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HowtoEnjoyLife:15Steps(withPictures)wikiHow

HowtoEnjoyLife
ThreeParts:

Emotionalwellbeing

Mentalwellbeing

Physicalwellbeing

Enjoyinglifeisoftenthoughttobeamindset,theresultofreflection,action
andgratitude.Andwhilemostofuslacksufficientfreetimetoescapetosome
mountaintoptempletofollowourbliss,thebestwaytofindhappinessisto
makepractical,everydaychanges.Coupledwithconsciouschoicesto
appreciatethepeopleinyourlifeandmakingspacetodothethingsyou're
bestat,smallchangestoyourlifesoonadduptogreaterenjoymentinlife.

Part1of3:Emotionalwellbeing

Getapet.Owningapetprovideslove,companionship,andhoursof
entertainment.Petownershiphashealthbenefitstoo,suchasreducingyourblood

pressureandtheriskofheartdisease,increasingyourfeelingsofwellbeingand
connectedness,andteachingyoulessonsinempathyandnurturing.[1]Forextrawarm
andfuzzyfeelings,considerrescuingapetfromyourlocalshelter.
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3veggiestonevereat:
Ifyounevereatthese3veggies,Youwillburn
stomachfateveryday

Getintomusic.Listeningtomusictapsintoyourbrainsimaginationandsenseof
selfidentity,boostsyourselfesteem,andlessensfeelingsofisolation.[2]Listening

tomusicfeelsempowering.Putonyourfavoritealbumorthatoneyoukeepmeaning
todiveinto,turnupthevolume,andcutoutallotherdistractionssothatyoucanreally
experiencethemusic.
Insomecases,musichasbeenshowntohelppeoplecopingwithdementia,
givingthemagreatersenseofempowerment.[3]

Startthedaywithasmile.Yourfacialexpressionistraditionallythoughtofasa
windowintohowyoufeel,butit'salsothoughtthatyourfacialexpressioncan

influenceyourmood.[4]Therefore,besuretosmilefreely,toensurethatyourmoodis
upbeat.Youmightevenwanttogreetyourselfinthemirrorwithasmilefirstthinginthe
morningthathappyfacemaybejustenoughtokeepthatmoodflowingalldaylong.

Takeabreak.AdecentbreakdoesntmeanzoningouttotheTVorgoingdown
theinternetrabbithole.Itmeanssettingsometimeasideandmakingitspecial.As

athankyoutoyourself,giveyourselfavacationorstaycationachangeofscenery
evenifitjustmeanshavingapicnicinyourbackyardorbuildingafortwithyourkidsin
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thelivingroom.Takingabreakthatisdifferentfromtheordinaryandletsyou"hang
loose"candowondersforyoursenseoffun,escape,andfulfillment.

Spendtimewithinterestingpeople.Itiswellknownthatpeoplewithawide
circleoffriendstendtolivelonger.[5]Ofcourse,birdsofafeatherflocktogether,

anditsalsobeenshownthatyourfriendsbehaviorcanactuallyhaveabigimpacton
yours.[6]Makesureyouhangaroundwithpositive,interestingpeopletoinspireyourself
tolivearicherlife.
Puttingoffgettingintouchwithanoldfriend?Makethatcalltoday!Ifyou
cantreachthepersonbyphone,setsometimeasidetowritealongemail.
Beingdraggeddownbyanunhealthyfriendship?Enablingyourfriendsbad
behaviordoesntdoeitherofyouanygood.Dosomesoulsearchinganddecide
whethertoresolvethingswithahearttoheartortosimplyendtherelationship.
Havetroublemeetingnewpeople?Getoutsideyourcomfortzonebygoingto
newplaces,strikingupconversationswithstrangers,takingonanewhobby,or
evenjoiningasocialactivitygrouponsomethinglikeMeetup.com.
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FastReview,Publishing&PrintingInternationalJournal(US
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Part2of3:Mentalwellbeing

Reducestress.Youdontneedacliniciantotellyouthatstressisnofun,butdid
youknowthatevenamildstressinducedmooddisorderlikesubclinical

depressioncanravageyourimmunesystem?Infact,thedurationofastressfulperiod
hasmoreeffectonimmunitythanitsseverity.[7]Tofightstress,firstrecognizeitandstop
tryingtobattleonalone.Findwaystogroundyourselfandtoletoffsteamconstructively.
Sport,exercise,ahobbyandspendingtimewithfriendsareallgoodwaystocounteract
stress.Youmightliketotryguidedimagery,yoga,ortaichiifyouhaveaseveremood
disorder,seekcounselingand/ormedication.[8]
Removethestressormanageitbetter.Canyouchangethecauseofthe
stress?Thendoso.Inmanycasesthough,stresslinksbacktoyourjob.In
uncertaintimes,changingjobscanbedifficult,inwhichcase,youmustfind
waystomanageitbetter.Thisincludesbecomingmoreassertiveaboutyour
needsandboundaries,workingsmarternotharderandusingworkplace
resourcestocounteractdetrimentalpracticesthatareimpactingyourhealthand
wellbeing.

