As someone whose job it is to help people become their happiest selves, there's one mistake I see people make time and time again in the pursuit of happiness.
We all know the phrase ‘happiness is a journey, not a destination,’ yet many of us still treat happiness as that elusive destination that we will finally arrive at when certain conditions are met.
We live in the world of, 'I’ll be happy when,' and this can put us off living life to its fullest.
When we exist this way, we miss out on so much joy in life and will forever be stuck on what’s known as the hedonic treadmill.
For the uninitiated, the hedonic treadmill is the short-term sense of happiness you get when you hit a milestone before you return to your baseline of happiness.
The key to getting off the hedonic treadmill is to see happiness as a lifestyle to consistently and intentionally invest in, rather than a place you'll get to.
As a happiness expert, these are the six tips I offer my clients to help them get off the hedonic treadmill for good.
Nurture your relationships
Humans have an intrinsic need for social connection. Make sure you prioritise nurturing your relationships with friends, family, colleagues and your wider community, especially in person. You can enhance your connection to others and strengthen your relationships by practicing active listening and having more empathy for others.
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Elevate your positive emotions
This is not about 'good vibes only' toxic positivity, nor is it about forcing yourself to feel positive all the time and ignoring your negative feelings.
Both positive and negative emotions are contagious, so be mindful of your environment and who you choose to surround yourself with as you can ‘catch’ negative emotions.
Find your flow
Playing to your strengths and aligning your life with your values will help you to experience more flow in your life and be more engaged, which is an important ingredient for living your happiest life.
Instead of trying to strengthen your weaknesses, which can feel like an uphill battle, focus more on understanding and playing to your strengths.
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Slowing down and savouring special moments is an amazing way to help you feel more present and experience more flow in your life.
Live with purpose
You can elevate your everyday by giving more meaning to the ordinary moments in your life, celebrating the small things instead of waiting for the big rare moments.
Become a goal getter
Setting yourself meaningful goals and achieving them is a key ingredient to living your happiest life. They don’t need to be huge life goals, but simply making sure that you have things you are working towards and making progress in will give you that important sense of accomplishment and life satisfaction.
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Prioritise healthy habits
Ensure you are filling your happiness cup up with movement, sleep, restoration and nutrition. One of the most valuable ways to elevate your everyday is to get your body moving in nature. Being in nature broadens your viewpoint; it’s more panoramic, whereas when we're using technology, it’s narrow and inward focused.
When you broaden your vision, your eyes relax, lowering stress levels and inducing a state of calm. The sweet spot for being in nature is a minimum of two hours a week to experience wellbeing benefits.
Follow Casey on Instagram and visit HELLO!'s Happiness Hub for more inspiration for living a happier life