According to the 2023 Global Happiness Survey by Ipsos, on average, two in three people are happy. That’s quite good, wouldn’t you say? Ongoing wars, the current political climate, doom scrolling, and dystopian-esque economic situation might get anyone down. It can be hard to find things to be happy about. Especially everyday.
That’s why we’ve got some inspiration for you. One Redditor under the username 05tn3021 asked other netizens what small things they gather inspiration and energy from to get through the day. The people did not disappoint – there’s almost five thousand comments under that post as of today! So scroll down to see some little steps we could all take in order to feel a little bit better every day.
Bored Panda contacted the person who asked this question, and she was kind enough to have a quick chat with us. She told us more about her inspiration behind the query and had some really inspiring insights about putting our mental health first. Read our conversation with her below!
I finally at 78 years of age admitted that I was gay and got a very nice FWB my age and we get together once or twice a week have great sex for a couple of hours then go to lunch and talk to I am immensely happy.
“I posted the question on r/AskReddit with no intentions of it gaining the traction it did,” 05tn3021 tells Bored Panda. “In all honesty, I just wanted 2024 to be a better year and wondered what people do to find joy in whatever they do, [regardless] of the magnitude of their actions.”
The Redditor says she hoped to pick up some habits and learn more about appreciating the smaller things in life from other Redditors. “I never really expected it to garner the attention it did. But I’m happy the Reddit community banded together to create a beautiful thread on how all of us could better our mental health and lead more joyful lives.”
Out of the almost five thousand replies and stories, there had to be one that stood out most to the author. She says two comments resonated with her the most. One of them was about deleting social media. The other described being able to question the source of frustration in others instead of internalizing their anger.
I found a friend who is interested in the same things I am who is intelligent and open-minded at my age this is quite an accomplishment. We go to lunch once a week usually spend about two to two and a half hours just talking about the things we love sharing ideas no politics no gossip. I am immensely better a different person you could say.
“I was able to relate to deleting social media,” the Redditor says. She says we should focus on living in the present, away “from mind-numbing scrolls on TikTok or Instagram and the fictionality of ‘social media lifestyles.'” The netizen says she’s no stranger to endless scrolling herself. This comment helped her to reflect and make changes in her lifestyle.
“Also, another comment revolved around the source of frustrations and how people lash out. I found it really insightful, as they reminded us that sometimes people take out their frustration on us, and it’s not always our fault.”
“For the better of our mental health, we should question the way people speak to us. We should start to question, ‘Why are they responding this way’ rather than ‘What did I do wrong?'”
I brought my son a dog when he was struggling post lockdown. It helped him almost instantly but I didn’t realise how much having him helped me too.. Being around animals and nature are so underestimated as a cure for the modern world’s detachment or rather it’s attachment to meaninglessness.
I’m trying to stop judging folks, and instead, I say to myself, ‘I don’t know their story.’ Trying to be more understanding and empathetic has taken a huge burden off my heart.
The Redditor also took some of the suggestions from this thread and tried to implement them into her everyday life. One example is simply taking a walk every day. “Whether I took one with a pet, partner, or even by myself. Sometimes it’s nice to slow down and listen to your favorite playlist or podcast and be able to breathe a breath of fresh air,” the Redditor muses.
05tn3021 has some wise words about our inclination to always be faster, better, and more productive. “In a world where everything moves so fast, the ability to be [at] one’s own peace and to pick your own pace really is valuable.”
“You don’t have to run after your goals constantly, as you’ll face the inevitable doom of burning out. Instead, learn to find your own pace rather than copy someone else’s and be proud of your achievements, small or large. Otherwise, you’ll never really feel happy.”
The Redditor also found the comment about making a routine particularly helpful. She says it’s important to dedicate some time in the day to just relax and read a book, play games, or whatever one considers downtime.
“Although it might not seem productive, I personally think it’s better than cramming all your chores into one day or weekend, [and] to then only give yourself 10-30 minutes of free time before bed.”
“We subconsciously want to put off work and don’t want to just sleep, work, eat, clean, and then sleep again. Instead, we end up digging into that necessary 8 hours of sleep and pleasing our dopamine demon with a ‘death scroll.'”
“Setting a fixed time to wind down and then sleep is very important, and routines, in general, will improve your quality of life. It’ll definitely help you get out of bed, especially on those days when life just has a bit more bite than usual.”
I stopped reading the comments on social media. I thought it didn’t effect me and was just entertaining, but man did it make me depressed with the state of humanity.
Bedtime routine. I worked on it and now its solid and I can fall asleep in less than 20 minutes. For an insomniac worry wart , its been life changing getting solid sleep and made me so less c**ty.
Started incorporating daily walks into my routine. It might sound small, but the fresh air and movement have done wonders for my mood. Highly recommend listening to your favorite podcast or playlist too.
The author behind this post encourages others to be more mindful and kind to themselves. “Continue doing what makes you happy, even if it feels like a waste of time or that you could be doing something more meaningful. There’s nothing more important than yourself. Staying happy and working on your mental health should be your top priority.”
“Everyone deserves a break, and your worth isn’t solely based on your accomplishments. Be rich in health rather than wealth, although both play pretty nicely together! Celebrate the small accomplishments and be proud of yourself for who you are today,” the Redditor says.
Whenever there’s a BOGO for any cat or dog food in my local grocery store I buy some. When I have a few collected, I deliver to a local shelter. They are always so grateful and I feel wonderful.
Solo travel. I never used to travel because it was hard to coordinate with others, and when I did, I had to plan something everyone going would enjoy, often sacrificing what I wanted to do. Now, I try once a year to go on a trip that I want just for myself, with no one else to please. Last year, I went to a farm and hung out with some awesome animals and painted. This year, I’m going to a concert and staying in a nice hotel downtown.
