How to be happy: 40+ secrets to a happier life

When we think about the things in our lives that make us happy (like our families, hobbies and friends) and then imagine what life would be like if we didn’t have those things, it makes us appreciate them more, which makes us happier, says Kira M. Newman, an editor at the Greater Good Science Centre.

Matthew Killingsworth, creator of the app Track Your Happiness, says we feel less content when our minds wander. His research showed that people are happiest when having sex, exercising or engaging in conversation – all things that require focus – and least happy when resting, working or using a home computer.

A 2016 study published in Europe’s Journal of Psychology found that happy people use humour in positive ways – for example, to entertain others or cope with difficult circumstances. Unhappy people, on the other hand, use humour to manipulate or criticise others.

Esfahani Smith says storytelling – that is, the ways we think about the events of our lives – can be a powerful way of shaping our moods. “We’re constantly making narrative choices, so if we’re telling ourselves a bad story, or one that’s holding us back, we have the power to edit that story,” she says.

Check out these simple acts of kindness you can do in two minutes!

If practising gratitude doesn’t come naturally, start by simply noticing good things. “You can always see good things, even if you don’t feel grateful for them in the moment,” says Newman. “You really start to notice them more when you pay attention, and what we think about is our reality in a way. It’s a day-to-day exercise, like muscle strengthening.”

Find out more about the power of gratitude.

According to Newman, obsessing over happiness can actually backfire. Instead, pursue other things, like relationships or hobbies, and happiness will be the by-product.

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Source: RD Canada