Belle Bath Cooper wrote 10 Simple Things You Can Do Today That Will Make You Happier, Backed By Science for the Huffington Post. I highly recommend it. I intend to apply Ms. Cooper’s advice on a daily basis to cultivate a habit of happiness. In case you want to try, I’ve compiled visual aids…
#1. Exercise
#2. Sleep
#3. Move closer to work
#4. Spend Time with family and friends
#5.Go outside
#6. Help others
#7.Practice smiling
#8.Plan a trip
#9. Meditate
#10.Practice gratitude
All images and words copyright 2013 Naomi Baltuck
Click here for more interpretations of The Weekly Photo Challenge: Habit.
Thanks to my FB friend, storyteller Carol Connolly, who shared Ms. Cooper’s article.
Writing Between the Lines 
I came home from work with 10 Be Happy Behaviors scribbled on the back of a museum flier…to be a post some day. I love your photos! There’s something whimsical about each one.
Hi Scilla,
What a nice comment! Thanks so much. I look forward to your post!
What a great list…Many of these I already incorporate but some I don’t….I’ll get to work on that and yes, the images made this more enjoyable 🙂
Thank you for your visit, and your kind response. I am working hard to try to make these all a part of my daily life. I have my fingers crossed for both you and me! Best of luck.
Love your photos– the list– well- it’s common sense! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Lisa,
It is pretty much common sense, but I know I will have to work hard to incorporate them all into a regular routine. Thanks for the kind response–choosing the photos was my favorite part–got to go through some golden oldies, as well as a batch from the latest walk around Green Lake.
Thank you. We do not always feel clear and something like this helps us to clarify us all when need it. Thank you for showing up with this post
Hey, thanks for the visit, and for your kind response to this post.
Great list and photos! Mediation is something I’d like to incorporate into my life. I’ve got the smiling one down. I love to smile at strangers, the reaction sometimes is priceless. 🙂
Thanks for the visit, Jill. I sometimes have to travel a ways to get to a performance. On the way there, I rehearse in the car. On the way home, I do not turn on the radio, but I think consciously about my life. I also ponder life (and my writing) in the shower and garden. Sometimes I meditate by thinking aloud with my sister–I know some people might not count this as meditation–but she knows everything about me, and sometimes I think by saying it aloud and she and I help each other figure things out together.
Smiling, oh, yes!
Sounds simple and like good advice, I’ll read the article over my lunch break.
Thank you for your visit. I was fascinated and impressed by the article, so I hope you do get to it–it’s packed with fun facts, and very convincing.
I actually had to wait until after lunch, because I was too busy talking to my sister, and then going running (outside) with a friend. I was very pleased to have knocked off several items in one morning 🙂 I did like the article a lot so I tweeted it and a link to your interpretation of it.
All such good advice, Naomi, and wonderful pics, as always. 🙂
Thank you, Sylvia. As always, I appreciate your visit and your kind response–it’s always good to hear from you.
Thanks so much for the pingback!
Your pictures are fabulous. Most of these I practice except for the meditation. Yes, I can be quiet and still but not for long or only when my fingers are tapping messages from my brain onto the keyboard. 😉
Hi Tess,
Thanks for the lovely comment. I think there are lots of ways to meditate, and it might be different for each individual. I could see writing as a valid form of meditation. Gardening works for me.
Gardening used to do it for me too but I no longer do that. My son-in-law does it all and who am I to argue? 😉
I need to put this up in several places in my house. The irony is that when we are sad, we find excuses to avoid all the above, creating a personal vicious cycle. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Sabrina,
I think it might be too overwhelming to try all these things at once. I am trying to make exercise the first item on my list each day, instead of the last, where it is more likely to get skipped, and it makes a difference. At this time in my life, I am struggling to find the balance between writing, and everything else. But the exercise always makes me feel better. Wishing you all the best. Thanks so much for stopping by.
I do all of those things, except sitting still to meditate. I tend to meditate on the move, but some people wouldn’t see this as meditation at all. It would be good for me to learn calmness but, to quote Spot the Dog’s mum, “I’ve so much to do, and so little time to do it in”.
As per usual, I loved your photos, Naomi 🙂
I meditate in the garden, the shower, and on long drives. Each to her own, and whatever works, do it, I say, without having to slap a label on it. I really do think sometimes I think aloud, and then it’s helpful to have a long quiet talk with my sis. I never thought of it as a form of meditation, but it could be.
