A lot of us have heard the saying ‘happiness is a full tank’. It’s a great way to remind yourself of something that is important and can help keep your happiness levels up.
The word “happiness” comes from the Greek words eudaimonia and
How to Fill Your Tank
You can fill your tank by doing tiny actions daily that display commitment, love, and affection. These can include giving your partner a hug, buying them a sweet treat, and telling them that you appreciate them.
You can also learn to breathe calmly in times of stress and anxiety. This is a great way to keep your body and brain in control of what’s happening around you so you can make the most of each moment and enjoy life.
Throughout your life, there are going to be things that drain your happiness tank and things that fill it up. These events include work stress, an unresponsive partner, conflict that doesn’t get resolved, broken trust, a lack of affection, and other forms of disconnection.
1. Think About the Good Things
A great way to shift your mindset from focusing on the negative to the positive is to think about the good things in your life. This can be as simple as a new job that you enjoy or as complicated as an emotional bond with a family member.
The good things in your life will not only make you feel better, but they will also give you an edge when facing difficult situations and obstacles. It’s important to remember that these challenges are a part of the journey, and they will help you become stronger and more resilient if you can find a way to cope with them.
While the brain is acutely perceptive of negative events, it’s much easier to notice and stay with positive experiences than to focus on negative ones. Try to focus on positive experiences more often, and use mindfulness to consciously stay with them. If you find that your thoughts are usually negative, try to intentionally choose one or two positive thoughts before going to bed each night.
2. Don’t Focus on the Bad Things
Often times, we have an automatic bias towards the negative. It is our natural tendency to focus more on the bad things in life, and it can be quite a challenge to shift this habit.
The good news is that you can learn to fill your tank with happiness and avoid this automatic tendency to focus on the negative. You can do this by training your mind to make positive substitutions when negative thoughts enter your head.
You can also refill your emotional energy tank by getting into a new habit of self-care and seeking out people and activities that bring you joy. These can be simple things like sitting peacefully in the sun on your lunch break, reading your favourite book or spending time with your friends and family. It is important to take care of yourself so that you can have a happy life and be able to support others when they need it.
3. Look for the Good Things
A big part of happiness is focusing on the good things in your life. Think about the little joys in life such as a warm hug from a loved one, an honest opinion from your friend or a lovely glass of bubbles after a long Winter’s day.
A full tank of happy makes us more effective and productive at work or play. It also keeps us grounded and positive when the going gets tough.
Look out for the best things in life and try your hardest to include them in your daily routines. These may include a walk in the park, a relaxing bath or even the first time someone tells you they love you. They might be small, but they can make a huge difference to your wellbeing. It’s a great idea to keep a list of the good things you have in your life. The more you remember, the easier it will be to fill your tank of happiness!