Learnnewthings.Gettingahighereducationcanbolsteryourselfesteemand
interestintheworld.Butit'snotforeveryoneandit'snottheonlysolution

reading,traveling,takingfunclasses,attendingguestlectures,andmeetingpeoplefrom
othercultureswilldothesamething.OrtryMOOCsmassiveonlineopencourses
thesecoursesofferverystimulatingwaysofstretchingyourknowledgeandabilities,in
yourowntime.Ultimately,insteadofrunningfromnewexperiences,engageinthem
andseekmorewheneveryoucan.Afterall,youonlyliveonce.
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Findahobby.Whetheryouchoosestampcollectingorkickboxing,hobbiesand
extracurricularactivitiesarenecessaryinthepursuittoenjoylife.Hardroutinesare

counterproductivetospontaneityandsurpriseleavealittleflexibilityinyourschedule
sothatitdoesn'tbecomeroutineandhumdrum.Doyourhobbyoractivitybecauseyou
loveit,andbecauseitgetsyou"intotheflow",andnotforreasonssuchaskeepingup
withotherpeopleorconformingtounrealisticsocialstandards.

Readagoodbook.Puttingyourfeetupandwatchingyourfavoriteshowatthe
endofthedayisdefinitelyatreat,butsincepassivelywatchingastorydoesntdo

muchtostimulateyourimagination,itcanalsoleaveyoufeelingrestlessand'zombified'.
Forachangeofpace,findabookthatyoucanloseyourselfinforawhile.Ifyoudont
consideryourselfmuchofareader,thinkoutsidetheboxandfindsomethingthatrelates
toyourhobbies:ifyoureabaseballfan,pickupBillVeeksautobiographyifyourea
biker,tryZenandtheArtofMotorcycleMaintenance.
Keepnotesofpassagesorideasthatreallyresonatewithyou.Ifyoukeepa
notebookinyourusualreadingspot,readytojotdownsuchinspirations,you'll
soonamassaninspirationalcollectionofideasthatmattertoyouandmayhelp
directyoursenseofpurposeforyearstocome.

Practicemeditation.Meditationreducesstressandpromotesacalmfeeling.Itis
importanttomaintainagoodbodyposturefortheenergytocometobalance,

allowingcalmnessandbeingasonewithallthatis.
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Part3of3:Physicalwellbeing

Bolsteryourimmunesystem.Nobodyfeelshappywhentheyresick!Evendoing
somethingassimpleastakingavitaminwithvitaminsC,E,andA,selenium,and

betaCarotenemighthelptoboostyourimmunity.[9]Moreusefullythough,eatinggood
foodsuchasfruit,vegetables,grainsandanimalfoodswillprovidegoodnutrientsasa
resultofthecomplexityofvitaminandmineralinteractionsunprocessedfoodsoffer.
Exercising,sleepingwell,andtakingmentalbreakscanalsodowondersforyourbodys
naturaldefenses,therebyboostingyourenergyandwellbeing.

Exercise.Exercisingaffectsthereleaseofendorphins,whichtransmitmessages
tothebrain,translatingintopositivefeelings.[10]Regularexercisenotonlycombats

depression,anxiety,andfeelingsofloneliness,butalsobolstersyourimmunesystem.
EvenwalkingforexercisecanincreaseyourantibodyandTkillercellresponse.[8]

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Sleepwell.Sleepisstronglylinkedwithapersonshealth,stresslevels,weight
andqualityoflife.Moreover,whileyousleep,yourbodyproducescellsthatfight

infection,inflammation,andstress,whichmeansthatgettingtoolittlesleepmakesyou
morepronetogettingsickandincreasesthetimeyouneedtorecoverfromillness.[11]
Exercisingisoneoftheabsolutebestwaystosleepbetteratnight.[12]

Playinthedirt.Scientistsarefindingthatfriendlybacteriainthesoilactually
triggerthebraintoproduceserotonin(muchlikehowantidepressantswork).[13]If

youhaveagarden,getoutthereanddig.Ifyoudont,considerstartingoneifnotfor
flowers,forvegetablesandherbs.Evendesigningacontainergardencancreateaspot
ofsunshineinyourlife.
Obviously,notsofriendlybacteriaarealsoinyourgarden.Wearglovesto
protectyourhands,especiallyifyouhavecatsorneighboringcatsuseyour
gardenasatoilet.Andwashyourhandswellafterplayingindirt!

