How to Become Happier
Skip the pharmaceuticals and the endless scratch and win lottery tickets. Here are some concrete happiness boosters.
Up next in Self-Help & Improvement (51 videos)
Learn 50 ways to improve yourself with the tips in these Howcast videos.
You Will Need
- Sleep
- Altruism
- Gratitude
- Social ties
- Exercise
- Fun plans
- Lowered expectations
- Spiritualism
Steps
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Step 1
Get more sleep
Get more sleep. Studies show that people who get 7 to 9 hours of shuteye every night are happier and healthier.
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Step 2
Be kind
Commit random acts of kindness. Those who do report feeling more content than those who don't.
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Helping the neighbors and being active in community activities also has been linked to a happier life.
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Step 3
Count your blessings
Count your blessings. Writing down five things you're grateful just once a week boosts your feeling of well-being.
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Make peace and reconnect with estranged family members and forgotten friends. The happiest people are the ones with the strongest social ties.
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Step 4
Exercise
Exercise on a regular basis. You'll be jollier--without the stomach rolls.
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Step 5
Plan fun events
Always have something fun planned. Research shows that anticipating something pleasurable, like a vacation, often brings more joy than the actual event.
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Step 6
Relax about money
Stop being mad that you don't have more money. A bazillionaire isn't any happier than the average joe, provided that average joe makes enough to pay his bills.
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Consider attending religious services, if you don't already. People who do consistently report being happier than those who don't.
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Step 7
Lower expectations
Lower your expectations. Focus on appreciating what you have rather than yearning for what you don't.
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Studies show that happy people are less likely to catch colds and make more money than their sad counterparts.
