Nobody feels happy all the time. In fact, that isn’t even a healthy or realistic goal. But if you’ve been finding yourself feeling a bit down and in a funk more often than not, it might be time to take a new approach. Luckily, there’s a lot you can do to boost happiness naturally.

Generally speaking, happiness about feeling positive, content, and fulfilled. And while that can and should look different to different people, there are some common threads. 

What Is Happiness?

First, being happy doesn’t mean you’re walking through life with a permanent grin on your face. It’s natural, normal, and healthy to feel the full range of human emotions — angry, sad, lonely, frustrated, bored, etc. But feeling hopeful, even in troubled times, is key to getting back to that happy, content state of mind. That can mean…

• Liking who you are and feeling good in your own skin.
• Accomplishing or working towards the goals you’ve set out for yourself.
• Maintaining a more positive outlook on life.
• Feeling overall satisfaction with your life.

If that seems like a tall order, it doesn’t have to be. And remember, you shouldn’t feel the pressure to feel all of those things every moment of every day. But to help you feel more hopeful and happy more of the time, there are plenty of simple yet satisfying things you can do every day.

7 Ways To Boost Happiness Naturally

Find Your Balance

One of the biggest lessons in life is learning how to let go of what you think makes you happy and focus instead on what actually does make you happy. Think about that for a moment: if you’re trying to live someone else’s dream or live up to someone else’s expectations of you, your life will be out of balance. 

Landing that perfect job, buying a beautiful home, or losing 20 pounds are nice goals, but they aren’t likely to bring you actual happiness. You need to balance those things with your health, relationships, and what you find truly meaningful. 

The best way to figure out what’s truly important to you is to do some freewriting. Take some time and write out what you think would be your ideal life. How you spend your day, who you spend it with, how you feel, etc. Don’t limit yourself. Then, once you’ve got that down, you can start to make small changes in your life to align more closely with that ideal. 

Get Outside And Get Grounded

Connecting with nature has always been an important key to feeling happier. And there’s no better way to connect with nature than feeling the earth beneath your bare feet. Research suggests that “grounding” or “earthing” can actually improve your mood.

Electrons on the earth’s surface restores lost electrical imbalances in the body. So, by standing with bare feet on the ground, you can feel instant bodily changes. In fact, studies suggest that even grounding for short periods can boost happiness, and provide some important health benefits.

Keep A Gratitude Journal

Focusing on what you already have instead of what you think you’re lacking is a great way to help increase happiness. According to one study, participants who kept a daily gratitude journal for 14 days showed greater levels of happiness, positivity, and overall higher levels of satisfaction. So, sit down and create a daily ritual of listing the things you felt grateful for that day. 

Smile More

It may seem like you need to feel happy in order to want to smile. But did you know you can trick your brain into thinking it’s happy by smiling? 

When you smile your brain releases the “happy hormone” dopamine, which helps improve your mood. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to walk around with a silly grin all day. But the next time you start feeling low, crack a smile and feel that kick of dopamine. 

Go For A Walk

Walking daily is an easy, effective way to boost your overall happiness. Walking increases blood flow and blood circulation to the brain and body. As a result, it calms your nerves, making you feel less stressed. You could try walking on a treadmill, around a mall, or on an indoor track, but walking outdoors in nature, exposed to sunlight further enhances the benefits it has on your mood.   

Make Sure You’re Hydrated

It may seem too simple but drinking water can make you feel happier. One study found that increasing water intake improved mood. Drinking less water left study participants a little edgy. But increasing their water made participants naturally happier. So make sure you keep that water bottle full and handy all day long. 

Eat For Happiness

Sugary, fatty, and salty foods might be your go-to for mood boosting, and it makes sense. Those types of foods do quickly feed your brain’s reward system. But the happiness you feel is often brief. This is because those highly processed foods trigger your body to release insulin fast, which results in an energy crash. 

But there is a huge connection between food and mood. And making the right choices can help boost your happiness naturally while supporting your overall health and wellness. 

Take chocolate, for example. It’s often the food of choice when it comes to lifting a funk. But when it’s loaded with sugar and preservatives, it’s likely to do more harm than good to your overall mood. 

The solution? Choosing a healthy chocolate alternative. 

Raw cacao, which is chocolate in its purest and healthiest form, is one of the best foods you can eat to help improve mood. This is because cacao contains “happy” chemicals — tyrosine, phenylethylamine, anandamide, and theobromine. That’s why Earth Echo uses only raw, organic, ceremonial grade cacao in their delicious Cacao Bliss superfood blend. 

The raw cacao in Cacao Bliss is rich in polyphenols and minerals that help nourish your body. And this decadent blend includes 9 other powerful superfoods to help…

• Combat exercise-related inflammation, and support digestion, and calm occasional stress.*
• Help your body digest sugar, reduce sugar cravings, and feel fuller, longer.*
• Help boost your immunity and support your pH levels.*

Cacao Bliss is basically like happiness in a cup! Simply mix up a mug or glass for a quick healthy drink to satisfy your chocolate fix and lift your funk. Or, substitute Cacao Bliss into your favorite baking recipe for a healthy treat. Click the link below to get yours today!

Shop Cacao Bliss Here!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.