Eathealthy.Itsanobrainerthateatingwell(fresh,unprocessed,basicfoods)has
ahugevarietyofhealthbenefits.Inaddition,takingthetimetocookfreshfoodsfor

yourselfgivesyouanemotionalboost:itsmellsgood,itlooksgood,ittastesgood,and,
whenyoubecomeproficientatcooking,itcanevenprovideafun,creativebreakfrom
yourroutine.Inadditiontobeingaformofselfpampering,cookingisalsogoodforyour
wallet.Ifyourenewtoit,startwithafewfast,foolproofrecipesthatwontturnyouoff
cookingforever.Thelessprocessedfoodinyourdiet,thehealthieryou'llbe,whichin
turnwillensureagooddealmorehappinessforyou.
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Wecouldreallyuseyourhelp!
Canyoutellusabout

Canyoutellusabout

Canyoutellusabout

Canyoutellusabout

MagicPiano?

Traveling?

FaceMakeup?

Aquascaping?

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Tips
Alwaystrytocreatenewthingsandmakeyourselfhappy.
Rememberlifeonlycomesoncesoenjoyitforthebetter.
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Whiletheseguidelineshavescientifictheoriessupportingthemabout
happiness,rememberthatbeingabletoenjoylifedependsonthe
person.Thereisnoscientificmeasurementofhappiness,and
everyone'sideaofhappinessandfulfillmentisdifferent.Inanutshell,
youcanchoosetobehappyornotandtheonlypersonwithcontrol
overthat,isyou.
Worryisauselessformofwastingenergy.Takethatworryenergyand
dosomethinginsteadoffretting.Ifyou'resowoundupthatthethought
ofdoinganythingfrightensyou,takeabreakorasnooze,thencome
backanddealwiththeproblemconfrontingyou.You'llfeelalotbetter
fortacklingitthannot.
Useyourimaginationeveryday.Thinkcreativelyandhavefun.
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Warnings
Thereisno"onesizefitsall"solutiontohappiness.Byallmeansread
whattheselfhelpgurusandarticlessuchasthissuggestyoutry.But
don'ttakeitasgospelifasuggestiondoesn'tworkforyou,thendon't
beatyourselfupoverit.Findanalternativethatdoesworkandstick
withitinstead.

SourcesandCitations
1. Phys.orgonpets,health,happiness,andhealing,
http://phys.org/news162660892.html
2. Journals.Cambridge.org:Thecontributionofmusictoqualityoflifein
olderpeople,
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstractjsessionid=C00A60
705AC2F7CACF21B1F4E1A84B3B.journals?
fromPage=online&aid=283212
3. Journals.Cambridge.org:Musicandthewellbeingofpeoplewith
dementia,http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayFulltext?
type=1&fid=570884&jid=ASO&volumeId=27&issueId=01&aid=570880
4. NCBI.NLM.NIH.govonfacialfeedbackhypothesis,
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3379579?dopt=AbstractUnder
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thetheoryoffacialfeedbackhypothesis,ithasbeenshownthata
personcanalterhisorhermoodbysustainingaparticularexpression.
5. NYTimesonfriendshipandlifespan,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/health/21well.html?_r=1
6. FAU.eduonfriendshipandyouthbehavior,
https://fauf.fau.edu/wordpress/?p=2442
7. APAonstressandimmunity,
http://www.apa.org/research/action/immune.aspx
8. 8.08.1ClevelandClinic.orgondiet,stress,exercise,andtheimmune
system,
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/chronic_fatigue_syndrome/hic_di
et_exercise_stress_and_the_immune_system.aspx
9. MyClevelandClinic.orgondiet,stress,exercise,andimmunity,
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/chronic_fatigue_syndrome/hic_di
et_exercise_stress_and_the_immune_system.aspx
10. BrynMawr.eduontheeffectsofexerciseonthebrain,
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro05/web2/mmcgovern.html
11. MayoCliniconsleepdeprivation,
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lackofsleep/AN02065
12. PubMed.gov:EffectsofExerciseonSleep,
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15892929
13. MedicalNewsToday.com:SoilBacteriaWorkInSimilarWayTo
Antidepressants,http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/66840.php

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Italiano:GodersilaVita,Espaol:disfrutarlavida,Portugus:Aproveitara
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