Acknowledging little steps we take towards happiness

[oldmurray34]

I am a firm believer that we all are "configurable" to a large degree by consistent things in our lives, good and bad. So in my view the road to improving ones life is to build cool and rad systems, that incentivize positive habbits.

Translating this to the human language, it is very important to not only build good habbits, but also recognize your hard work! 
When you recognize the hard paths you've walked, it is easier to not fall down the pits of despair, created by our shitty environments. So, this thread is to share and recognize our steps we take on a road towards happiness, no matter how small those steps are! After all even a little step is miles better then no step at all! 

I will start: I recently started doing morning stretches and man it feels pretty damn good! Out of all physicall exercises I haver tried, this one is the most pleasurable. Going strong for a week or so now, proud of myself that I haven't dropped it days ago

[tarraxahum]

An appropriate moment for me to see this thread, I think. I've cleared out my room a bit today 'cause the chaos, as much as I love it, started getting a bit out of control.

I also bought a bunch of stickers and glitter pens with a theoretical plan to start a journal. We'll see how that goes.

More tangible and already ongoing, though, I started running a bit, out of my own volition at that, and also doing some exercises, etc. Slowly getting myself to be more active, in short. All it took was a right mindset of "Theoretically I can, so why don't I?" and uuuh a general wish to have more control over my poor muscles and joints. So far it mostly makes me hurt all over (expected), but the feeling of actually doing something and sticking to it so far is definitely helping my happiness levels.

Planning to add more mobility stretches and once again try to fix my water intake (as things stand now, I am 90% sweet tea.)

[ABlueRose]

This idea is so important!! Little steps really make a big impact over time. I've heard this concept also said as "Try to make your life 5% better everyday" and while I don't make it everyday, I think it's a good idea.

I started exercising a few months (Wow??? Months?? I hadn't realized it was so long!) ago. I try to jog every other day, and it's been working out well for me.

I've also stopped watching TV while eating, and wow that is a much bigger game changer than I thought it would be. I didn't realize how STRESSED of all things it was making me, having to try and decide on something to watch for every meal. It sounds silly, but it really is so nice eating with just my thoughts to occupy me

I've been trying to clean up my digital spaces on a weekly basis for 2026. Going through my pictures, reminders I write to myself, and things like that. I want to expand this into backing up things more too. It makes me happy because then my files and phone are getting less cluttered, and the more I declutter digitally, the less there is on the cloud. I've been reading about the energy data centers use up, so any little bit I can reduce it is good in my book! Also I'll stop getting the annoying "Your icloud is full" pop ups and emails

[oldmurray34]

but the feeling of actually doing something and sticking to it so far is definitely helping my happiness levels

I can attest to that, as a barely physically active person myself. Last year I have lost whopping 35 kilos since I decided to change my health habits a bit, also started jogging and hiking quite a bit and you know what? In retrospect I feel owned, because I historically was very resistant to the idea of physical activity improving mood and now I understand how wrong I was

Idk, it clears your head and kind of fills you with energy to do intellectual stuff. And I have been slacking on my jogging and hiking, so hopefully I will get back in the groove once it is a bit warmer outside

I also bought a bunch of stickers and glitter pens with a theoretical plan to start a journal. We'll see how that goes.

Oh hell yeah, journaling is so good for keeping your thoughts and feelings understood, I have been doing that for like a year now I think, maybe a bit less, it is pretty nice (even though I am doing it digitally, writing it down manually probably is even better)

"Try to make your life 5% better everyday"

Oh yeah, that's a great sentiment! I usually like to thing about it this way: we should strive towards the utopia (in the most broad sense of the word) even though it might be unreachable, because the mere movement in that direction means a lot of improvements along the way. You know, like running a marathon vs running a sprint

It sounds silly, but it really is so nice eating with just my thoughts to occupy me

I heard watching stuff while eating even messes with your appetite levels, which can lead to overeating. Don't know for sure, but that is def a good improvement!

I still need to kick a similar habit, but I have been going for walks without listening to music and sometimes even without my phone. It is very nice and I recommend everyone to try it

I want to expand this into backing up things more too.

