youtube/watch?v=NCLfnH3ekRI MESSAGES LOG IN EXPLORE HELP US EDIT Home » Categories » Health » Emotional Health » Happiness & Optimism Article Edit Discuss Edit Article How to Be Happy Edited by Krystle C., Jack Herrick, Slackwalker, Alan J and 452 others Happiness — its what we all strive to find and keep, even when its as elusive as ever. Nobody is jolly and elated all the time, but some individuals are definitely more fulfilled than others. Studies reveal that happiness has little to do with materialistic needs, goods, or wants, or high achievement; it boils down to your outlook on life, the quality of your relationships, and basic amenities like good governance and community resources. Read on for more tips and tricks on how to unlock the happier you. Steps 1 Be optimistic. In the 1970s, researchers followed people whod won the lottery and found that a year afterward, they were no happier than people who didnt. This hedonic adaptation[1] suggests that we each have a baseline level of happiness. No matter what happens, good or bad, the effect on our happiness is temporary, and we tend to revert to our baseline level. Some people have a higher baseline happiness level than others, and that is due in part to genetics, but its also largely influenced by how you think.[2] •Add up all the little joyful things that happen to you during the day. For example, there was no traffic on the road, you had a very decent and scrumptious breakfast, your friend said something uproariously humorous that made you laugh, you took your dog out for a walk in the park and played with it. All of these matters added together account to one big chunk of happiness. •Look at the glass half-full instead of half-empty. Your girlfriend break up with you? Now you have the chance to meet someone else! You lost your job? Now you can seize the opportunity to find a better one! Adjust your mentality so that, in everything that happens to you, theres some kernel of good. •Put yourself in situations where fabulous, fortunate things are likely to happen to you. Its easier to remain optimistic if you set yourself up for success. Cheating on a partner, or stealing someones bicycle — while temporarily thrilling — rarely end well for any party involved. Ask yourself before you act: Am I setting myself up for success or for failure? •Think of your current situation (however hard it may be) and then think of how much harder some other people have it. Just be happy that you are not in that worse situation. Learn to enjoy your life! 2 Follow your gut. In one study, two groups of people were asked to pick a poster to take home. One group was asked to analyze their decision, weighing pros and cons, and the other group was told to listen to their gut. Two weeks later, the group that followed their gut was happier with their posters than the group that analyzed their decisions.[3] Now, some of our decisions are more crucial than picking out posters, but by the time youre poring over your choice, the options youre weighing are probably very similar, and the difference will only temporarily affect your happiness. •Next time you have a decision to make, and youre down to two or three options, just pick the one that feels right, and go with it. Never regret the decisions you make, though. Just live by the 3 Cs of life: choices, chances, and changes. You need to make a choice to take a chance, or your life will never change. 3 Make enough money to meet basic needs — food, shelter, and clothing. In the US, that magic number is $60,000 a year. Any money beyond that will not necessarily make you happier. Remember the lottery winners mentioned earlier? Oodles of money didnt make them happier. Once you make enough to support basic needs, your happiness is not significantly affected by how much money you make, but by your level of optimism.[4] •Your comfort may increase with your salary, but comfort isnt what makes people happy. It makes people bored. Thats why its important to push beyond your comfort zone to fuel personal growth. 4 Treat your body like it deserves to be happy. It may sound cheesy to say, but your brain isnt the only organ in your body that deserves to be happy. Researchers have found that exercise, healthy diets, and regular sleep are key factors in growing more happy and staying that way. •People who are physically active have higher incidences of enthusiasm and excitement.[5][6] Scientists hypothesize that exercise causes the brain to release chemicals called endorphins that elevate our mood. •Eat right. Eating healthy foods — fruits and vegetables, lean meats and proteins, whole grains, nuts, and seeds — gives your body and brain the energy it needs to be healthy. Some scientists speculate that unhealthy diets, especially those rich in processed carbohydrates, sugars, and industrial vegetable fats, is responsible for brain shrinkage and certain brain diseases like depression and dementia.[7] •Get enough sleep. Study after study confirms it: the more sleep you get, the happier you tend to be.[8][9] Getting just a single extra hour of sleep per night makes the average person happier than making $60,000 more in annual income, astoundingly enough.[10] So if youre middle-aged, shoot to get at least eight hours of sleep per night; the young and elderly should shoot for 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night.