Shortcuts to Happiness: Sounds Like a Great Idea

Music is a true shortcut to happiness–and a fun one!

Research shows that the little things in life that lift your mood can greatly enhance your life in the long run. This is because getting yourself into a better mood can help you to change your whole outlook and the way you respond to your environment and the opportunities you encounter. Over time, this leads you to build more resources and enjoy your life more, which keeps you in a better mood. It all creates a self-perpetuating cycle of positivity and increased resilience toward stress. It can lead to a better life in many ways.

These are the things we want to create during Happiness Happens Month–which is the month of August–though you can and should focus on this year-round. For today, it’s enough to focus on one thing that can help you to lift your mood and create this cycle of positivity. There are many ways to lift your mood (and some may resonate with you more or less than they would resonate with anyone else), so I’m going to share the best ones with you over the course of the next several days.

One quick and effective way to lift your mood (one that requires almost no effort on your part–score!) is the use of music. Working music that you enjoy into your life can lift your mood and raise your happiness levels. Think about when you can listen to music when you’re not already doing so. When you shower? Drive time? On your lunch break? While you make dinner? You get the idea–there are many opportunities, and just a few minutes of good tunes can make a difference.

For more quick mood lifts, check out this article on shortcuts to happiness. You can also, as always, find more in my book, 8 Keys to Stress Management. (I know, shameless plug, but it does have some great ideas and ways to implement them in your life, so I feel the impulse to let you know.)

I hope you have a wonderful day and month! Savor your day