This episode is part of the Happiness Reset Campaign where Klaudia brings you 25 bitesize episodes to inspire you to refocus on your happiness and fulfilment. 

In each short episode Klaudia shares one practical hack to create more happiness at work, in relationships and in your own skin. 

In this happiness hack, Klaudia encourages you to find time to be creative and playful which is crucial to our happiness. 

Why not try something new and exciting tonight instead of watching TV? Dancing, making scented candles or sketching in a journal; whatever an activity: go and play!

Klaudia Mitura:

Hello Happiness Seekers

My name is Klaudia and you are listening to The Happiness Challenge.

This episode is part of the Happiness Reset Campaign where I bring you 25 bitesize episodes to inspire you to refocus on your happiness and fulfilment.

In each short episode I bring you one practical hack to create more happiness at work, in relationships and in your own skin.

Follow me on Linkedin and join my newsletter to share what hacks you are finding useful and to get free tickets to a webinar on the science of happiness that I will be hosting in February.

This happiness hack is all about finding time to be creative and playful which is

crucial to our happiness.

By engaging in creative activities, we experience an “upward spiral” of positive emotions that contribute to our happiness and feelings of flourishing in life.

This act of creating something new, different and impactful also increases our levels of self-efficacy, which is our belief that we are capable of facing challenges with competence and mastery.

Only 15 to 20 minutes of creative activity can give us the confidence boost to cope with our daily problems better.

Playfulness also decreases our stress levels and strengthens our brain by increasing the release of a certain protein in our brain which stimulates the growth of nerves.

And I am sure you will say, this sounds great Klaudia but I don’t have time to get creative and playful.

Watching TV is also a path to least resistance; [15] it is so easy to just sit, press the on button and start watching.

Watching TV is an accepted social activity that everyone engages in. So we don’t feel guilty about it, whilst carving time to dance, making scented candles or writing in a journal feels selfish, irresponsible and frivolous.

But with creativity and playfulness being so important to our happiness, I encourage you to:

you introduce TV free evening when you instead get creative and playful.

And if you are not sure what to do, refer to one of my favourite publications of all time “The Joy Journal for Grown ups” by Laura Brand is an ocean of inspiration. During dull and rainy evenings, I often open it at random and try something new: painted mandala pebbles, stress-relieving putty, pressed flower candles, soap on the rope or crepe paper flowers.

For me, this is a simple way to remind me to reconnect with my playfulness.

Thank you for listening to the Happiness Reset Campaign, I hope this happiness hack is useful and impactful. Lear more about creativity by listening to episode 37: How to find your creative capacity

I would love you to share this episode with others and subscribe to my podcast and newsletter so you don't miss out on any future hacks. Thank you again for listening and I dare you to be happy. Bye