Researchers at the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley confirm that zest increases happiness. They suggest focusing on five areas in your quest for zest.
We’re so engaged in doing things to achieve purposes of outer value that we forget the inner value, the rapture that is associated with being alive, is what it is all about.
Joseph Campbell
5 Ways to Add Zest to Your Life
- Physical Self-Care: Get more sleep, eat healthy foods and exercise. Pick foods and activities you really like. Zest up your meals with color and texture, then do something fun outside.
- Attention to Presence: What’s happening right this second? Savor the moment. Try to see, hear, taste, smell, and feel your surroundings. The easiest way to build this calming habit is to focus on breathing.
- Optimism: Even if it doesn’t come naturally, you can nurture a sense of optimism. Training yourself to see your glass as half full helps you create a positive vision for your future a home and at work.
- Social Self-Care: Humans are social beings. It’s easy to lose sight of that these days, especially if you spend a huge chunk of your time online. The tiniest face-to-face or voice-to-voice connections bring the “human” back to “being.”
- Outdoor Exposure: Walk, jog or run outside. Notice the trees, animals, and flowers. Spend a few minutes each day in the sun. If you can’t be outside, take time to look through a window.
