The Ladybird Journey: 10 Happiness Strategies That Changed My Life

I started Looking for Ladybird 6 years ago when I was lost, unmotivated and insecure (what a combo). I set out on a quest in search of inner happiness and purpose.

The ladybird represents true, inner happiness.

You know that feeling when you are a child and a ladybird lands on your shoulder ever so cheekily as if to say, 'it's your lucky day.'

Whether you were busy being forced to play backyard cricket with your brothers or in the most dramatic part of your fairy game, time froze for a moment and you needed to stop to observe the little creature that came to give you a visit. No wonder why I copped so many cricket balls to the head.

That was the kind of happiness that I was after, the 'ooh a ladybird,' kind of happiness.

So I set out on my quest, to look for ladybirds.

This meant, finding all of the little things in life that made me feel internally happy.

When you are lost, unmotivated and insecure, everything seems to teach you a valuable lesson, pretty quickly.

Here are the main lessons that I have learnt on my ladybird journey: (so far)

1. Challenge yourself every day. By using short term challenges, daily you build up a tolerance that helps you to deal with your emotions better. Short term challenges = long term results.

2. It is very tricky to feel confident and energetic if you aren't exercising and moving your body, every day. Exercise = confidence and energy.

3. The way you begin the day, sets the tone for the whole day ahead. Start the day off in a powerful way. Create a morning routine that you crave and do it before the sun rises.

4. You can rewire your negative brain. Due to evolution, our brains focus on the negative experiences in the day as it was crucial for our survival. If we focus on gratitude every day, either in the moment or by writing it down, your brain gets into a really productive habit of pointing out the positives in each day.

5. Spend your weekends in a more restorative, nourishing and wise way. If hangovers are making you anxious and unmotivated, check in with your relationship with alcohol and learn to socialise and have fun without getting wasted. Use Sunday as a day to clean, rest and get organised for the week ahead.

6. Surround yourself with quality people in a quantitative way. The more you see people, the more vulnerable you are. The more vulnerable you are, the more you become comfortable with being 'imperfect. The more comfortable you become with being 'imperfect', the more you can enjoy your life.

7. Sit down and eat your dinner together. Whether this is as a family, with your house mates or with somebody you love, dinner is an important ritual that brings people together. Did you know, the number one activity that stops suicide in its tracks, is a family dinner.

8. Write down your goals by hand and place them on the outside of your shower wall. You build over 10,000 neural pathways in your brain when you write something out by hand and only 600 when you type it out.

9. Put the phone away- talk to your Uber driver, talk to your hairdresser, look out the window and observe people. There are things happening all around you and they are REAL life.

10. Spend time in nature every day. Go for a walk after work, an ocean swim, a bike ride, a surf or meditate in the park . Soak up fresh air, sunlight and nature, your body, mind and soul need it.

1 in 5 of us have a mental illness. 5 in 5 of us have mental health.

After dealing with a number of mental illnesses myself as a teenager, these are the 10 most effective strategies that took me out of the 1 in 5 figure.

Most of these strategies take time to master. Once you begin adding them into your life, they become really healthy habits that you crave and do without much thought. Little healthy habits done consistently have big, life-changing results.

If you need some help installing these practices into your life, don't be shy! I would love to help. You can directly message me or email me at lookingforladybird@outlook.com.

Good luck and remember to always listen to your body and what works best for you!