[11] 5 Stay close to friends and family: Or move to where they are, so you can see them more. We live in a mobile society, where people follow jobs around the country and sometimes around the world. We do this because we think salary increases make us happier, but in fact our relationships with friends and family have a far greater impact on happiness. So next time you think about relocating, consider that youd need a salary increase of over $100,000 USD to compensate for the loss of happiness youd have from moving away from friends and family.[12] •If relationships with family and friends are unhealthy or nonexistent, and you are bent on moving, choose a location where youll make about the same amount of money as everyone else; according to research, people feel more financially secure (and happier) when on similar financial footing as the people around them, regardless of what that footing is.[13] 6 Be compassionate. Compassion is all about doing something kind for someone in need, or someone less privileged than yourself. A brain-imaging study (where scientists peek into peoples brains while they act or think) revealed that people gain as much happiness from watching others give to charity as they do receiving money themselves![14] •Think of easy, quick, and effective ways that you can make your community a better place by being compassionate: •Tutor, volunteer, or get involved in a church group. Countless children are looking for someone to teach them and act as a role model. •Make a microloan. A microloan is when you give someone (usually in the developing world) a very small sum of money for an economic project of their own. Many microloans have 95%+ repayment rates.[15] •Give a person in need food, clothing or shelter. Its so basic we often forget to think about it, yet so easy to do. 7 Have deep, meaningful conversations. A study by a psychologist at the University of Arizona has shown that spending less time participating in small talk and more time in deep, meaningful conversations can increase happiness. [16] So next time youre beating around the bush with a friend, instead cut right to the chase. Youll be happier for it. 8 Find happiness in the job you have now: Many people expect the right job or career to dramatically change their level of happiness. But research makes it clear that your levels of optimism and quality of relationships eclipse the satisfaction gained from your job.[17] •If you have a positive outlook, you will make the best of any job; and if you have good relationships, you wont depend on your job for a sense of meaning. Youll find meaning in interactions with the people you care about. Youll use your job as a crutch instead of relying on it for meaning. •This is not to say you shouldnt aspire to get a job that will make you happier; many people find that being on the right career path is a key determination in their overall happiness. It just means you should understand that the capacity of your job to make you happy is quite small when compared to your outlook and your relationships. 9 Smile: Science suggests that when you smile, whether youre happy or not, your mood is elevated. [18][19] So smile all the time if you can! Smiling is like a feedback loop: smiling reinforces happiness, just as happiness causes smiling. People who smile during painful procedures reported less pain than those who kept their facial features neutral.[19] 10 Forgive: In a study of college students, an attitude of forgiveness contributed to better cardiovascular health. You could say forgiveness literally heals the heart. While it is unknown how forgiveness directly affects your heart, the study suggests that it may lower the perception of stress.[20] 11 Make friends. In a 2010 study published by Harvard researchers in American Sociological Review, people who went to church regularly reported greater life satisfaction than those who didnt. The critical factor was the quality of friendships made in church. Church-goers who lacked close friends there were no happier than people who never went to church. When researchers compared people who had the same number of close friends, those who had close friends from church were more satisfied with their lives.[21] •The difference is the forming of friendships based on mutual interests and beliefs. So if church is not your thing, consider finding something else youre deeply passionate about, making friends with those who share similar interests. •When you interact with people who share your interests, you feel happier due to sensations of reward and well-being. This is because during such interactions, seratonin and dopamine — neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of happiness and relaxation — are released into the body. In other words, your body is designed to feel happier when engaged in social interactions.