Spreading happiness is Hygge

Everyone needs a positive influence in their life. Studies show that negativity is 4 times more powerful than the positive. Have you worked in a negative environment? Or are you around negative people constantly? It drains you and your personal outlook on life is pretty dim. That’s why learning how to spread happiness is so important, for us and others. It doesn’t surprise me that spreading happiness is Hygge.

How can we do that after a long workday and we are drained?

The long list of things busy moms need to do after they get home from work just adds to the stress.

Do we need to add one more?

Or can we make it a daily challenge to do during the day?

When you are living a Hygge lifestyle you learn to do more self-care like using candles, bubble baths, or meditation for relaxation. Having a game night, picnic, or doing something active outside with the family or some friends is also very Hygge.

Could spreading happiness start small and benefit you in return?

Join the Hygge Challenge

It’s Day 17 of my 30 days of Hygge challenge and I was tasked to spread happiness today. This wasn’t a challenge as a try to bring a smile on at least one person in my life every day.

I’ve worked in with some very negative people over the years, and the effect it had on my life was extremely damaging. I found that I’m easily influenced by negativity so I need to be mindful of my own feelings and work hard to distance myself from negativity.

The best way to combat negativity is to help spread happiness.

By the time I get home at the end of the day, my introvert side is screaming for solidarity in the comfort of my home. I generally don’t want to call anyone or be around people that don’t know me very well. I need to re-energize.

So how can I achieve this goal of helping to spread happiness during my workday?

Finding Ways to Spread Happiness

Spreading happiness is Hygge and it only takes small gestures to help be a positive influence in someone’s life.

During my day, I’ll take small moments to be more aware of those around me. I’ll try to look for signs of stress they are going through by watching their gestures, or facial expressions. Even the tone of their voice or the words they are using can tell me that life might not be going well today.

Offering them a helping hand to help them out might be what they need. Often times they just need someone to talk to, or just knowing you want to help is enough.

Smile. Even if you don’t know the person. This simple gesture makes a difference to someone’s day.

I often meet an elderly person that appreciates a smile and a “how are you today?”. This simple greeting gives them an opening to talk to someone. The elderly are often lonely. Many of their friends have passed and their families are often busy. I hear about their adventures and their families. I watch their faces light up as they tell me their life story.

Did I spread happiness at that moment? I’d like to think so. Those few moments of time I gave them, gave them someone to connect to.

During challenging weeks, I’ll surprise my staff with a treat to thank them for their team efforts. When they arrive for work, I make a point to greet them with a smile and take note of how their energy is coming into work. If the energy is lower than normal, I’ll offer time to talk through it so they can refocus on the tasks for the day.

Did I spread happiness at that moment? I believe I do. My team works together and we try to build each other up. I enjoy working with each of them and I hope it shows on the smile I give them when I see them, the compliments for their job well done, and the encouragement to keep learning.

A gift of happiness is more than buying someone a gift. It is about spending time with them and letting them know you care.

Here are a few free or low-cost ideas for spreading happiness:

smile and say hello to the cashier at the grocery store
thank someone for being authentic
send a neighborhood senior home flowers, asking them to randomly gift them to a resident
call a friend that you haven’t heard from in a while
surprise your child with a special one-on-one date
hug a loved one
mail someone a card to let them know you are thinking of them

Spreading happiness is Hygge and the world needs more of it every single day. If each of us took the time to spread a little happiness throughout the day, maybe we could minimize the negative influences in our lives. Each time I personally spread a little happiness, the smile I get in return is a gift back to me.

How will you spread happiness today?