The Top 7 Habits of Light-Hearted People
“I am more and more convinced that to take life over seriously is a frivolous thing.” Eric Hoffer Indeed, being light-hearted and having a sense of humor are basic resilience strengthening strategies.
Perhaps, as Kay Redfield Jamison indicates in Exuberance: A Passion for Life, genetics does influence such human characteristics as exuberance and playfulness. But there are some habits that can encourage acting light-hearted. Try some of the following!
Seven Habits of Light-Hearted People
One. Smile to become instantly more likeable, attractive and approachable. To help brighten your face, think of your blessings. Smiling actually changes your emotional state. People like and trust smilers more. It’s been said that telephone listeners can see our smile. Mother Teresa encouraged smiling to help improve the world. Research studies have shown that smiling cools our brains while frowning heats it. It’s like having our very own internal air conditioner. Bring on the summer heat wave!
We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.” Mother Teresa
Two. Laugh whenever possible. Discover what triggers your own distinctive giggle, snicker or crackle. Laughter and smiling are social indicators that we are enjoying the company of others. Laughter helps increase alertness, blood circulation, creativity, enthusiasm, productivity and decreases muscle tension.
A day without laughter is a day wasted.” Charlie Chaplin
Three. Feel: Accept your own and others’ feelings by gently listening for a rainbow of sad, hurt, scared, mad and glad expressions. Feelings tell you everything about you and little or nothing about managing the world. Use your smart brain to plan while using your feelings as a personal barometer. Notice what you are doing and who you are with when you feel repeatedly hurt or angry. Do the same for when you feel happy. More often, go to where happy lives.
Don’t ever be ashamed of loving the strange things that make your weird little heart happy.” Elizabeth Gilbert
Four. Let Go of trying to exert power over others. Your stress levels will drop. Your relationships will improve when you learn to surrender and trust other people to live life their way. Avoid the Control Hole. Catch yourself when you say, “You should!” “You must!” or “You have to!”
Surrender is a journey from outer turmoil to inner peace.” Sri Chinmoy
Five. Acknowledge your Humanness or you will waste energy trying to be perfect. You will also waste energy trying to be right and will end up feeling uptight. Accept yourself and others as perfectly imperfect. Then you will better to do what Richard Carlson suggests–
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff of Life.”
Six. In-joy Yourself as you only get one free supply of your life. Take your challenges seriously and yourself lightly. Know what you love to have, do and be. List what activities and things please your sense of vision, hearing, touch, smell and taste. Think about what is physically, mentally, emotionally, creatively, socially and spiritually energizing for you? Now, go in-joy yourself!
Sing like no one’s listening, love like you’ve never been hurt, dance like nobody’s watching, and live like it’s heaven on earth.” Mark Twain
Seven. Create Surprises with pleasant acts of kindness, care, and cheer. Every day there are nasty and uncontrollable changes in our lives. But you have the personal power to add kind and joyful experiences to your space.
Some cause happiness wherever they go: others, whenever they go.” Oscar Wilde
Be the person who brings cheer; be a daily Super Surprise Agent. Ideas for adding joy to the world are as simple as these:
- Leave a note or phone messages saying, “I appreciate you for . . .”
- Celebrate small and big efforts of the people around you.
- Now and then wear something fun or silly, like a pair of Groucho Marx glasses, noses and moustache.
- Give sincere compliments whenever possible.
- Hum or sing uplifting lines from songs.
- Wave or smile at others.
Summary:
The more you practice these light-hearted habits the more people around you will be uplifted. The more people around you feel upbeat, the more light-hearted you will feel. And the circle of life goes round and round!
Please check out these related posts:
- Return to Center: Simple Strategies to Navigate Distress. .
- Kids’ Humor: How to Lighten Up Like a Wise Child
December 15, 2023 @ 4:50 am
I loved your tips! In-joy-what a smart way to write that joy is an inside job! Not something we know naturally in many cases….. this is something I had to learn over the years….how did you find out about that? 🙂
April 6, 2024 @ 3:15 pm
Thank you for asking Ingrid. You might want to explore the research of Positive Psychology researchers such as Martin Seligman, Barbara Fredrickson, and Shawn Achor. Here are some other blogs that might interest you:
https://www.solutionsforresilience.com/flourish
https://www.solutionsforresilience.com/the-happiness-advantage
https://www.solutionsforresilience.com/optimistic
March 4, 2023 @ 4:11 pm
Thank you! This is great
March 12, 2023 @ 3:14 pm
Thank you!
January 16, 2021 @ 9:52 am
The article didn’t spell ennjoi correctly.
January 19, 2021 @ 1:25 pm
Hi Doug,
Thank you for reading The Top 7 Habits of Light-Hearted People. Yes, enjoy is written with unusual spelling . . . IN-joy to emphasis that joy is an inside job. We can choose to create joy in our lives. Again, thank you for checking out my blogs.
March 13, 2022 @ 12:12 pm
LOL, really Doug.
July 18, 2020 @ 8:27 am
I am really feeling good after reading your blog, thanks mam.
July 22, 2020 @ 8:24 pm
Thank you for letting me know this article was uplifting, Shahbaz!
February 3, 2020 @ 6:52 pm
I found myself feeling at my lowest point. I pushed away every help I was offered, thinking negatively about the smallest gesture. I stumbled upon this because I don’t know if i am ever gonna find “the right way.” This has hurt me and others. I am always in a battle zone of my own feelings, paying 0 attention to anything really, except myself. As I was reading this, I acknowledged that this way is wrong and I can only lean on myself to make the best of whatever road I am walking, trusting that it is the right way for me. Thank you!
February 3, 2020 @ 7:49 pm
Thank you for leaving your comment and sharing your dismay. I am glad to read that the article, The Top Habits of Light-Hearted People helped.
I disagree with your line, “I can only lean on myself to make the best of whatever road I am walking, trusting that it is the right way for me.” There over 7 billion people on earth. We are wired for connection. Healing and personal development come through relationship. Risk making connections, but not in a dependent manner but with an objective to find a safe and listening mirror. And yes, developing a healthy relationship to ourselves is part of the journey. Accept that help that was offered to you. If that person or people are not a good fit for you, find someone ‘who gets you’ and can help you find that ‘right way for yourself’.
Consider reading Reach Out For Help: How to Find a Therapist and/or How to Find Accepting and Compassionate Friends.
November 16, 2018 @ 11:07 am
Love this post! thank you!
November 16, 2018 @ 6:24 pm
Thank you, Kathy. Let us know how any of the light-hearted strategies work for you. OK? Here’s to your resilience!
January 12, 2017 @ 7:47 am
Thank you for making me smile while reading your post. It was pleasurable to get some advices to be light -hearted and stay happy! I think it is time to take an action right now!:)
January 12, 2017 @ 12:38 pm
Thank you, Yuna . . . for reading and leaving a comment. So many people need their minds, hearts and burdens lightened. Thank you for joining in!