Tips On Happiness And How To Get Happy
Happiness is so interesting because we all have different ideas about what it is and how to get it.
I would love to be happier, as I'm sure most people would, so I thought it would be interesting to find some ways to become a happier person that is actually backed up by science.
Did you know that happy people are healthier people? Studies consistently show that those with a "Glass half full mentality" can boast lower blood pressure, less stress, healthier body weights, and stronger hearts than their less optimistic neighbors.
There's something to having a positive outlook on life.
Exercise has such a profound effect on our happiness and well-being that it's actually been proven to be an effective strategy for overcoming depression.
In a study cited in Shawn Achor's book, The Happiness Advantage 1, three groups of patients treated their depression with either medication, exercise, or a combination of the two.
We've explored exercise in depth before, and looked at what it does to our brains, such as releasing proteins and endorphins that make us feel happier, as you can see in the image below.
It turns out, it's also important for our happiness.
Our commute to the office can have a surprisingly powerful impact on our happiness.
The fact that we tend to do this twice a day, five days a week, makes it unsurprising that its effect would build up over time and make us less and less happy.
While many voluntary conditions don't affect our happiness in the long term because we acclimate to them, people never get accustomed to their daily trek to work because sometimes the traffic is awful and sometimes it's not.
Two Swiss economists who studied the effect of commuting on happiness found that such factors could not make up for the misery created by a long commute.
If you want more evidence that it's beneficial for you, I've found some research that proves it can make you happier right now.
Social time is highly valuable when it comes to improving our happiness, even for introverts.
Several studies have found that time spent with friends and family makes a big difference in how happy we feel, generally.
We are happy when we have family, we are happy when we have friends and almost all the other things we think make us happy are actually just ways of getting more family and friends.
In an interview in the March 2008 newsletter to the Grant Study subjects, Vaillant was asked, "What have you learned from the Grant Study men?" Vaillant's response: "That the only thing that really matters in life are your relationships to other people."
Actual changes in income, on the other hand, buy very little happiness.
So we could increase our annual income by hundreds of thousands of dollars and still not be as happy as if we increased the strength of our social relationships.
Participants were found to be substantially happier outdoors in all natural environments than they were in urban environments.
One of the most counterintuitive pieces of advice I found is that to make yourself feel happier, you should help others.
Spending money on other people, called "Pro social spending," also boosts happiness.
Participants recalled a previous purchase made for either themselves or someone else and then reported their happiness.
Participants assigned to recall a purchase made for someone else reported feeling significantly happier immediately after this recollection; most importantly, the happier participants felt, the more likely they were to choose to spend a windfall on someone else in the near future.
So spending money on other people makes us happier than buying stuff for ourselves.
As opposed to actually taking a holiday, it seems that planning a vacation or just a break from work can improve our happiness.
In the study, the effect of vacation anticipation boosted happiness for eight weeks.
Happiness quickly dropped back to baseline levels for most people.
The scent of this fruit is one of the most positive and arousing things you can smell, according to a study conducted in the journal Chemical Senses.
In the same Chemical Senses study, participants ranked the smell of vanilla bean right up there with Clementine as a super-uplifting scent that'seven more relaxing.
Imitating a "Happy walk" can actually make you happier
Which means it will improve your mood more even more than the sight of your latest selfie.
Because clutter elevates stress levels, organizing your stuff can be the perfect anecdote to a bad mood: It literally clears the way for better vibes.
The sound of her voice can mitigate stress and muster up the feel-good hormone oxytocin - two things that pave the way for happy feelings, according to an experiment in which researchers purposely stressed the shit out of girls, then let them call or see their moms.
While researchers know that materialism can make people miserable, gratitude can curb the effects, according to recent research.
So jot down a quick thank-you note - even if it is just a "Thank you for being you." You'll feel way better about buying that new bag for yourself.
People who listen to positive music while trying to be happier are more successful than people who listen to any old playlist, according to research conducted at the University of Missouri.
Not to throw shade at your shoe collection, but science says buying material things doesn't breed happiness.
When you spend money on experiential things like tickets for a concert or a trip, you benefit from the anticipation, which provides instant happiness that lasts throughout your countdown.
The same goes for buying things that provide an experience, like a new song, book, or podcast, according to a recent study.
One study found that people who ate chocolate after they'd given it up for a week were significantly happier than people served the same stuff without any previous food restrictions.
The anticipation should brighten your mood instantly, with benefits that peak when you get to dig in.
