3 Ways to Live Happier From a Virtual Student
While I’m no expert on psychology, I would say I’m part of minority of students in engineering school who would self-identify as being “happy”. I’ve had my fair share of problems, taken cut-throat classes, and suffered from the agonizing isolation the pandemic has caused, but through it all I’ve figured out a couple things that keep me sane. While I’m not always bursting with joy, I feel I have an underlying sense of happiness that I can always fall back on. Here’s what I found, starting from simple, to a little more complicated:
- Go outside more
While this seems totally obvious for some people, especially now during the pandemic, I’ve found that sometimes, I’ll go several days without even stepping outside. Not only is this poor for one’s health, I also feel like routinely being in the same environment while doing work or just playing video games really starts to drain my motivation and my soul. Taking a second to feel the warmth of the sun, a breadth of fresh air, and move your legs, will do wonders for your body and mind. Even if you can’t make the time to go to the door and step outside, maybe just sit by an open window today. Don’t forget it! Your body will thank you!
2. Recognize “the moment”
While this is a little more complicated than “going outside,” it still certainly helps me find a lot of joy. So what do I mean “Recognize the moment,” you might ask?
There are certain times I’ve found through my life where I’ve felt incredibly strong emotions. Whether those emotions be overwhelming happiness, sadness, anger, or love, I try to capture those moments in my head while they happen. For instance, if someone does something very nice for me and I feel super happy, I’ll tell myself “Wow! I feel very happy right now. I want to remember this.” I know this sounds a little weird, but I think giving your brain a second to remember your happiness or sadness goes a long way. Some people will only try to remember happy things or be fixated on remembering only sad things. Knowing in life that there will be many moments of happiness and sadness will keep you from stuck in your head when something bad happens.
3. Have a Grateful Mindset
Lastly, perhaps the most important thing I’ve found that keeps me happy is a strong sense of gratitude to the people around me. When I was younger, I grew up with a mentality that “I deserve this… I deserve that…” and I just wasn’t happy.
“Of course I got a birthday present. It’s MY birthday”
“Why didn’t I get a good grade??? I deserve an A.”
Sound familiar at all? We all do it. Now, as I grow older, I’m doing my best to scrap that whole notion. If I ever think those thoughts, I try to switch them around.
“I’m so appreciative ____ got me a present. They really care about me”
“I know this test was hard. What steps can I take to improve? I’m going to take this opportunity to learn”
Switching your perspective to the mindset that nobody owes you anything makes everything a “happy surprise.” It’ll also open your eyes to the many small things people do to help you. Like when your roommate does the dishes or takes out the trash, simply saying “thank you” will go a long long way. Who cares if it was expected of them? It still made a positive impact on your. life. Being grateful is something I’m still working on too. Gratitude is a constant battle with our own egos, but it’s a fight certainly worth taking.
There are many ways to live happier, and obviously I can’t go through them all in one piece. Each person has their own ways and things that make them happy and these were a couple from me. I hope you take the time as the quarantine comes to an end to find yours!
- Sam
