Being happy is the real currency of life right? Certainly you would not expect football to be the cause of unhappiness but sometimes the game can lead us to places where we have to make difficult decision, where we have tough choices to make and where we may face rejection.
When making a choice I would always suggest you think of long term happiness as the defining reason for the right choice.
Being happy on it’s own sounds good anyway right? But that is of course easier said than done. We have talked in this blog about mindset and positivity but it’s affect in making you happy goes further than a simple smile.
The health benefits of being happy are;
- A lower heart rate
- Lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol
- Lower concentration of a plasma associated with heart disease
It is also said that people with a happier outlook on life can lead to reduced affects or better coping with diabetes, heart attacks, stroke or depression and it is found that happier people are less likely to get sick, cough or cold sick.
When you are happier you will be more enthusiastic, you will be more optimistic, be more supportive of your friends and choose healthier behaviours such as health food.
Our tips to be happier are
- Be more active – train more and get out of the field more often.
- Growth mindset – we have talked about this before.
- Eat a healthier diet – when you eat well, eat good foods, you will feel brighter.
- Get a good nights sleep – rest up and keep feeling fresh.
I think we have seen a great case study in football this season, how being happy, leads to better performances. Man Utd looked like it had a grey cloud over it for the most part of this season, the new manager was pretty clear about the problem, saying
I always feel players play better when they’re happy and that’s just the way I will manage them
This simple idea has sent them on a season defining change of form. A happy Paul Pogba is pretty affective right?
So when you have choices to make around your football, choose long term happiness, this will be the key to your success.
