Fuel a Daily Happiness Hygiene Routine

Ever notice how many of us have daily routines down to a science? We brush our teeth without even thinking, pop our vitamins, and hit the gym to stay healthy. The importance of fueling healthy habits is practically hardwired into our lives.

So why don't we have routines to fuel our happiness with the same care and consistency?

Shawn Achor, positively powered and New York Times best selling author of The Happiness Advantage, believes we should make fueling our happiness a daily habit! 

As a recognized happiness expert, plug into these five things, he says everyone should do daily to power up a "happiness hygiene" routine – seriously, there are no excuses:

Four of five of these habits you can do ​in 2 minutes or less!

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Instead of "I'm grateful my niece," ignite: "I'm grateful for how Lauren inspires me be more of a free spirit!"

1. ​Plug into Two Minutes of Mindfulness
   Spend two minutes to reflecting on a positive experience from your life. Our brains can't tell the difference between what we visualize and our actual experiences, so when you purposefully re-energize them by vividly imagining the details that sparked joy in these moments on a consistent basis, the brain will powerfully rewires itself to think more positively. 
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2. Spark Appreciate for One Person
   ​When you spark appreciation for others, it ignites a profound effect. Heartfelt "thank you" and simple sparks of gratitude, not only kindle your relationships and deepen connections with those you cherish,  it energizes your self-esteem, optimism and resilience. So, take two minutes each day to let someone know how much you appreciate them; it will light up both your worlds!
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3. Ignite Three Acts of Gratitude
   As you wind down each day, spend at two minutes thinking of three new things you are grateful for. Having a gratitude practice is proven way to fuel more happiness, make sure you go beyond thinking:
   ​"my family, my health, my job" and get specific!​ 
   
   Here's the powerful reason why: 
   By getting specific, you wire your brain to automatically energize the positive and ignite more optimism in your life! ​​
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4. Fuel 15-Minutes of Exercise
   Powering up just 15-minutes of cardiovascular exercise is a natural antidepressant lowering stress levels. Whether it's a brisk walk around the blog or dancing in the living room to your favorite tune, doesn't matter, all you need to do is get moving. 
   
   
5. Energize A Random Act of Kindness
   Energize a least two minutes each day to fuel a single random act of kindness. Hold the door for a stranger, buy a child's meal through a local school lunch program, or drop off flowers for a nursing home resident. Need ideas? Here's a list of 101 Random Acts of Kindness to inspire you. 

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💥 Supercharge this happiness hygiene habit with a gratitude journal​!  

This playful Clever Fox Gratitude Journal comes in number of fun colors and is a positively powered favorite!

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Remember that happiness isn't a destination; it's something you cultivate every day. Just like prioritizing physical health through daily routines, make time to start prioritizing nurturing your happiness each day. 
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Start energizing a “happiness hygiene” routine to positively power your emotional well-being, fuel resilience, and illuminate the path for a brighter tomorrow. So, from now on, make your happiness be more than a goal— light up the habits that fuel the flame of happiness  to energize the life you love!

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