Happiness for me is the greatest emotion to have in life. 

The feeling of being content with your mind and body, completely at peace. 

Today is Monday, 17th January 2022; infamously known as Blue Monday,  the saddest day of the year. This year we're doing things a little differently at Apprentify. We're encouraging our followers to share what they're doing to make themselves happy on this day. 

Many people, including myself, in years gone by, have tried to find happiness in different places, a job, relationship, new car, going on tv shows, making expensive purchases, eating bad food, drinking too much alcohol, going on holiday, but the reality is, nothing can make you happy for the long term, unless you change your mindset.  

Practicing gratitude and being completely present and thankful with what you have right now, will help you create your own happiness, without looking for it in other places.
It is so easy to focus on what you don’t have, especially when comparing yourself to others, unless you are looking and comparing yourself to people less fortunate than you.
When I had my own fitness and wellbeing business, this is when I really started to focus on what helps to keep people happy.

Clients used to ask what I was happy and positive about all the time, and I used to respond with the beauty of life and the fact every day we have a new chance to make others happy or make a difference in this world.  Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed for any of us, and I think that is what many people forget.

This doesn’t mean I am happy 24/7, I am a wife, mum to two young children, dog owner, cook, cleaner, carer and working mum, which all create their own challenges and frustrations.  We are all only human however, there are certain things I identified that keep me in a happier place, even when life challenges happen.  This doesn’t mean I never have a bad day; it just means there are less of them, and I know what my body needs to get out of the periods of time I am not happy.

Jogging is my therapy; I make time to go jogging at least 3-4 times a week.  If I don’t make the time, my husband has been known to bring me my trainers if he senses I have had a challenging day. After taking up Taekwondo last year as a new hobby, this has also benefitted my mental health as you really must focus, and it is a great stress reliever.  Having a hobby has been scientifically proven to help reduce stress, anxiety and depression.

One of Apprentify’s apprentices, Martin Pearson, has also spoken about the benefits of a hobby with his own wellbeing, as he started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu over a year ago.  He said, ‘Getting back to training after various lockdowns and periods off training, you do feel a massive relief and a bit of a weight lifted, having that outlet back and the comradery we have with each other in the gym.’  He also went on to say ‘Sport has been a big factor in the development of my self-confidence over the years. When I was younger and in school, I struggled with my weight which didn’t help the self-confidence aspect, but as I got fitter and more active, I felt more comfortable in myself.  Martin wanted to say that ‘There’s no shame whatsoever in asking for help, I myself have many times, however, to a point, only you can take the proper actions to try and improve your mental and physical wellbeing.’

This is the key message from Apprentify and Martin, we must know what works for our own mind and body, as we are all different, however, there are certain activities research shows improve many people’s mindset and as a result, improves peoples happiness in life.

Key Tips

1. Practice Gratitude daily – Wake up feeling thankful and write down at least 3 things you are grateful for.
2. Start a hobby that you’ve always wanted to try – Hobbies have many physical and mental benefits.
3. Be kind – Try doing some random acts of kindness and notice how it makes you feel, making others happy.  Mentoring/ Volunteering releases the same feel good hormones.
4. Exercise in the fresh air.  Nature, fresh air and exercise are all scientifically recognised to improve feelings of happiness due to the natural endorphins released as well as reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
5. Don’t compare yourself to others – If you do compare yourself, compare yourself to people less fortunate than you, for you to realise how thankful you should be.
6. Don’t have too much screen time - Looking at social media and news outlets can create a negative response in your body so limit the time on these platforms, to keep yourself in a positive headspace. Instead of scrolling, read a book, go for a bath, go for a walk just do something else.
7. Find 10 minutes of quiet time every day – Write down anything on your mind before starting the quiet time so you aren’t full of thoughts and things to do.  Try 10 minutes of meditation, stillness or silence.  Whatever it is, allow your mind to be still for at least 10 minutes.