By Lupina Fry, Wellness Nurse

Happiness and mental health are deeply connected. Good mental health fosters happiness by enhancing one’s ability to manage stress and experience positive emotions.

Happiness promotes mental health by encouraging healthy behaviors, fostering strong social connections, and positively influencing physiological systems, such as the cardiovascular and immune systems. Essentially, feeling happy supports overall well-being, leading to greater satisfaction, a more
fulfilling life, healthier habits, increased appreciation for life and daily living, and ultimately, a sense of happiness, creating a perpetual positive feedback loop.

When individuals have good mental health, they are better equipped to cope with daily stressors and life’s challenges – basically they are more likely to experience positive emotions more frequently. Having good resilience, a strong support system, and the confidence to rely on others, allow people to manage daily obstacles and continue to experience happiness. A person with a positive outlook on life and a tendency towards optimism also tends to have greater happiness and life satisfaction.

For decades, researchers have sought to understand the predictors of happiness. Some believed it was due to genetic or inherited factors, while others believed it was a result of strictly environmental factors, such as financial stability, education, and an active lifestyle – both were true! Happiness is formed,
as a whole, by the general interactions between internal and external factors.

When people feel happy, they are more likely to engage in healthy habits and behaviors like exercising and eating well, and less likely to engage in unhealthy ones like substance abuse and neglect. Happiness also fosters better relationships, which help buffer against loneliness, stress, depression, and other mental health struggles. Those positive emotions enhance the body’s physiological systems, improving cardiovascular health and immune response, thereby making individuals less susceptible to illness. A positive outlook can help reduce stress and protect the body from its detrimental effects, ultimately contributing to improved long-term mental and physical health.

By prioritizing mental health and cultivating good habits that promote happiness you can create a positive feedback loop that enhances both your emotional well-being and overall quality of life.

Here are 25 things to get you on the road to making your happiness happen!
1.Go for a walk outside.
2. Do a random act of kindness.
3. Sing or dance to your favorite song.
4. Smell your favorite flower, food or scent.
5. Do something in nature.
6. Smile at everyone you see.
7. Volunteer to help someone.
8. Complement five people today.
9. Donate items to the Treasure Chest.
10. Leave a positive review of your favorite restaurant or business.
11. Thank a staff member for being helpful.
12. Enjoy a meal with someone you haven’t seen in a while.
13. Count how many times you say Thank You in a day.
14. Make a date with a friend.
15. Send a handwritten note to someone you love.
16. Go to a Happy Hour!
17. Host a potluck dinner for friends.
18. Savor the moments that make you feel good.
19. Really enjoy a tasty bite of pie.
20. Take time to appreciate the colors of a sunrise or sunset.
21. Sit outside and feel the wind on your face.
22. Enjoy the smell of a good cup of coffee.
23. Turn off the TV and enjoy the quiet.
24. Write daily in a gratitude journal.
25. Exercise for at least ten minutes today.

This is just a small list. Get out there and create your own happiness. It’s contagious, it feels good, and we all need it!