Realizing the difference between when I actually screwed up and when someone is taking their frustrations out on me, and then asking what’s actually wrong bc this isn’t a proportional response to the issue.
I’m only allowed to insult myself with G-rated ‘curse words.’ If I realize I forgot an errand or missed an email, I’ll think, ‘Good job, you goose,’ or, ‘Aw, you’ve messed this up, dillweed’. Then, instead of dwelling on berating myself, I’m smiling because ‘goober’ is just a funny insult.
Cleaning up as I cook. I often felt very overwhelmed with a dirty kitchen and a ton of dishes to do once I was done with cooking a meal. I started to make it a habit to clean up as I cook, and it instantly became more manageable when I’m done and can enjoy my meal instead of stressing out about the mess.
I wouldn’t say that it has made me drastically happier, but feeding my birds and watching them brings a peaceful joy each day.
Forcing myself to do more arts and crafts. I’ve been in such a creative slump for so long. It’s still difficult at times to be creative, but when I am doing it, it makes me so happy.
I decided to answer every spam call with my best pirate impression. Now, telemarketers probably think they’ve dialed the wrong century, and I’ve found my inner pirate swagger. Cheers!
Started learning the names of the plants and birds I see every day.
Sounds dumb but I live in a metro area and was treating the nature around me like visual white noise. Once I started learning the names of what’s around me, I started really seeing it, and then I suddenly saw it everywhere. That kind of noticing has really enriched my life. I love walking past a bush and thinking “forsythia!” like it’s a friend I recognize. It makes me feel like I’m part of my environment rather than just existing inside it.
Realizing that I can choose what I think about. If I catch myself thinking about something that’s making me anxious, I simply choose to think about something else (unless it’s immediately necessary). If it’s something that’s making me sad, I sit with the emotion rather than trying to intellectualize it.
Started declining invitations I didn’t feel like attending such as going out with people I don’t like that much, big social events with a lot of expectations, activities with friends that I wouldn’t like to do if they weren’t going… And all of that with a simple “no thanks, I don’t actually feel like it because X”. No excuses, no easy lies such as “that day’s my grandma’s birthday”, no fake feelings like “awww I wish I could BUT”. Being the owner of my free time and learning to say no without needing to give further explanations has done wonders for my mental health.
I quit my religion/cult and my anxiety walked out the door. It was life-changing! I quit putting my happiness and decisions in ‘god’s hands’ and started just focusing on what I wanted and I got so much better. I feel in total control of my life.
Baking with my daughter a couple times per week. Pies, cookies, different kinds of breads, etc. We have so much fun doing it together and then we get to enjoy eating what we make too!
I set my iPhone to only accept calls from people in my contacts.
Do I miss an occasional call that I need to take? Yep. They leave a message, and I call them back. If it is a business or organization that I deal with semiregularly, I add them to my contacts.
The important thing, for me, is that I get ZERO spam/scam calls anymore. Well, ones that ring through, anyways.
On average, I was getting over 30 of them every day.
I am much happier with this setup.
Volunteering. Find out what kind of volunteering activity interests you and do it. It can drastically change your happiness level. I drive a shuttle van for seniors and volunteer at a community kitchen. I’m so happy doing them and I look forward to doing them.
Audiobooks. I get them free from my library app and listen to them to and from work, and when I do chores like dishes and laundry. Suddenly, I don’t mind taking the time to fold my clothes perfectly because I’m being entertained while doing so. I also never had time to sit and dedicate time to reading, but this way I can consume books on the go. I read four books in 2021. I read two books in 2022. I read four books in the first six months of 2023. Then I got into audiobooks and read 17 books in the last six months of 2023. This year’s looking even better. I’m already on my fourth book since New Year’s!
Also when I walk my dog I’ve started listening to sound baths and practicing mindfulness. I try to notice everything… different colours, how the ground feels beneath my feet, the breeze in my hair, the way the sunlight filters through the trees. I pick up interesting leaves and rocks to look at up close and see how they feel in my hand. I probably look nuts, but I always come back feeling so relaxed having given my brain a break from anxieties and stresses.
A few months ago, I picked up one of those cheap floral bouquets while on a grocery run. I really enjoyed arranging them, smelling them, watching them bloom over the next ten days.
So next grocery run I bought another.
Now every grocery run I buy myself a $7-12 bouquet. I trim them, i rearrange including last week’s blooms that are still in great shape. I envision having my own sunroom or greenhouse to grow my own flowers sometime in the future.
It brings an inordinate amount of joy. 💐
Drinking enough water – I didn’t realize how much of my body discomfort daily was just dehydration.
I started doing 10 push-ups when I got really stressed out or couldn’t solve a problem. It was something I could do quickly, and it makes me feel like I accomplished something. Also, it gets the blood pumping and gives a small rush of endorphins. It makes a world of difference when I remember to stop and do push-ups when I get overwhelmed.
Choosing to focus on positive aspects of my marriage.
Learning to communicate without getting angry or overwhelmed.
Cutting out toxic family from my life.
Hanging out with my dad once a month to reconnect and strengthen our bond.
Forgiving myself for abusing my body with food so I can become healthier.
Learning that I can improve my life daily with small habits.
Weaned off of caffeine. When I was a teenager it was energy drinks + coffee. 18-20ish hears it was a lot of coffee since I worked at a coffee shop. After quitting my job, I was too cheap to buy the yummy coffee so I’d just have a black coffee at home. Then I started drinking black tea. I’m currently pregnant and just ran out of my black tea but I’m moving so I didn’t buy more. Therefore I switched to what I had of my green tea, and then decided to switch to just ginger tea altogether or any other caffeine-free tea. I feel so much more stable and plain water is the best thing you can drink for reliable energy.
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