10 Natural Ways to Boost Energy and Happiness

10 Natural Ways to Boost Energy and Happiness 
by Dr. Nadia

“Energy flows where attention goes.” This means our thoughts affect our outlook and life energy more than we realize.

More often than not, our own self-limiting beliefs and biases cause us to fall into ineffective thought patterns and negative cycles.

The brain has neuroplasticity which strengthens the connections based on frequently used thoughts and actions. The brain uses synaptic pruning to discard the pathways we do not use.

The more positive thoughts we have, the more positive we feel in our life. The more negative thoughts we have, the more negative our overall outlook.

Sounds pretty obvious but can be challenging to implement into our own lives–unless you have a game plan.

Fortunately, we can train ourselves to look for the brightness in life, the joie de vivre, and positively change our neural pathways.

 1. Breathe.

Mindful breathing, deep slow breaths in through nose and out through the mouth, and a few minutes of focused meditation instantly calms me.

This type of breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system and makes one feel calm and relaxed.

Mindfulness meditation and moving meditations allow space to acknowledge and non-judgmentally accept the various thoughts that are usually swirling through our minds.

Read more on mindfulness tips to feel calm.

2.  Start a morning routine that stimulates your mind and body.

As we get older, aches and pains make even waking up difficult. However, stretching, dancing, or adding some mindful movement to the morning can really make a difference.

I love doing a 10–15 minute yoga flow to energize and wake myself up. Read more on yoga and meditation for balance.

To get in the right state of mind, I recommend reading an inspiring quote or using positive power phrases to feel empowered.

3.  Plan your day with pockets of productivity in mind.

Aiming for hours of uninterrupted free time can be difficult because, well, life happens.

However, pockets of 30 minutes to an hour a few times a day is manageable.

Expert tip: Set mini goals for yourself for that day. Minimize multitasking by limiting distractions.

By staying present and focusing on the task at hand, you will feel less scattered and get more done in a shorter period of time.

Read more on improving productivity by staying present.

It is during these pockets of time I squeeze in self-care, plan future goals, etc.

4.   Nourish your body by eating mindfully.

We’ve heard the saying, “you are what you eat” and nutrition is linked to happiness.

Food and water intake affect not just the body but also the mind and our mood.

Our brain releases feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin when we eat certain foods. If deprived of essential nutrients like DHA, it can even make one feel sad.

Dehydration affects how we think and feel and is linked to fatigue, lower levels of alertness, low energy, and even confusion.

Expert tip: Keep a reusable water bottle nearby to remind yourself to stay hydrated. Refill–with water– as often needed.

5.   Set an intention and reinforce it with positive affirmations.

Our brain believes what we tell it.

Expert tip: choose a positive affirmation instead of a negative one.

Instead of ‘ugh, mornings suck!’ which is a negative affirmation, choose positive. ‘Today will be a good day’ or ‘no matter what happens, I got this!’

Read more on positive power phrases to help you feel empowered.

Over time, these positive affirmations will become core beliefs. Just by reframing our thoughts, we can improve mood, energy, and self-confidence.

6.   Elevate your mood

When we don’t feel good, our faces show it.

Regardless of what we call it–brooding and/or resting b*tch face–many adults spend most of their days in a funk.

However, having expressionless or sulky faces regularly is actually pretty stressful.

In babies and kids, looking at a parent’s neutral/expressionless face leads them to panic. Check out University of Massachusetts’ Still Face Experiment to see how a smile impacts the parental-child bond and mental health.

Even if no one is around, smile.

Why? Because smiling—even a fake smile—improves health, wellbeing, and even immunity. Smiling makes your brain and body release feel good hormones and reduce stress.

Other ways to elevate your mood include:

• Listen to music you enjoy while getting ready.
• Invite wonder and curiosity into your day by noticing things around your house and on your drive to work. Read more on mindful ways to invite inspiration to your day.
• Talk to someone who haven’t spoken to before.
• Ponder the meaning of an inspiring quote.

The more we practice something, the more natural it becomes.

Expert tip: Give yourself permission to add lightness to your day. You don’t need to be serious all the time.

7.  Reduce Mental Clutter

The act of writing or journaling thoughts reduces mental clutter, decreases anxiety, improves mental focus and clarity. It makes space in your mind for creativity and inspiration.

Expert tip: Journal for a few minutes daily. It doesn’t need to be perfect, in complete sentences, or anything fancy. Set an alarm in your phone or give yourself a few minutes (3-5 minutes max) as part of your morning or evening routine.

8.  Start a Gratitude Practice

Training oneself to look with an attitude of gratitude opens up awareness of the other blessings in our lives that we may often take for granted.

There are many ways to start a gratitude practice. You can journal, start a gratitude jar, use post-it notes, jot in in your phone.

There’s no wrong way to have a gratitude practice. All you need to do is write (or at least think) of 1–3 things for which you are grateful.

It can be simple such as gratitude for health, having the opportunity to wake up in your own bed, being around family or friends, etc.

Expert tip: think one good thought in the morning when you wake up. Close out the day with another good thought before bedtime. Simple, right?

9.   Be nice to yourself

Bye bye, harsh inner critic. No space for you here!

Truth: we spend way too much time daily making ourselves feel bad.

It’s one thing to review a situation to take away learning points. However, too often people blame, berate, or disempower themselves multiple times a day on a daily basis. We call ourselves names, we judge ourselves, we are just so mean to ourselves.

Why? It is not helpful and one does not learn or grow from the experience. It is disempowering.

The only purpose it serves is to strengthen the message that you’re not good enough. Well, that’s neither helpful nor true.

Harsh self judgment makes us feel as an imposter in our own lives. Let’s stop being our own enemy.

In the words of Maya Angelou, “[d]o the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better”.

Expert tip: talk to yourself as if you were talking to your best friend. Be kind to yourself. You’re doing the best you can.

Read more on letting go of perfection, why we need to stop using the perfect filter, and meditation on space for self compassion.

10.   Just Begin

These habits can be easily incorporated to your day. No prep work needed. Just begin. And tomorrow, begin again. Read this meditation to make positive change when you feel stuck.

You got this!

The Mindful MD Mom Asks:
What are your favorite tips for boosting energy and happiness? Share with us!

 

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