I recently came across a similar thing: I have noticed how important digital minimalism is for me. You know, as little clutter and bloat as possible, less annoyances and more little things that make actually useful PC activity more fun. And one part of that was doing my own backup thing: I got a raspberry pi 5, installed a minimal debian system on it and just started chucking backup-worthy data on it using simple scripts and commands: no UI no nothing. It's so transparent to me now, I know exactly how this whole home circus operates, what the shortcomings are, how to fix it if it breaks, and it brings a great feeling of liberation and, ironically, peace of mind

[fablefound]

YESSSS i love a nice little quality of life update, i've been implementing a bunch over the last few months. i'm not home right now, but off the top of my head, some ways my life has gotten nicer include...

+ exercising more! which seems to be a very common response in this thread. i play stepmania (as recommended on this very forum!), use my father's old treadmill (and listen to audiobooks), go on dog walks, and occasionally follow little youtube routines. i work from home, so it's been nice penciling in breaks from being fully sedentary.
+ listening to the radio more. i use radio garden, which i'm sure many of you know and love, but i find it a lot nicer than just shuffling through my playlists hoping to find a song what fits my mood. my favourite stations are arctic outpost (lots of oldies) and a local-to-me new wave station.
+ lots of little upgrades to my washroom, honestly? my girlfriend got me shower steamers, and i really love them. i also finally have a very bare-bones skincare routine, a hair care routine, and some nice decor... i kinda have a cat theme going on, it's fun.
+ going to second @ABlueRose and say DIGITAL DECLUTTERING!!! i clean out my downloads, camera roll, and inbox weekly, and also empty my laptop's recycling bin. also in the digital department, i limit my screentime... and my phone is black-and-white in the mornings and at night, to try and reduce the dopamine. 
+ making more stuff. especially when i'm not very good at it. been dabbling in both digital and physical collage, and actually just purchased a home embroidery kit, to see how i take to it.
+ cooking with people more often. my neurodivergence hates the kitchen, but being able to sous chef or just do all the work with someone reading me instructions has been great.
+ possibly controversial, but PHONE CALLS!! i love calling friends while i'm doing little errands and such. i also try to call my grandmother every couple of weeks.
+ journalling. i recap every week in my journal, and occasionally do writing prompts i find online.
+ i also recently made punch cards for things i'm trying to do more of this year, which include cooking, performing in front of people, and crafts. every time i fill out a punch card, i get a little reward.

that's kind of a lot, but hopefully at least a few of these resonate with a few of you. :]

[oldmurray34]

+ listening to the radio more. i use radio garden, which i'm sure many of you know and love, but i find it a lot nicer than just shuffling through my playlists hoping to find a song what fits my mood. my favourite stations are arctic outpost (lots of oldies) and a local-to-me new wave station.

I would like to recommend SomaFM, have been listening to their stations for a year or so now, really enjoy them, especially while working (hello, fellow working-from-home-person)

[windit]

This is a cute topic. My schedule is so out of whack right now because I'm packing up to move house, but it's a good time to assess the new life I want to build, and a good reminder that one small change at a time can be very good over time.

This year I'm trying to do more on paper / off screen, so far I've done good at keeping a physical notebook with me all the time and using it to process and plan. The other day I drafted an essay on paper before typing it out, which I haven't done in yeeears. It was nice. Yay paper.

+ i also recently made punch cards for things i'm trying to do more of this year, which include cooking, performing in front of people, and crafts. every time i fill out a punch card, i get a little reward.

This is aspirational. What kind of rewards do you give yourself???

[fablefound]

@oldmurray34 hello fellow working-from-home warrior!!! i'll defs check out smona, sounds neat  always down for more radio channels to check out.

and @windit it depends! i try to keep things at least a little on-theme with what the punch card is about. performing in front of people, for example, has the completion reward of a musical instrument or other music-related purchase. cooking with/for other people means i get to order in or eat out. and whenever i can't think of a reward, i put something like "treating myself to a thrift store trip" or "buying something cool secondhand" lol.