realize happiness is a choice.Visit Hannah Sentenac's Happy Wall at Cocowalk, 3015 Grand Ave., Miami, Florida., through Jan. 2, 2015. Learn more at TheHappyWall.org. Hannah would like to thank sponsor Happify and partners KIND Snacks, Brent Berman & Associates, Tervis, the Institute for Inspired Organizational Cultures and Pine View Engineering Club of Osprey, Florida.

Self-Care

What People Are Saying About Live Happy

Readers weigh in about how Live Happy has affected their lives. Dear Live Happy: I love the article about choosing a word for the year and it being a great alternative to a resolution. It made me think about it and my word for 2017 is “significance.” I’d like everything I do to add significance in someone’s life; it will help me be intentional about the things I do every day to improve myself and add value to others. What a great way to make sure I’m living happy in 2017. —Eeman H. :) I like the article about choosing a word for 2017. I have done this in the past but it was like reading it for the first time, like the blinders were off and the word “focus” stuck out to me. What we FOCUS on is what grows! —Mechelle C. :) Hey there, I was on the hunt for some info about commuting and found your post "Reboot Your Commute." Great stuff! Keep cranking out the great content for livehappy.com. Thanks! —Joshna J. :) I found your fantastic website, and I have been inspired by the amazing stories and podcast. —Andrew B. :) I just picked up your magazine in the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and read it cover to cover by the time we got back to Chicago! I am in love with it. My name is Felecia, which means happiness, so the magazine title was my first attraction, and I am a huge fan of Queen Latifah gracing the cover. Every article wowed me, and I am definitely subscribing! Thank you for this experience! —Felecia G. :) I stopped in an airport lounge to have a little oatmeal and coffee before boarding my flight. It was here that I discovered Live Happy magazine. Oh my! It’s my soulmate in print and I’m in love. Every page leads to happy and joy. —Sandra L. :) My daughter and I talk about being Happy all the time. Most of our happy thoughts are centered around Nature and the outdoors. So when I saw "Live Happy" in the newsstands at the checkout line while in Whole Foods, I thought, Yeesss! It made me think so much of my daughter Nyah. She's always been such a happy girl. BTW, The article on Adult Sleep-Away Camps was awesome. Adults could benefit from getting in touch with their" inner child and finding their 'Happy' "! Thanks, Live Happy! —Ebony J. :) I just wanted to let you know that your magazine is so lovely. It puts a smile on my face when I see it in the mailbox. You will have a subscriber for a long time to come. And, I have already made a gift subscription for a friend’s birthday. Thank you so much. —Sue F. :) I’m not a very good flyer, so the positive reinforcement I get from reading Live Happy makes the flight a little smoother! —Paige S. :) I got to listen to the podcast this morning before the crazy day started. I got lots of good input that I needed for today. It really did help! Thank you Live Happy! —Joan A. :) Your recent podcasts with Amy Blankson and Laurie Berkner (my kids’ favorite singer) taught me so much about tech and parenting. —Evan M. :) Live Happy is amazing! The magazine was a welcomed delight but the podcasts are life-changing. I am able to play them at home and in the car. As a stay-at-home mom of kids that are 2 and 3 years old, I need all the focus, lessons, skills and happy time that I get from Live Happy Now. Plus my little guys listen in, too, so they are soaking up the happiness! —Rebecca P. :) OMG! I have known about Live Happy since its inception and have enjoyed the articles, interviews and ideas...and the podcasts are the best ever! I listen every morning while I’m working out. Sometimes I get lost in the subject, other times I am right there. The beauty is that I am so happy listening to good, happy, positive stuff, rather than the news or 24-hour sports commentary! —Lynda E. :) Thank You! I am 74 years old and am reading Live Happy: Ten Practices for Choosing Joy. I have read many books in my day, but this book has touched me and motivated me more than I can even explain. I am savoring each page and know I will re-read it many times. I have never sent an email or letter like this, but felt compelled to. Again, thank you. —Faye W. _________________________________________________________ We want to hear from you, too! Contact us at editor@livehappy.com.

Self-Care

Happy LuLu Day!

Happy LuLu day everyone!For those who are reading this and have that tilted dog head confused look going on, LuLu stands for Loosen up, Lighten up, and it's one of those made-up holidays that some random dude invented on a whim. So try it. Ahhhh. That feels better. If you are stressed out, maxed out or just overrun with life, today, November 15, you are officially encouraged to relax. You have 364 other days to worry ruminate. Use today as an excuse to break out the jogging pants and flip flops and get that extra helping whatever makes you happy.Here are some tips for loosening and lightening up:Call up an old buddy and have a laughHave two. Remember that time when he/she said this or that and you were all…and they were all…and everyone laughed? Laughing is easy and it is good for you. It lowers your blood pressure and reduces your stress.Watch TVAim for something a little less stressful than Homeland. More like a "Duck Dynasty" or "The Voice" kind of thing.Get outside and get some fresh airTake the dog for a walk in the park. Take yourself for a walk in the park. Or just sit on a bench and breathe it all in. Maybe a butterfly will land on your shoulder (and if that happens, run out and buy a lottery ticket). Just get back to nature. Studies have shown that there are many health benefits to oxygen, including…well, trust me, you just need it.Carpe Diem… because tomorrow, it’s back to the grind.Chris Libby is some guy who works here.

12 Ways to Celebrate You

Do What You Love

Put Some Happiness in Your Home

Book the Time

The Happiness Movement

Happy Acts Challenge

IPEN’s Top Books of the Year

On a Happy Note

What People Are Saying About Live Happy

Happy LuLu Day!

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