Seasons are changing and feeling great and being happy can sometimes feel like a challenge after a long arduous summer. You don’t have time to make a healthy meal, your family needs you, and you’re simply exhausted.

We’ve all been there and know how difficult it can be to feel happy when you’re so busy especially during the changes of season, but it is possible.

The following 5 tips will help you get back on track to help you maintain a positive outlook through the fall and winter seasons. See if you can do all of these tips and make them a regular habit and, even during the most stressful periods, you'll feel good about yourself.

1. Get ready to learn

Don’t worry, you don’t have to go back to school and add textbooks and term papers to your already busy life. There are a lot of ways to learn, whether you’re just reading a new article online, or trying to master a new art project or craft. You could even pop in an educational podcast and listen while you squeeze in your time on the treadmill.

Learning new things can make you feel good about yourself and you'll feel productive. It also makes you more well-rounded, which can help boost your perspective.

2. Move around

Sure, having a day on the couch vegging out on all the Netflix shows you didn’t have time for last month can feel great. But not as great as getting out and doing something physical.

The truth is that exercise makes you happy. It’s not just the endorphins that are released when you’re exercising that can trigger a smile, your body also produces serotonin, norepinephrine, BDNF, and dopamine – all of these chemicals can boost mood and relieve anxiety and depression.

Not only does exercise give you a hormone and chemical kick, but that burst of good feelings lasts for up to 12 hours. In addition to all of that, you also get a health boost by doing something good for your body, and it’s great for your skin. It’s a win/win all the way around.

But let’s not forget about the after-workout skincare regimen. The best practice is to make sure you wash your skin with a gentle but deep cleanser, as the bacteria from sweat is known to clog pores. Simple Beauty’s Daily Purifying Cleanser is the perfect solution, as it works to gently wash away impurities while helping your skin maintain its moisture. 

Don't forget to moisturize, especially during the colder months. Simple Beauty's Age-Defying Retinol Moisturizer is designed with natural botanicals that are gentle on your skin but strong in encouraging and enhancing collagen rejuvenation. Skin stimulating peptides work to support the natural production of hyaluronic acid, which is the key to locking in skin-conditioning moisture. 

3. Take care of yourself

You’re so busy taking care of everybody else, from your boss to your family and your friends, that sometimes you forget to pay attention to your needs. To be truly happy, you simply can’t let this happen.

Making yourself a priority, even if it’s just for a little while, reminds you that you’re important too, and you deserve to feel good and be happy.

Discover what makes you happy and make time to do that; from reading a book to scheduling party time with friends, it’s your free time, do what you want.

4. Be nice to others

Even if you’re taking care of everybody, are you genuinely being nice? Being kind to someone goes beyond taking care of their needs or doing what they ask. Being nice involves more, it requires having warm and compassionate thoughts about yourself and others.

An article in Time magazine notes the many health benefits that can come from kindness, such as lowering blood pressure, a healthier weight, and other psychological benefits.

5. Practice positive reinforcement

Don’t stop at just being nice to others, being kind to yourself is important, too. It’s easy to fall into the habit of criticizing yourself and ignoring your good points.

If you want to be happy, a positive internal dialogue is vital. A great way to develop this is to create an external dialogue between you and your reflection.

Make a habit of looking yourself in the mirror every morning and night, and tell yourself, out loud, that you’re awesome. It might sound and feel silly at first, but it’s been proven to work. Psychologists refer to this as self-talk. They even go so far as to recommend that when you do self-talk, make sure to treat your reflection as another person.

Instead of saying, “I can do this,” you’ll look at your reflection and say, “You can do this.”

To put it simply

If you want to feel the best about you, the answer lies within yourself. There are steps you can take today that will make you happier tomorrow. If you turn these steps into a habit, you might even discover that your health will benefit as well.

Some ways you can begin finding happiness today are by learning something new every day, taking time for yourself to do what makes you happy, be more physically active, nourish your body from the inside and out, be kind to others, and give yourself a daily pep talk. These approaches are proven, and they will make you happier, it’s up to you to make them a regular part of your life.