5 Habits of Happy People

With the positive psychology approach to fat loss, you won’t find a prescription for the foods you should and shouldn’t eat. Instead, the focus is on incorporating positive habits into your life to replace the self-sabotaging behaviors and thoughts that keep you from achieving your goals. Here, Timothy Sharp, PhD, a clinical and coaching psychologist, and creator of “The Happiness Diet,” offers five habits that you can put into practice today to finally get happy, healthy and fit.

1. Take stock of the good.

Every day, take the time to count the things you are grateful for – try jotting them down in a journal or reciting them in your head before bed or when you wake up. To keep your motivation running on high, keep them fresh by finding new things to be thankful for each day.

2. Imagine your ideal future.

Visualize your life at its optimal and see yourself at your best. Try creating a vision board with inspirational photos and sayings, and hang it in plain sight – use the visual cues to spur you to action.

3. Take action.

Stop waiting to live a fulfilling life. Boost your spirits by planning activities that you love – big and small – into your day. And don’t be afraid to try something new and challenging – working hard to accomplish a meaningful goal will boost your confidence and motivation to take on new challenges and persevere.

4. Watch your language.

Replace negative thoughts and words with optimistic yet realistic thoughts. Focus on the positive reasons for the lifestyle changes you’re making, such as better health, more energy and a boosted confidence – going after the positive is more inspiring than trying to escape the negative.

5. Build a strong social support network.

Research shows that maintaining positive relationships is one of the greatest predictors of happiness and success. Reach out to friends and family for support and, if you can, find a workout buddy to help keep you motivated during your fat-loss journey.

Written by The Oxygen Team for Oxygen Magazine and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.

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