Whether it feels like you’ve been dealt a bad hand in life or you’re just having a rough day, the following habits will help you thrive, no matter what the situation is.
Exercise daily.
“We all know people who seem younger than their actual age,” study author and professor of exercise science at Brigham Young University, Larry Tucker, said of how physical activity can make people look more youthful – from the inside, out.
A 2016 study linked exercise to a lower risk of common diseases like breast and bowel cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. When studying the link between exercise (activities like gardening, chores, cycling, and walking) researchers found that individuals who got the most movement were less likely to develop these conditions.
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends beginning with 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.
Because what’s real wealth (and happiness) without good health?
Show some gratitude.
The word gratitude, derived from the Latin word “gratia,” means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. So, it makes total sense, that having a little gratitude could help you thrive no matter the situation.
In fact, according to researcher Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, gratitude isn’t just strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Regardless of built-in or current levels of someone’s gratitude, it’s a quality that people can successfully develop further – resulting in overall better performance.
Here are some simple ways to practice gratitude:
Practice your passion.
Past research shows that thriving individuals are fundamentally motivated by personal talents and interests. In other words, one’s core passions may act as “sparks” which fuel one’s growing interests, knowledge, and/or skill set — driving “the creation of a nurturing environment and, ultimately, enable thriving through the execution of actions that are mutually beneficial to the individual and his or her society.”
Of course, their theory isn’t too off, considering science proves that reducing stress can help improve health in the long term.
For example, in 2015, a study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine followed over 100 adults as they went about their daily activities. The study found that participants who engaged in leisure activities were 34 percent less stressed and 18 percent less sad during the activities. Furthermore, they reported feeling happier, their heart rates were lower and the calming effect lasted for several hours.
Don’t have a passion? No problem. Begin by visiting a favorite pastime. You never know what visiting positive past memories may inspire.
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