According to Harvard Health, there is a happiness-health connection. They state that if you want to feel better, you should begin by focusing on the things that bring you happiness. Three military spouses share how they contribute to their wellness through things that bring that bring them happiness on the daily.

Wendi Iacobello

To keep positivity and happy vibes going in my everyday life, I make sure that I incorporate a few necessary items into my routine each day. These simple things bring a sense of balance to my life, which feeds my soul:

·     30-60 minutes of exercise

·     Outdoor walk with my dog

·     Time for prayer and spiritual reflection 

·     Intentional time to sit down and eat dinner with my spouse 

Lily Snyder

When I was pregnant with my first child, people told me that my whole life was going to change. My little bundle of joy would take up every spare minute. I scoffed at the notion. I was the master of balancing my work life, home life, and hobbies. After I had my son, I tried to return to doing it all but found myself becoming increasingly unhappy and stressed. After heart-to-heart with myself, I decided to:

·     Focus on accomplishing one specific thing each day. Soon after implementing my new strategy, I realized that my son and I were happier with each other and I with myself. Creating one focus item each day (laundry, a blog post, a client meeting), gives me the flexibility I need for my son while also achieving something for myself.

Kara Ludlow

We’ve all been told to count our blessings. Turns out, that is rock solid advice. When I’ve been in dark seasons full of self-pity and shame, nothing works faster to snap me out of a funk than reflecting on all that I have been given in this life. In the mornings, I like to sit with a journal and write down a few things I’m grateful for. When I’m actively looking for small, everyday blessings my mind is focused on gratefulness, which spills out in my life as joy. These include:

·       Hot cup of coffee 

·       Phone call from a friend

·       Kids who are getting along for the moment

What is your everyday happy?

Wendi Iacobello is a blogger, freelance writer, instructional designer, and avid volunteer. Her background is in the education sector in Adult and Special Education. She is extremely passionate about helping others find their inner strength by sharing her experiences, insight, resources, and inspirational stories on her blog Strength4Spouses. 

Lily Snyder is a business consultant and freelance writer. She is passionate about telling her story of working remotely, co-founding a startup, and speaking worldwide all while PCSing from post to post. You can find her on her website, lilyotron.blog.

Kara Ludlow is a blogger, Navy spouse and recovering helicopter mom. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, she can be found reading cookbooks like juicy novels and is usually wondering what’s for dinner. She is a cheerleader for all military spouses, and writes regularly on her blog at https://karaludlow.com, sharing her experiences and encouraging others in the same boat.