How To Increase Serenity

Find time for friends and family. Researchers who studied very content people found that every single one was extremely outgoing and reported strong social bonds.

Take charge of your life—even if that means standing up to a controlling loved one or finding a job that gives you more freedom. Confronting a troubling issue now will ensure more serenity later.

Start a career doing what you love. A Swedish study found that people who work hard at something they find fulfilling are more satisfied with their lives.

Be a couch potato without guilt. A study of women who kept a daily mood diary found that watching TV at night was their daily relaxation peak.

Get more sleep. A major impediment to serenity is fatigue due to lack of sleep.

Go for a hike, take a walk on the beach, or garden—just get outside. Scientists believe that we’re actually hard-wired to relax when we’re in the presence of the natural world, including plants and animals.

Go with the “flow,” which is the state of intense well-being that occurs when we are so immersed in an activity that we lose all track of time—researchers say this is a key to contentment.

Keep a gratitude journal. Studies show it helps us want what we already have — the true key to happiness.