Action for Happiness claim that you will feel happier if you:
‘Find time to lose yourself in what you love’
Today’s blog is all about learning new things!
You might think learning is something we do as part of our job, or to gain formal qualifications or is something we did at school. You may even think of some training courses where you have felt bored and wonder how learning new things can make you happier?
Why does learning new things make you happier?
The key is to learn new things in areas that you love, are passionate about, have some interest in, or where you know it will bring you a sense of accomplishment. Learning something new can challenge you and it’s when you successfully break through this challenge that you start to feel a sense of pride. Feeling proud of yourself will make you feel happier and it gives you a boost of self-confidence and resilience!
This doesn’t mean that you need to consistently be learning challenging things, there are lots of fun ways to be learning – you may already be doing it within your hobbies.
Learning exposes you to new ideas and helps you stay curious and engaged. It can also be therapeutic and energy-boosting. There are many ways to learn new things like playing a new sport, art-making, dancing, home maintenance and much more.
Be more Creative
Engaging in something creative will help you learn new things with plenty of positive benefits such as reducing stress, connecting with others, building your confidence and the process can be cathartic too. Also, creativity helps us be more mindful which can be a positive distraction from any stress (read more about mindfulness and happiness in our blog)
To get you started on your journey of trying out new things to increase your happiness we have thought of 10 things for you to try. Our workplaces keep us busy with learning new things that are applicable to our roles, so we have created a list you could start trying outside of work that will not only boost your happiness but will help reduce stress too. You could also encourage these activities as part of your team building events.
10 things you could try out:
1. Try a craft class at your local adult learning centre. This could be anything from learning to draw or sew to woodwork craft
2. If you are a regular gym-goer try a different class from your usual routine
3. Try agility classes with your dog
4. Learn a new language
5. Go to a ‘paint a pot’ café with a friend
6. Try out a Mindful class or course
7. Learn skilled trades that will help you with your home improvements
8. Up-cycle old furniture
9. Get creative with your kids – learn a new craft or learn a new dance routine
10. Try out your local choir
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