When you can't get outside, open the blinds or turn on some lights: In a study where older adults suffering from depression were exposed to either one hour of pale blue light or one hour of dim red light every morning for three weeks, the blue light improved people's moods and reduced their stress more than the dim red light, with results that lasted into the evening.
A white light will do the trick too - the brighter, the better.
Instead of being passive aggressive to your boyfriend or complaining about him constantly to anyone who'll listen, just say, "Babe, it bothers me when we leave the bed unmade. When you'rethe last one to get out of it, can you please make it?" Expressing succinct complaints to the person who can fix them can help you resolve the issue asap, which paves the way for happiness that is there to stay, according to a study recently published in The Journal of Social Psychology.
Letting your mind wander makes you substantially less happy than focusing on the task at hand, according to over 650,000 real-time reports collected by the Track Your Happiness iPhone app, which monitors people's happiness in real time.
If you can't take the time for a vacation right now, or even a night out with friends, put something on the calendar even if it's a month or a year down the road. Then whenever you need a boost of happiness, remind yourself about it.
Meditation literally clears your mind and calms you down, it's been often proven to be the single most effective way to live a happier life.
Research even shows that regular meditation can permanently rewire the brain to raise levels of happiness.
Practice gratitude - increase both happiness and life satisfaction.
There are lots of ways to practice gratitude, from keeping a journal of things you're grateful for, sharing three good things that happen each day with a friend or your partner, and going out of your way to show gratitude when others help you.
Results indicated that writing letters of gratitude increased participants' happiness and life satisfaction while decreasing depressive symptoms.
Quick last fact: Getting older will make yourself happier.
How to Be Happy Every Day: It Will Change the World | Jacqueline Way | TEDxStanleyPark
The World Happiness Report states “Over 1 billion adults suffer from anxiety and depression.” How do we get to happy? Jacqueline Way, Founder of www.365give.ca shares a secret to happiness so simple a 3 – year old can do it. Jacqueline is a mother of three boys and social good activist dedicated to changing the world 1 give, 1 day at a time. You will learn through her powerful story of how your body is hard-wired for giving. Researchers from all over the world have been studying the science and physiological of giving for decades. They’ve discovered giving makes you happy, makes you high, is our bodies natural “Fountain of Youth” and reduces stress. Her inspirational journey with her son and thousands of children will inspire you to start a daily giving habit that will make you happy and change the world. Jacqueline Way is the founder of www.356give.ca a charitable organization dedicated to educating, empowering, and inspiring children to change the world "one give, one day at a time." You can reach Jacqueline at jacquelineway365give@gmail.com
As a final point, it's interesting to note that as we get older, particularly past middle age, we tend to grow happier naturally 22.
Researchers, including the authors, have found that older people shown pictures of faces or situations tend to focus on and remember the happier ones more and the negative ones less.
"Sea + sun = happiness: science" by the University of Sussex.
Multiple studies suggest that meditating -focusing intently and quietly on the present forset periods of time - can help lessen feelings of depression and anxiety.
Research in long term meditators - Buddhist monks, for example - shows that these peoples' brains have well-developed areas that could be linked to heightened awareness and emotional control.
While it's possible that people with such brains might be more likely to meditate in the first place, other studies do show that people who complete a meditation program tend to show brain changes linked with self-awareness, perspective, and memory.
A small 2012 study found that even when people simply read about someone else's awe-inspiring experience, they were more satisfied, less stressed, and more willing to volunteer their time to help others compared with people who were simply shown something that made them feel happy.
How To Be More Happy, Healthy, Motivated, & Successful!
Hey guys!! I get asked questions all the time like "How do you stay so motivated??" Here are some of my best tips to rock every day, be more successful, happy, grow mentally, and so much more!! I hope you find this helpful!!
One study found that a group of students sent into the trees for two nights had lower levels of cortisol - a hormone often used as a marker for stress - than those who spent the same two nights in a city.
In another study, researchers found a decrease in both heart rate and cortisol levels in people in the forest when compared to those in urban areas.
Experiencing positive emotions not only appear to have the power to neutralize negative ones but can also encourage people to be more proactive.
A study that examined the anxiety, depression and life satisfaction of over 50,000 adults in Norway offered an interesting link: People who participated in more cultural activities, like attending a play or joining a club, reported lower levels of anxiety and depression as well as a higher satisfaction with their overall quality of life.
If you're one of those people who like to make to-do lists on a regular basis, then listen closely: When you're setting your goals, it's better to be specific and set goals you know you can achieve.