Happiness: most of us assume it's just a state of being affected by different things. How good your job is, how many pairs of shoes you have, whether you're in a wonderful relationship.
But actually, proposes charity Action For Happiness, can your levels of happiness be affected by your habits?
The charity ran a survey of 5,000 people in collaboration with Do Something Different, and found that out of all of our habits, self-acceptance was one we practiced the least yet was also the one that most strongly predicts how happy we are. Conversely, giving was the top habit by people who took the survey.
So is this a hint that we should be kinder to ourselves?
Dr Mark Williamson, director of Action for Happiness, said: “Our society puts huge pressure on us to be successful and to constantly compare ourselves with others. This causes a great deal of unhappiness and anxiety. These findings remind us that if we can learn to be more accepting of ourselves as we really are, we’re likely to be much happier. The results also confirm us that our day-to-day habits have a much bigger impact on our happiness than we might imagine”.
HOW TO PRACTICE SELF-ACCEPTANCE:
- Be as kind to yourself as you are to others. See your mistakes as opportunities to learn. Notice things you do well, however small
- Ask a trusted friend or colleague to tell you what your strengths are or what they value about you
- Spend some quiet time by yourself. Tune in to how you're feeling inside and try to be at peace with who you are
Take the quiz to find out what your happy habits are, and what you might want to work on.