If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, you’ll know how much I appreciate Gretchen Rubin and her work. I’ve listened to many interviews with Gretchen over the years, and always found plenty of practical insights to take away. 

From one of her recent episodes, here are three tips on increasing your happiness in the year ahead:

1. Set a bedtime alarm and get more sleep. If, like me, you’re going to bed way too late most nights, you’ll want to hear what Gretchen has to say about the power of setting an alarm around bedtime that prompts you to start winding down. Sleep deprivation can unravel us at any age, and let’s face it – most of us are much nicer when we’ve had a good night’s sleep.
2. Walk and talk to nurture your relationships. Most of us want to exercise more AND connect more deeply with our friends. Gretchen suggests you do both, either by going for a walk in person OR going solo and chatting on the phone.
3. Keep a happiness journal. Journaling has so many health and happiness benefits, but the idea of writing a full journal can feel a little overwhelming. If you can relate, Gretchen suggests investing in a “Sentence A Day” journal where you can stick to simple, sentence-long recounts of happy or funny moments each day. It’s a clever way to again get your brain focusing on the positive.

All of the focus on material things in our modern world can make happiness seem like a more complicated goal, but the truth is that real, lasting happiness hacks are often surprisingly simple. 

Give these ones a try, and let me know how you go!