5 essential happiness habits in just 5 minutes a day

Practise these five simple yet powerful happiness habits daily to transform your life

Woman with arms wide open greeting the morning sun | happiness habits

Five magical minutes in your day can completely change your life. Ideally, do this exercise in the evening. It will leave you feeling deliciously relaxed, and ready for a restful night’s sleep, waking focused and ready for the day ahead. You could even practise these five happiness habits at any time of the day that works for you and for as long as you want. The choice is yours.

Whatever time you do practise, make these happiness habits a ritual. And then be ready to experience a beautiful transformation in life.

5 essential daily happiness habits in just 5 minutes

Minute 1: Just breathe

It’s important because: Breathing connects us in to these wonderful bodies of ours. It grounds us. It releases tension. It relaxes body and mind. It keeps us alive! As you inhale, try visualising breathing in peaceful energy; as you exhale, imagine breathing out love. Really feel it. [Also read Breathe in—Stress out]

Minute 2: Give thanks

It’s important because: We spend most of our lives in haste, mostly unaware of all the wonder and beauty around us. When we become grateful, the universe responds in kind and we only receive more gifts. Gratitude is an essential daily happiness practice. [Also read It’s time to thank…]

Minute 3: Visualise tomorrow

It’s important because: It’s so easy to get caught up in your head. Worrying about tomorrow, and often about things you have no control over. This exercise creates the positive intention for your next day, and tells your mind ‘all is well’. It’s especially beneficial if you find it difficult to switch off from whirling thoughts.

Minute 4: Let go

It’s important because: If we’re not spending our time worrying about tomorrow, then we are usually fretting about yesterday. All the things that went wrong, the people that annoyed us, the things we wished we’d done differently. Honestly, it does you no good and only distracts you from being happy right now. [Also read 4 powerful tools for letting go, moving on and releasing regrets]

Minute 5: Give love

It’s important because: So often, the person who most needs our love and kindness is the one we most easily forget: ourselves. Give yourself love every single day and you will notice a true difference in how you feel inside. Then comes the magical part: as within, so without – you’ll naturally start to experience more love from others too. And love and happiness go hand-in-hand.


This article had originally appeared as part of “The path to lasting happiness, through self-love” by Marnie McDermott in the April 2014 issue of Complete Wellbeing magazine.

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