Here is the result of 10 digital illustrations. I hope this can be useful and relatable. I leave a short description under each and I invite you to try them out or find the one that speaks to you the most.
Happy (still) summer and happy habits!
1. Train your mindset
Oh my mind! Yes, I kick-start this happy habit series with the mindset! Remember that the success of any habit is not the perfection but consistency. And mindset is the key driver towards any change we want to create.
Same as we train our bodies to become healthier and more fit, our mind requires some “fitness” as well – adopting healthier thought patterns, learning, acknowledging opportunities and being more flexible with our own belief systems.
You are not your thoughts but they impact the quality of your life. So make sure to practice helpful thinking styles, optimism and being honest to yourself in the best way you can.
2. Take care of your relationships
Think of those who matter to you the most – family, friends, loved ones. Think of those who you meet daily, even strangers, as they also impact your day. And now think of the closest person to you – yourself! How is your relationship with yourself going on?
Some ways to maintain healthy and fulfilling relationships can be:
- Quality time spent together
- Care, empathy and compassion, also in hard times
- Meeting and connecting regularly
- Honesty and trust – being your authentic you
- Respecting each other’s boundaries, loving and accepting unconditionally.
3. Find peace within
It’s easy to get lost, stressed and frustrated by the chaos of the outside world and thoughts that come and go through our mind. However, there is always the peaceful shelter we can tune in within ourselves. 
There is space you can create inside-out by:
- Finding a moment and comfortable place to rest and be
- Calming down your breath and redirecting focus on the present moment
- Letting good things in and all the worries out!
4. Have time for your passions (hobbies)
We all feel good when we enjoy what we do. And there is such a variety of hobbies available for us today. Some that you can do alone and tune in. Or some that you can share with others and take care of your relationships too.
Remember, that all these habits can be combined and interconnected. So let me ask you:
“What do you enjoy doing? And if you don’t know what would you like to try out?”
5. Be self-compassionate towards your emotions
Compassion and healthy release of not the happiest emotions can benefit our wellbeing and happiness in long term.
1. Firstly, we are emotional human beings, and it’s ok to feel whatever we are feeling.
2. Secondly, our feelings are valid and instead of rationalizing them in the first place or worse – feeling bad about having them – we can simply acknowledge them and try to accept them.
Then, when we accepted these feelings, we can try to think what made us feel this way. Do a little self-investigation.
And finally, we can simply let the feeling go. It does not always happen quick if a feeling is truly strong but there are ways to practice healthy emotional release.
Some examples: meditation, movement, music and dance, journaling, being in peace or nature, using some emotional release technique.
6. Focus on the good
Happy people tend to focus more on the good – what works out in life and what is already there to appreciate.
It’s a challenging one, I agree. So here are some tips that I have found useful in the past to practice keeping the focus on the good :
- Be grateful for what you do have in life
- Write down your achievements and what has worked out so far
- Notice the beautiful things around you and tell about them to someone
- See an opportunity in a struggle – learn from every step and trust that it is a part of the journey.
7. Be active – move!
When I was thinking about this illustration, it made me think of how I would like to feel when I grow old.
The answer was – active, energetic but also calm and peaceful. This kind character reflected this feeling of a cheerful movement but a peacefulness inside.
Even if you don’t enjoy doing sports too much (like me for example, haha), I moving energy and our body is important for our well-being. Here are some fun movement examples:
Walking/biking Jumping or dancing with kids Doing a morning run or quick exercise Sightseeing or other adventures Swimming.
8. Step forward – try new things!
Even if it feels scary to step into unknown at first, long-term, every new challenge that is right for us, makes us stronger, more flexible and happier in future.
What is the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone and did something exciting?
Some ideas:
- Start learning a new skill or try a new hobby
- Go for a trip to a place you have never been
- Meet a new person and learn from their perspective
- Say yes to a professional challenge or career change that feels crazy but exciting to try!
9. Do something good for others
Making this habit, I was surrounded by kids. And kids, they bring love and activate kindness and willingness to help and care.
So with this drawing I invite you to receive happy feelings by doing something good for others. It works both ways! You make someone happier and share these feelings with the person too.
A small act of kindness such as
- Helping out
- Supporting
- Listening
- Surprising… can truly make a difference!
10. Be your authentic you!
Finally, this last happy habit, for me personally, is very powerful – I want to remind you to simply be YOU. That awesome authentic you that you already are!
Highlighting your strengths and accepting your weird sides too. There is such joyful freedom to accept yourself, be yourself and strive to be your better version of self every day. It’s a habit of growth. A habit of knowing, experiencing and challenging yourself every day.
Without being my authentic self I would not be able to make these illustrations the way they are. I hope you could take something from this.
See you in the next happy project!
