3 Simple Ways To Increase Joy And Decrease Anxiety

Stress and anxiety is always something that we can work on decreasing in our lives. CNBC Make It has some amazing tips on how to not only decrease anxiety, but increase happiness in the process.

Starting a joy journal is a great way to start feeling better. To do this journal you simply get a new notebook that you would like to use and jot down three different things that brought you joy at the end of every day. These things don't need to be anything super important or impressive, they just need to be things that make you happy. This helps you to boost your mood by thinking about all the joyful things that have happened in your day, no matter how big or small they may have been.

Showing gratitude to others can help you to feel a lot happier yourself. Showing gratitude in a more surprising way is even better, this means giving thanks to someone long after the thing that you're thankful for happened. If a friend came over a few months ago to help you while sick, but you decide to send them flowers and a thank you note now, that's surprise gratitude. This type of thanks will be completely unexpected by whoever receives it and will make both of your days. It's good to give this sweet surprise to others around three or four times a year.

Any special moment that you have should be savored and enjoyed. If you see something beautiful or have something lucky happen to you it's good practice to pay attention and bask in the joy that you feel. Create a memory of these moments and take in how it really feels physically and mentally.