Tuesday, March 20 is International Day of Happiness, but how satisfied do you feel with your life?
Increasing your happiness levels doesn’t have to involve major life changes, even small acts can boost your mood and leave you feeling more content.
At La-Z-Boy, we believe happiness starts in the comfort of your own home so we’ve come up with eight ways to find joy without even having to leave your sofa.
If you have pets in your home then spending time with them is a great way of raising your body’s levels of oxytocin, which is often nicknames the ‘love hormone’. Oxytocin creates warm, fuzzy feelings and is a natural way of lifting your mood. So get cuddling your cats and hugging your hounds to put a smile on your face.
Everyone has something in their life to feel grateful for. Focus on the positive things going on by jotting down three things you feel thankful for at the end of each day. You could try putting these notes into a jar and then get them out to read when your mood is feeling low to lift your spirits.
Tell yourself some things you like about yourself and believe them. Instead of being self-critical, spend a few minutes a day reminding yourself of your strengths and the things other people admire and appreciate about you.
Take a moment to pick up the phone and call someone you love. Whether it is your mum, partner or best friend, connecting with someone who is close to us helps lower stress levels and feel content.
Try to clear your mind of thoughts and focus only on your breathing. Push away any negative feelings or worries and just spend a few minutes existing in the moment. This will help you relax, which in turn will help you feel happier.
Daft as it sounds, listening to sad songs can actually make us feel happier. Allowing ourselves to feel emotion and even have a little cry can be very cathartic and improve our general mood. Of course, if you prefer something a little bit more upbeat, listening to any music you enjoy will help you feel more cheerful.
Pick someone you know who is happy and invite them round for a night in on the sofa. Having a good chinwag with someone who has a positive outlook on life will help you feel better about your own situation. Laughter is contagious so put on a comedy or share a silly story with each other.
Making positive plans for the future is a great way of lifting your spirits. Get out your tablet, laptop or smartphone and start looking at potential holidays, days out or activities. Think about the things you really enjoy and spend time imagining yourself doing them.
Designed and Manufactured in Britain
The Made in Britain campaign is a movement designed to bring together the manufacturing community in the UK, awarding companies who manufacture their products in Britain a collective mark we can use on our products and communications.
The mark proudly demonstrates La-Z-Boy’s commitment to supporting the local economy and community.
You can identify our UK manufactured products by the Made in Britain flag on the product’s photos.
We launch new ranges throughout the year, so be sure to follow us on social media and check back to keep up-to-date with our new products.