 Hey Psych2Goers, are you looking for some habits to make your days a little less gloomy? Well, you've come to the right place. Sometimes a little healthy habit here and there can make a great difference in how our mood or day turns out. So here are 6 habits that will make your average day happier. 1. Work with a purpose. Do you work with a purpose or do you work with the outlook that it's torture the whole process? Well, why put yourself through that? Yes, a great amount of work out there is going to be unpleasant. But if you can find some purpose in your work, some silver lining, then you can use that to make your work days a little less depressing. If you're working on something you know you're passionate about, maybe you've lost track of the idea that this is passion. Have fun with your work. Relax if possible, and go easy on yourself. Work with a purpose. If it's a class assignment, strive to truly learn the material and take joy in your knowledge. If it's for an average day at work, how can you find a bit of happiness in the texts you're reading? People you're helping, presentations you're presenting. You got this. I believe in you. 2. Meditate. Ah, meditations. Ready? Ah, ooh. Let's try. Ah, ooh. Mmm. Nice work, Psy. A 2009 study published in the journal Neuroimage found that those who meditated long term, such as Buddhist monks, had significantly well-developed areas of their brain which were connected to emotional stability and mindfulness. The study states that they detected significantly larger gray matter volumes in meditators in the right orbital frontal cortex. In addition, meditators showed significantly larger volumes of the right hippocampus, both orbital frontal and hippocampal regions have been implicated in emotional regulation and response control. Thus, larger volumes in these regions might account for meditators' singular abilities and habits to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability, and engage in mindful behavior. Meditation is used by many to reduce feelings of anxiousness, fear, and anger by taking a moment to, well, be in the moment. 3. Listen and talk with your loved ones. How often do you both talk and listen to those you love in your life? Sometimes when we're feeling sad or anxious, we can isolate ourselves. Socializing with others and expressing your feelings to them can make a great difference in your mood. Take a moment and have a chat with your loved ones, but also remember to actively listen to them as well. Help each other by being the friends there to support and listen to them. And them you. Even if you're simply hanging out and spending the evening together, it's sure to make your average day happier if you set aside some simple quality time with them. 4. Get outside for a while. Ah, the fresh ocean breeze. The rainy green forest. The polluted foggy air. Wait a second, that's not fog, that's good ol' smog. Ah, still, it's pretty healthy to get outside. Most times. One 2012 study published in Biomedical and Environmental Sciences discovered that the group of their subjects they sent out on a two-night trip to a forest were found to have lower levels of the primary stress hormone cortisol after their trip. This was compared to the second group who spent those two nights in a city. The study states, subjects exposed to the forest environment showed reduced oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory levels, as evidenced by decreased melondialdehyde, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor A levels compared with the urban group. Serum cortisol levels were also lower than in the urban group, notably the concentration of plasma ET1 was much lower in subjects exposed to the forest environment. A different 2011 study published in the Japanese Journal of Hygiene discovered that there was a decrease in cortisol levels and heart rate with their subjects in forest areas as compared to those in urban places. Time to get camping, or simply take your dog to the park. 5. Choose positive and inspiring people to be around. Ever heard that saying, you are what you eat? Same goes for people, just don't eat them. You are who you spend your day with. Or at least you may find yourself becoming more and more like them. A 2018 article in Forbes by Nohman Azish pointed to the quote by author and entrepreneur Jim Ron. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, so who are those five people in your life? It's best to surround yourself with people you admire, look up to, or are inspired by. But most importantly, people who are a positive influence in your life. Not only that, but they simply make you happy. 6. Express gratitude and kindness. Do you practice gratitude? Is your day filled with more kind actions or negative ones? Express gratitude and act out of kindness any chance you get. Focusing on the things we're grateful for, which are right in front of us, will keep us away from worrying about what we don't have. You can always strive to reach your goals and it's normal to want things, but take a moment each day to appreciate what makes you comfortable, peaceful, and happy in this life. Try writing down five things you appreciate in your life. And aim for at least five kind acts throughout your day. Make someone else and yourself happier in the process. If you practice both of these simple daily habits, you'll not only appreciate the great things you have around you, but you'll also appreciate your day a bit more too. Dare I say, it will make it a bit happier? So which habit will you implement into your daily routine? Will you go get outside more? Talk with your loved ones? Be grateful and gracious? Let us know in the comments down below. Seriously, I want to know if you've mastered the art of meditation and mindfulness. Uh, ooo, mm, can you master mindfulness? Ah, who cares? I just want to be peaceful in this moment. Uh, ooo, mm, we hope you enjoyed this video and if you did, don't forget to click the like button and share it with a friend. Subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell icon for more content like this. And as always, thanks for watching.