Beautiful! Thanks for a reminder I need almost always! ❤
Dear Mary,
Thanks so much for your kind response. I need to constantly remind myself of this too!
These are beautiful and happy photos, Naomi 🙂 Thank you for the 10 simple things link!
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much for your lovely response. I hope you get a chance to read the article–it’s fascinating. Even though much of it is common sense, I love that it is all backed up by science fun facts.
Pics are great as usual Naomi – my fave is the luvvy duvvy one looking out on the lake 🙂
Thank you, Roy. That is my sister Constance and my brother Lew, after a beautiful sunset walk on Green Lake in Seattle. Hope you are well!
I love all of these photos but my favorites are the ones for exercising and smiling: they really had me smiling so the list already worked for me! Am going to read the article in full and tweet your wonderful post out to my little group of followers – love it!
Hi Letizia,
So glad that you felt it was worth sharing! The article is chock full of amazing science fun facts, and is well worth reading. Thanks for your generous response to this post.
This is lovely! I will try to remember these tips… Where did you take that picture of me walking out the door? I can’t remember.
Hi honey!
Thanks for stopping by. Do you remember going to all those little historic towns we went to in Colorado? I think this photo was taken at the Barney Ford House in Breckenridge, Co. He was the town’s first black businessman. He owned a restaurant and chop house, and built this little house in 1882. It’s a sweet picture, and it fit perfectly!
Love,
Mom
Lovely photos, Naomi! Thanks for the welcome (and much-needed) list. Think I’ll try a few of those today…
Hi Kathy,
Thanks so much for the visit, and for your sweet response. Can’t wait to hear how the writing retreat went!
What a wonderful post. I am inspired. The Practice Gratitude is so pensive.
I liked your list Naomi. Good one!
Thank you, Ruth! I love that one–my husband, daughter, and I were canoeing on Lake Crescent on the Olympic Peninsula, and I was lucky to catch her in that brief moment of exultation and wonder.
a habit of happiness is wonderful… and I loved your pictures…
Thank you, Shimon. Part of the joy of posting is the chance to go through my photos and relive those moments of joy. So good to hear from you–I hope you are well.
Love the opening shot especially!
Hi Laurel,
Thanks for the visit. That’s my husband, hamming it up in the Canadian Rockies. It makes me laugh every time I see it.
So good of you to stop by, and I appreciate your taking the time to share your response.
He looks so exuberant! That pic definitely puts me in a good mood and is a great opener for the piece. I hope you are well!
Perfect! Great idea, Naomi 🙂
Thanks, Marianne. Good to hear from you.
I like your illustrated version. #6 brings back memories. The man who lived next door to us used to make something yummy with dough he’d spread out over the table like that. I don’t remember much about it, just the dough process, and that it was good.
That’s a delicious memory. It’s funny how something like that can strike you, and make a memory that lasts a lifetime. One of my happiest memories is of helping my dad make raisin oatmeal cookies. Thanks so much for the visit, and for sharing your story, Patti.
Simple but common sense, but so difficult to do at times.
I know. I am always grateful for the good things in my life, always planning a trip, always doing my best to be helpful. Right now I am concentrating on exercise, sleep, and getting outside more, which sometimes is hard to make myself do, as it rains a lot in Seattle. But I’ve promised myself I’m going outside to harvest raspberries today, rain or shine!
Love the variety in the pictures. Particularly admire the pumpkin carving!
Hi Kate,
Thanks so much. This design is a family tradition, going back fifty years, a nod to my dad, who first designed that stellar face in his pumpkin when helping us all carve our Halloween pumpkins. He died when I was eight, but since then, we’ve always carved his design into one of our jack o’lanterns. I was so touched when my son took up the torch, and carved my dad’s design into his pumpkin.
The 4th picture is so gorgeous! Love it!
Please check out my blog and let’s follow each other!
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I love this! Everything we need in a nutshell. Absolutely delightful.
Thank you, Jamie!
Adore the ‘practice smiling’ visual! 🙂 The one thing I absolutely have to improve upon is get more sleep! Thanks for the beautifully illustrated reminders Naomi.
Hi Madhu,
That one is a tough one, but it will improve not only our mood and energy, but will improve your immune system and make your brain work better. I naturally do many of these, but have picked a couple items to work on every day. Getting outside in our rainy weather is one of them.
Thanks so much for the visit. Sleep well and have sweet dreams!