18 Simple Tips for a Happier, Healthier You!

Though true happiness is a lifelong quest, there are some things you can do to be happier in your everyday life.

Explore these 18 simple ways to be happier and healthier with your life. 

Stop Stressing Over Other People’s Feelings

A couple sits at the breakfast table. She's trying to make him happy by giving him breakfast but he doesn't care.
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Far too many of us live our lives in fear of other people’s reactions. We choose our careers, friends, and even partners because it’s what our parents want, and we don’t want to hurt their feelings. We cater to toxic friends and bend over backward to avoid offending the ridiculous sensibilities of older relatives. 

Your mental health will significantly improve when you realize you aren’t responsible for other people’s feelings. Stop tiptoeing around people and start enjoying your life. Let them be mad – that’s their problem, not yours. 

Within Reason, of Course

A family standing outside their new home smiling and showing off the keys.
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Some folks take not caring about other people’s feelings too far. You must be willing to compromise with your life partner because their feelings matter, too. In addition, you can’t run off to pursue your dreams of being a Twitch streamer when you have three children to support. 

When we say stop catering to other people’s feelings, we don’t mean your kids and your partner’s feelings. 

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Tired man and woman both sleeping at a desk with their head resting on one hand.
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You don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve had a week of great sleep each night. Splurge on a high-quality mattress and pillows, and find a routine that allows you eight uninterrupted hours each night. 

You’ll feel ready to take on the world. 

Leave them Behind

A woman waves goodbye as she leaves.
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One of the harshest truths about life is that some folks are a hindrance to your mental health and personal growth. 

Some you thought was your best friend may try to tear you down, your parents may not understand that you want something different, and a potential partner may wish to limit your growth in support of their own. 

Letting go of relationships that don’t serve your best interests is okay. 

A Living Wage

Happy man holding money in one hand giving a thumbs up sign with the other.
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It’s nearly impossible to enjoy a healthy mental outlook when struggling for basic survival. Finding a job that pays a living wage is crucial to your health and wellness. 

Financial Life in Order

glass jar labeled "budget" halfway filled with coins.
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A job with a living wage is only the first step in the battle for financial security. A living wage won’t help your mental health if you blow all your money and can’t afford necessities. 

Learning financial literacy, building a budget, and making a financial plan that supports your life goals will take the stress out of money and allow you to enjoy the fruits of your labor. 

Remove Social Media

Female social media influencer holding a "follow" sign in one hand and a "like & subscribe" sign in the other.
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Social media shows the highlights of everyone’s life mixed in with the worst news of the day. The insidious mixture slams us with a double whammy: despair about the state of the world mixed with the uneasy feeling that we aren’t doing good enough. 

The real world isn’t nearly as bad as social media makes it seem. Stop doom-scrolling and start living; you’ll see. 

Get a Cat

Smiling woman holding a cat
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Pets enhance your life. Dogs require a ton of work and attention and aren’t suited for small apartments. Cats are far easier, adapting well to smaller places and providing the same level of love, joy, and companionship. 

Work Out

man running on a treadmill at the gym.
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When you’re feeling down, the last thing you want to do is exercise. But it helps – a lot. 

Working out keeps your mind and body fit. It releases feel-good endorphins that lift your spirits. 

Stop Drinking

hand refusing alcoholic beverage
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Alcohol is awful for your mental and physical health. You don’t realize how much it’s affecting you until you give it up completely. 

Even a few drinks on the weekends have a negative impact. Give it up; you’ll feel loads better. 

Self Reflection

A woman holds up a mirror to view her reflection.
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Let’s be real. Sometimes, you’re the problem. If you really want to improve your mental health, you need to do some heavy introspection and self-examination to determine where you’re the problem and how you can improve. 

Enjoy Nature

An older woman enjoys the solitude of nature at a river bank in the fall.
Photo Credit: Mila Supinskaya Glashchenko via Shutterstock.com.

When was the last time you sat in the park and watched the squirrels frolic or enjoyed the feel of fresh grass on your feet?

Get out into nature. Smell the flowers, and enjoy the serene flow of a gentle brook. You’ll feel refreshed just from being in the fresh air. 

Positivity

A happy woman gazes off into space like she's wondering what good things life has in store.
Photo Credit: Luis Molinero via Shutterstock.com.

Sometimes, it’s all a matter of perspective. Trying to find the positive side to any event will help you feel better about your life in general. 

Tell yourself how beautiful the day is, and embrace an optimistic attitude. 

Travel

A plane on the runway of Newark airport with the skyline in the back.
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Though staycations are lovely, nothing broadens your mind and expands your horizons like journeying to the furthest reaches of the globe. 

Therapy

therapist leading a group therapy session
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Sometimes, grit and perseverance aren’t enough. You need professional help to alleviate your mental health problems. There’s nothing wrong with getting the help you need through a licensed mental health professional. 

Start Journaling

woman smiling and journaling to represent types of journals
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Increase your health and wellness with a simple, low cost tool: Journaling. But don’t take our word for it. 

Mental health experts speak out about all the benefits journaling offers

Practice Self Care

woman hugging herself to represent self-care Sunday ideas
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Self-Care is essential to wellbeing. Try one of these indulgent self care activities when you have a moment of spare time

Savor Every Moment

sand running through an hourglass to represent quotes about time.
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They often say time flies, and that’s true. We’re often so busy we don’t even notice the days and years slip away. 

Yes Time Flies – But Here’s How To Savor Every Moment

Find Your Purpose

A small man stands alone in an empty plain, looking through binoculars, trying to find opportunity in the emptiness.
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If you’re feeling depressed because your life lacks meaning, explore ways to bring more purpose to your life. 

Here’s how to find your purpose

Let Your Free Spirit Soar

Woman smiling in the passenger seat of a car to represent road trip games
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Are you a free spirit, forced to live in a little box by society’s constraints? Here are some tips for letting your spirit soar
 

Author: Melanie Allen

Title: Journalist

Expertise: Pursuing Your Passions, Travel, Wellness, Hobbies, Finance, Gaming, Happiness

Melanie Allen is an American journalist and happiness expert. She has bylines on MSN, the AP News Wire, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and numerous media outlets across the nation and is a certified happiness life coach. She covers a wide range of topics centered around self-actualization and the quest for a fulfilling life.