[22] Test Your Knowledge Be Happy Quiz Video This video will show you what researchers have found can make you happier. Give it a try! Tips •Think of something that made you laugh or smile, even if its from a long time ago. Itll still have the same effect. •Sit and figure out what makes you happy, and make one step at a time to get there. As long as you are working toward your own personal goals you will move forward instead of procrastinating. •Always assume that what is done is done. Dont feel regret due to past mistakes. Instead, learn from them and move on. •Be content with who you are because nobodys the perfect one. •If you are unhappy, even if you dont know why; talk it out with someone. The exchange of ideas and feelings is healing and usually provides some level of satisfaction or peace. •Be happy! Always look on the bright side. The past is the past you cant change it. No one can. Just be cheerful! •Finding time for you is important. Relaxation and meditation or even getting a massage are all ways of taking just a bit of time out for yourself. A way to reward yourself for all that you do. •Dont be afraid to admit when youre down and need a lift. Conversely, if a person is a negative influence who drags you down, dont be afraid to remove such a person from your life. However, it is even better when you can see the potential in people, and help them. As with charity, this is beneficial to both you and them; and you have a valuble friend afterwards who is grateful of your aid. •When youre purposely trying to be happy or cheerful, but just cant seem to achieve it at the moment, do something crazy. Stupid, crazy, weird actions seem pointless, but could actually lift your mood -- just because youre glad you did it. Most fundamentally, recognize that happiness is a state of mind, not something to be defined objectively. You can change your state of mind in many ways including these suggestions: ◦Turn your favorite music up loud and do a dance to it. Talk to yourself in the mirror. ◦Write a funny or inspiring quote on your mirror/wall/locker. ◦Scream as loud as you can (warn your family first!) and bounce up and down; jump all around. ◦If its a hot day, get your swimsuit on, go outside and turn the hose on yourself. •Try to love yourself a little more. Happiness stems from feeling good about the things around you and how that affects you. Look in the mirror and feel happy that who is looking back at you is a survivor. Keep reinventing yourself. The only person on earth who shouldnt be bored with who you are is yourself. •If you find yourself unhappy frequently, talk to a trusted friend or family member, or get a diary and write down emotions and experiences you feel have caused you to be unhappy, sad, agitated, etc. •Stay out of fights. Mind your own business and try not to blend into other peoples problems, unless someone asks you for help - then you should definitely help them. Their gratefulness will make you feel a lot happier after helping them, and you will realize how great it is. Show More Tips Warnings •If you are constantly unhappy or depressed, seek professional help. •make sure you have a friend that you trust that you can talk to. •Happy people are not happy all the time. Everyone has times when they feel sad, frustrated, guilty, angry, and so on. Happy people are just more resilient and better at maintaining a state of ubiquitous happiness. We may all feel negative at moments in our lives, but try to bounce back and live in the moment, and be content with everything you do. Related wikiHows How to Bloom Where Youre Planted How to Be Happy Without Remembering Anything About the Past How to Be Happy Instead of Feeling Unlucky How to Do Laughter Yoga How to Live a Simple and Peaceful Life How to Be Optimistic How to Find the Light at the End of the Tunnel How to Design a Life of Your Choice How to Remove Mind Tattoos Sources and Citations 1.↑ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill 2.↑ scientificamerican/article.cfm?id=the-science-of-lasting-ha&page=1 3.↑ The Social Animal by Elliot Aronson 4.↑ blog.penelopetrunk/2004/08/01/you-only-need-40000-to-be-happy/ 5.↑ huffingtonpost/2012/02/09/exercise-happy-enthusiasm-excitement_n_1263345.html 6.↑ pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/exercise/ 7.↑ self/blogs/flash/2011/12/the-happiness-diet-how-the-foo.html 8.↑ sciencemag.org/content/306/5702/1776.abstract 9.↑ parenting/Common/printArticle.jsp?articleID=1000059778 10.↑ huffingtonpost/arianna-huffington/sleep-challenge-2010-slee_b_436341.html 11.↑ mayoclinic/health/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough/AN01487 12.↑ powdthavee.co.uk/resources/valuing_social_relationships_15.04.pdf 13.↑ blog.penelopetrunk/2009/05/21/how-to-decide-where-to-live-2/ 14.↑ psychologytoday/blog/feeling-it/201211/the-best-kept-secret-happiness 15.↑ kiva.org/about/risk 16.↑ well.blogs.nytimes/2010/03/17/talk-deeply-be-happy/#more-25743 17.↑ blog.penelopetrunk/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/ 18.↑ nutritiondietnews/85634/ 19.↑ 19.019.1scientificamerican/article.cfm?id=smile-it-could-make-you-happier 20.↑ nih.gov, PubMed, A change of heart: cardiovascular correlates of forgiveness in response to interpersonal conflict. Lawler, K. A., Younger, J. W., Piferi, R. L., Billington, E., Jobe, R., Edmondson, K., Jones, W. H., Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2003 Oct;26(5):373-393. 21.↑ news.discovery/human/religion-happiness-social-bonds.html 22.↑ The Neuroscience of Sharing Article Info Featured Article Categories: Featured Articles | Happiness & Optimism Recent edits by: Ralphdasilva, Honeyhoney, Anii × In other languages: Deutsch: Wie man glücklich wird, Français: Comment être heureux, Español: Cómo ser feliz, Nederlands: gelukkig zijn, Italiano: Come Essere Felici, Português: Como Ser Feliz, Русский: быть счастливым, 中文: 变得幸福 Discuss Print Email Edit Send fan mail to authors Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 4,090,395 times. Was this article accurate? 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