Happiness Goal #6: Spend 10 Minutes of Quiet Time Every Day

Thank you for following the Happiness Goals Countdown! We hope you've been adding these happy goals to your list and will commit to making this a fantastically happy year! You'll definitely want to add today’s goal too: it’s easy and important!

A simple ten minutes a day of quiet time will support your happiness and well-being. You don’t have to leave your happiness up to chance. You can promote it with intentional practices.

Davidson and McEwen reported in a 2012 article in Nature Neuroscience that regular meditation helped people manage stress. Lower stress makes it easier to be mindful. Better mindfulness trains the brain for happiness.

And in "Fight the Frazzled Mind" published in 2011 in Scientific American Mind, Robert Epstein reported that proactive steps can be taken to lower stress and improve people’s mental state.

One easy step you can take is to stop for ten minutes every day. You don’t even have to pursue a specific type of meditation. Simply try to quiet your mind. The most basic way is to shut your eyes and focus on your breath going in and out. You might find that it’s hard to stop thinking. That’s normal. But keep trying. It will get easier every day.

This quiet time gives your brain a break. It’s comparable to getting off your aching feet. Stress makes your brain work hard, so let it power down a little. As your brain regroups, you’ll feel refreshed. This sense of renewal readies you to invite happiness into your life.

As you continue with this goal, the positive effects should accumulate. That’s why it’s important to do it day after day.

For more happiness tips, keep following the Happiness Goals Countdown. Next up is the subject of forgiveness . It can be hard to do, but it’s the best way forward for a happy life.

Artist: John William Godward