20 Ways to be Genuinely & Authentically Happy!

Hi everyone, it’s been a while!! I cannot even explain how much I’ve missed you all!  Lately my life has consisted of moving into (and organizing) my new apartment, party planning, prepping for classes/attending classes/homework, sorority meetings, conference calls, job searching, and occasionally eating and sleeping! But I’m finally back, and I felt like an inspirational/happy post was exactly what I needed to share with all of you (including myself)!

It’s so easy to get caught up in life, and to overwhelm yourself while compromising your happiness!  And honestly, your overall happiness is by far the most important thing!!  Here are 20 of my absolute favorite things that make me as happy as I can be!

New Surroundings  Take a road trip or go for a walk, and discover new places!  Or even head to your favorite coffee shop, local park, or spot on campus!  Spending time in a new surrounding (rather than being in bed watching Netflix *guilty*) will lighten your mood while leaving you feeling inspired and refreshed!

Listen to Acoustic Music  There’s something truly beautiful about acoustic music, and for me it always sparks creativity, relaxation, and positive thoughts!  I love listening to acoustic music while I’m writing blog posts, journaling, organizing my planners, and making my daily to-do lists!

Make Plans with Friends/Loved Ones  There is nothing better than surrounding yourself with people who love and care about you!  Grab a group and head to a coffee shop or to your school’s football game, or spend some quality one on one time together!  Some of my favorite things are grabbing coffee/lunch with Alyssa, macarons/lunch with Ally, meeting/chatting with my Café Chat group, and spending weekends with Douglas!

Get Organized  Plan out your day/week/month in your planner, create a set routine, and organize your space!  A cluttered area leads to a cluttered mind, and it will leave you feeling more stressed and overwhelmed!  I use three different planners, journals, and a daily to-do list to organize my life (post coming VERY soon)!!

Read a Paperback/Hard Cover  Nothing compares to getting cozy and reading!  Whether it’s a book, magazine, or tabloid, grab a hard copy, a hot drink and a snack, and cozy up with warm blankets and burning candles!  This is especially lovely on a rainy day!  Check out my favorite things to read here!

Go Outdoors  Is anything better than the great outdoors?!  I absolutely love sitting in my hammock with a hot mug of tea and something good to read!  I also love going for a walk, hike, bike ride, or skiing so I can truly exploring every single ounce of nature!  No matter the season, head outdoors and let your mind wander!

Take a Lush Bath/Pamper Yourself  I cannot even express how much I love Lush, so pampering myself with a Lush bath, face mask, and mani/pedi is the perfect way to relax!  Always take time to take care of yourself, you absolutely deserve it!!

Meditate/Hot Yoga  Meditation is the best way to clear your mind, and to open yourself to your surroundings!  Not only will it relax you, but it’ll help give you a positive mindset!  I also highly recommend trying hot yoga if you haven’t already, you all are well aware of how obsessed I am!

Exercise  Exercising releases positive endorphins, thus leaving you feeling more positive, energetic, and recharged!  I’m currently training for a half marathon, as well as following Blogilates September workout calendar!

Make To-Do Lists/Start Journaling  This goes hand in hand with organizing!  Writing down your thoughts, ideas, goals, and intentions is a great way to feel inspired and motivated, and there’s nothing better than checking things off of your list!  Also, try journaling if you haven’t already!  I participate in bullet journaling, and one of my favorite things is writing down what I’m grateful for each day!

Eat Your Favorite Meal  For me this is sushi, macarons, a soy vanilla latte, and a hot mug of tea!  I like to treat myself once a week, and enjoy my meal while spending some quality time with myself!  I always light my favorite candle and put on my favorite show, and have a perfect evening!

Retail Therapy  All I have to say for this one is TREAT YO’SELF!  There is nothing wrong with a little retail therapy, especially a bit of online shopping!

Fresh Flowers  There’s nothing more lovely than filling your space with fresh plants and fresh flowers!  My best friend/roommate Ally received the most beautiful bouquet from her boyfriend for her birthday, and I can’t help but smell the fresh flowers every time I walk by!  “Stop and smell the roses” definitely applies in this situation!!

Watch Your Favorite Show, Light Candles & Enjoy a Snack  Need I say more?  This also goes hand in hand with eating your favorite meal!  Take some time for yourself, and enjoy!!  I recommend Gilmore Girls, Friends, Gossip Girl, HGTV, and Food Network!

Have a Hot Cup of Tea or Coffee  Nothing is more calming and relaxing than enjoying a hot drink of your choice!  I always start my day with one or two cups of my favorite hot tea, drop by Starbucks for a soy vanilla or chai latte around mid-day, and enjoy another two cups of hot tea that evening!

Leave Your Phone Alone  Put your phone on airplane mode, leave it out of reach, and enjoy yourself!  I honestly cannot preach this enough!  Refresh yourself and your mind, and put your phone away (especially while you’re doing any of these 20 activities)!

Bake/Craft  I absolutely LOVE baking and crafting!!  I always feel so happy and proud of whatever I create, and the process of creating something is always the most fun!  The best part is, you can enjoy whatever you created right away!  Whether it’s a batch of fresh cupcakes, a DIY project, or a gift for a friend!

Set New Goals  Take some time and set some new goals (big and small) for you to accomplish!  I like to set daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals, and I absolutely love the feeling of conquering a goal that I set!  I always write my goals in my planners and journal, and I like to treat myself to something special whenever I complete one!

Have a Happy Morning  Your morning routine will set the tone for the rest of the day, so try and make sure you’re having the most wonderful morning possible!  I absolutely love mornings, and I think having a successful morning is incredibly important!  Check out my favorite morning routine posts here and here!!

I hope you all enjoyed taking a look at 20 of my favorite ways to be genuinely and authentically happy, and definitely let me know what your favorite ways to be happy are!  I apologize for my short hiatus, I can promise you that will not happen again!  Thank you all SO much for sticking with me, I’m truly grateful for each and every one of you!!  I hope you have a happy Labor Day and a lovely Monday, and it’s filled with lots of love and good vibes!!

xo, Tessa

Today’s Inspiration 

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