You may have heard about the concept of habit stacking. Habit stacking refers to the practice of using a keystone habit as a foundation and then building other habits on top of it using the discipline gained from the initial habit.
For instance, engaging in regular exercise can lead to the development of healthy eating habits. However, habit stacking can also be applied to more mundane activities. For example, I personally use the habit of making coffee in the morning as a foundation for my journaling practice.
In addition to habit stacking, I have also been implementing a strategy called “happy stacking” in my life. Essentially, this involves incorporating as many activities or experiences that bring me joy into a single moment or event. Let me share a few examples of things that make me happy:
❤️ Spending quality time with my family
⛰️ Being outdoors and enjoying nature
🏃🏻 Engaging in physical exercise
🎒 Traveling to a fun place
In the picture above, I’m in Colorado visiting my cousin and his wife (travel 🎒). My whole family came, our first Colorado trip in 5 years (quality time ❤️). Yesterday we went to Rocky Mountain National Park (outdoors ⛰️) and walked 15,000 stops (exercise 🚶♂️).
The combination of traveling to a fun place, being with my family, enjoying the outdoors, and getting exercise created a “happy stack” that brought me immense joy and satisfaction.
Similarly, last weekend I had the pleasure of spending time with friends, enjoying delicious food, sitting around a cozy fire, watching football, and indulging in cake. This was another example of a “happy stack” that brought me great happiness.
I am actively striving to optimize my life in order to create as many happy stacks as possible. If you would like to do the same, I encourage you to make a list of all the activities or experiences that bring you happiness. By identifying these elements, you can explore opportunities to combine them and create memorable and fulfilling experiences.
For more about happiness and habits, watch the video below!