7 Simple Tips to Living Happier

Written By IODM ITUK | September 12. 2017 at 3:50 am

Happiness is always an interesting topic, because we all have different ideas about what it is and how to get it. After all these years you would know that this comes to no surprise that its a huge value for me. Without happiness I don't know where I would be today. 

So naturally we are obsessed with it and in my opinion, It's nothing wrong with wanting happiness on a daily basis.

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 are actually backed up by science. Here are ten of the best ones I found.

1. Write it down. Did you know that taking the time to write down 3 positive things each day will make you more optimistic and less stressed? Journaling is a great way to start your happy. 

2.Exercise more. You might have seen some talk recently about the scientific 7 minute workout mentioned in The New York Times. So if you thought exercise was something you didn’t have time for, maybe you can fit it in after all.

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.

You don’t have to be depressed to gain benefit from exercise, though. It can help you to relax, increase your brain power and even improve your body image, even if you don’t lose any weight.

A study in the Journal of Health Psychology  found that people who exercised felt better about their bodies, even when they saw no physical changes:

Body weight, shape and body image were assessed in 16 males and 18 females before and after both 6 × 40 mins exercise and 6 × 40 mins reading. Over both conditions, body weight and shape did not change. Various aspects of body image, however, improved after exercise compared to before.

3. Learn something new. Whether it's reading a wiki about a topic that interests you or watching a quick Youtube tutorial, the digital world is full of ways to learn things fast and on the go. 

4. Let it go. You can boost your happiness by detaching from past negativity. "Just let it go already!" 

5. Spend time with friends and family.  Don’t regret it on your deathbed

Staying in touch with friends and family is one of the top five regrets of the dying. 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 to how happy we feel, generally.

I love the way Harvard happiness expert Daniel Gilbert explains it:

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.

6.Stop comparing yourself. Chances are you always pick those at the very top to compare yourself to. No wonder you feel like you've come up short! Focusing on the things you've accomplished is a lot more productive.

7. Help others.100 hours a year is the magical number

Feeling down? One of the quickest ways to pick yourself back up is to do something kind for someone else. Bonus feel good points when it's random and not expected of you. 

One of the most counterintuitive pieces of advice I found is that to make yourself feel happier, you should help others. In fact, 100 hours per year (or two hours per week) is the optimal time we should dedicate to helping others in order to enrich our lives.  

Think positive. No matter how bad things may seem, be grateful. Warm water on a cold day? Amazing! Cold water on a warm day? Incredible! You really are very lucky when you get right down to it.

References:

1. Harvard happiness expert Daniel Gilbert
2. “Why are older people happier?” by Association for Psychological Science
3. “What Makes Us Happy?” by Joshua Wolf Shenk at The Atlantic
4. “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor
5. “How To Feel Better About Your Body, Backed By Research” the Journal of Health Psychology