S I M P L E W A Y S T O L I V E A H A P P I E R L I F E

On the Road to Happiness is a website about three main things - happiness, health and travel. As we travel, we

find out what makes people happy and healthy in different countries and cultures around the world and we use

that information to help you live a happier and healthier life. Check out our website for practical happiness

advice, travel reviews, yoga videos, fitness workouts, recipes and even a happiness test.

Find out more atwww.ontheroadtohappiness.org

Follow us on all the usual social mediachannels:

Facebook: @travelhappinesshealthTwitter: @happycamandemmaInstagram: travelhappinesshealth

Health Good health is everything – cherish and preserve it

Awareness Take time to enjoy the present moment

People Make time for your family and friends

Purpose Find something that gives your life meaning

Independence Realise that you alone are responsible for everything in your life

New Things Don't buy new possessions, have new experiences

Exercise Make regular works-outs part of your life

Selflessness Do things that make other people happy

Self-actualisation Identify your most important goals and work towards them

happiness is……

This is at the top of the list because it is by far the most important. Our health is fundamental to our lives and

massively affects our happiness. Yet it tends to be one of those things we don't really think about until something

bad happens. We don't realise how much we appreciate being healthy until we no longer are.

takeactionTry and take a moment each day to be grateful for your health, and that of your loved ones. As much as we don't want to sound like your mum, try and preserve your health as much as possible by doing all the things we all know we should do (eat healthily, drink less, sleep more).

health- George William Curtis -

Happiness liesfirst of all in health.

Everyone is talking about mindfulness these days. While the word does conjure up images of Buddhist monks in

orange robes, all it really means is awareness - being aware of and accepting the present moment. Our curse as

human beings is to be constantly dwelling on the past or anticipating the future, rather than focussing on the

only thing we can control – the present. These obsessive thoughts about things we can't control are detrimental

to our happiness.

takeactionEvery day, try and take a few minutes to fully experience the moment you are in, without letting your mind wander to the past or the future ( or your Facebook newsfeed ).

The next time you find yourself worrying about something, ask yourself if it's something that you can do anything about right now. If so – do something.If not – try and let it go.

awareness

- Omar Khayyam -

Be happyfor this moment.

This momentis your life.

takeactionOne of the top regrets of people on their deathbed is losing touch with their friends. It can be hard work to keep in touch with people, especially when life gets busy, but working on ourrelationships should be a high priority for all of us.

It has been said that a person's happiness can be measured by whether they have someone they could call at 3 o'clock

in the morning. Time and again, research has shown that relationships with other people are fundamental to our

happiness. These connections provide us with love, support, meaning and self-worth. Relationships also make

us healthier – there is evidence that people without strong social connections have a higher risk of infection,

heart disease and mental decline as they grow older.

people

– Oprah Winfrey -

Surround yourselfwith only people

who are going to liftyou higher

This might not be something we think about very often, but a sense of purpose is essential to our happiness. This

purpose will be different for everyone - it might be religion, sport, being a parent, doing charitable work, pursuing

a fulfilling career or getting to the highest level of candy crush (we don't judge). But everyone needs some meaning

in their life to be happy. We all want to feel like we are making a valuable contribution to something bigger than

us. You might have lots of money, friends and material possessions, but if your life lacks meaning then you will

never feel truly happy.

takeactionTaking action in this area is notnecessarily easy, because you may not know how you can find your purpose. Start by thinking about which activities or experiences in your life make you feel the strongest sense of purposeor passion, then make those thingsa priority.

purpose- Helen Keller-

True happiness...is not attained through

self gratification,but through fidelityto a worthy purpose.

Let's face it, we all hate being bossed around and we tend to be unhappy when we feel that we do not have control

over our lives. We may feel controlled by a spouse, a boss, societal pressure, an unhappy past, an unwanted

personality trait. Whatever it is, it will make us unhappy if we feel that it inhibits our freedom to live our life the

way we want.

takeactionThe key here is to understand that you alone are in control of your own life. Every choice you have made has led you to where you are. It is liberating to realise that you are in charge and you can change anything you want. If a job makes you miserable, look for another one. If your friends make you unhappy, ditch them. You really can do whatever you want.

independence

- Aristotle -

Happiness dependsupon ourselves.

And by this we don't mean a new handbag. Studies have repeatedly shown that experiences, rather than material

belongings, have a greater positive impact on people's happiness. The thrill of buying something fades quickly,

as we get used to our new possession, whereas experiences become happy memories which last forever. Trying

new things ( whether it be sky-diving, life drawing or bee-keeping ) gives us feelings of excitement, accomplishment

and self-confidence.

takeactionDon't try and tell yourself that watching the latest episode of Game of Thronesis trying something new. Think of something you've always wanted todo and do it. Even better, take a friendor loved one along with you – sharedexperiences will strengthen your relationship.

new things- Thomas Jefferson -

If you want somethingyou’ve never had,

then you’ve got to dosomething you’ve

never done.

Doing exercise gives us another "E" – endorphins, which gym bunnies have been banging on about for years. And

they're right. When we exercise, our bodies release these chemicals, which produce a positive feeling similar to

morphine. Forcing yourself to go to the gym or go for a run can be hard, but science says that you will be rewarded

by a natural high. Exercise reduces stress, anxiety and depression. It helps you sleep better. It also helps to trigger

other healthy habits - if you've done some exercise, you're less likely to eat that piece of chocolate cake.

takeactionNow this one is easy – get off the sofa and go for a run!( Or at least an amble round the block... )

- Edward Stanley-exercise

Those who thinkthey have no time forexercise will sooner or

later have to findtime for illness.

They say that money doesn't buy happiness. Well it can, if you don't spend it on yourself. We all know the joy of

watching someone open a gift you have bought for them. It is the ultimate irony of our modern, material world

that what makes us most happy about money is giving it away! It doesn't matter how much it is, the simple act

of giving has a positive effect on our well-being. The same positive feelings also come from giving our time, skills

and energy. We mentioned earlier that people need a purpose to feel happy, and there is no greater fulfilment

than helping others.

takeactionDo something nice for someone. It can be someone you know, or a stranger. Making a cup of tea, buying flowers, carrying bags – it doesn't matter how big or small, it will make you feel good.

Take it a step further and donate money or volunteer your time to a charity.

selflessness

– Chinese Proverb -

“If you want happiness foran hour – take a nap.

If you want happiness fora day – go fishing.

If you want happiness fora month – get married.

If you want happiness fora year – inherit a fortune.

If you want happiness fora lifetime – help someoneelse.”

This comes when we feel that we are reaching our goals and achieving our potential. We feel happy when we are

dedicating ourselves to the pursuit of our talents and abilities. Of course, this is something that most of us don't

focus on, because we are busy juggling our daily lives. We coast along, not spending any time or energy working

on self-improvement. This is why many of us have a nagging sense of frustration, or disappointment and can’t

work out why. We could be so much better than we are but we haven't put in the effort to get there.

takeactionTaking action in this area requires a bitof consideration. You need to think about what your personal goals are. Do you want to write a book, run a marathon, climb Kilimanjaro, learn to play a musicalinstrument, start a business, create an app....? Only you know what you really want to achieve in life. Once you know what your goals are, take one step towards them each day. You will feel so much happier knowing that you are on the road to achieving your potential.

- Brian Tracy -

self-actualisation

"By doing what youwould do if you wereexactly the person

you'd like to be, you’llultimately become

that person”

www.ontheroadtohappiness.orgFacebook: @travelhappinesshealth

Twitter: @happycamandemmaInstagram: travelhappinesshealth