What will make you happy

When was the last time you jumped in a puddle? Played in the rain? Colored a picture? Did a happy dance? Blew bubbles? Children are propelled to act out of emotion.

However, the older we get, the more we seem to control our emotions. We control them so much that we can get overly serious, causing us to lose our sense of playfulness and ability to find wonder in the world. We use cookies to make interactions with our website easy and meaningful.

Actually, many changes are easy. Here are 11 science-based ways to be happier from Belle Beth Cooper , co-founder of Hello Code, which makes Exist , a cool app that connects all of your services to turn that data into insights about your life.

Smiling can make us feel better, but it's more effective when we back it up with positive thoughts, according to this study :. But workers who smile as a result of cultivating positive thoughts--such as a tropical vacation or a child's recital--improve their mood and withdraw less. Of course, it's important to practice "real smiles" where you use your eye sockets. You've seen fake smiles that don't reach the person's eyes. Try it. Smile with just your mouth. Then smile naturally; your eyes narrow.

There's a huge difference between a fake smile and a genuine smile. According to PsyBlog , smiling can improve our attention and help us perform better on cognitive tasks:.

When this idea was tested by Johnson et al , the results showed that participants who smiled performed better on attentional tasks which required seeing the whole forest rather than just the trees.

Psychologists call this the facial feedback hypothesis. Even forcing a smile when we don't feel like it is enough to lift our mood slightly this is one example of embodied cognition. Think exercise is something you don't have time for? Think again. Check out this seven-minute workout from The New York Times. That's a workout any of us can fit into our schedules.

Exercise has such a profound effect on our happiness and well-being that it is an effective strategy for overcoming depression. In a study cited in Shawn Achor's book The Happiness Advantage , three groups of patients treated their depression with medication, exercise, or a combination of the two. The results of this study are surprising: Although all three groups experienced similar improvements in their happiness levels early on, the follow-up assessments proved to be radically different:.

Of those who had taken the medication alone, 38 percent had slipped back into depression. Those in the combination group were doing only slightly better, with a 31 percent relapse rate. The biggest shock, though, came from the exercise group: Their relapse rate was only 9 percent. You don't have to be depressed to benefit from exercise, though. Exercise can help you relax, increase your brainpower, and even improve your body image, even if you don't lose any weight. We've explored exercise in depth before , and looked at what it does to our brains, such as releasing proteins and endorphins that make us feel happier.

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:. Over both conditions, body weight and shape did not change. I am big on increasing your happiness and focusing on happiness.

I love your tips! Every one of these is so true!!! For me, I would add getting into the word and spending time with God. These are great! Saturday, November 13, Heather Reese. Heather Reese December 25, All posts by Heather Reese. This is a great list to bookmark and visit periodically. I love this list. These are things that definitely bring a smile to my face! Happy Happy Happy! I treat myself to an Icee from the local Always makes me feel better. Watching my children makes me happy too!

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List of Partners vendors. It's easy to assume that things like money and a luxurious lifestyle lead to happiness , but research shows that it's the more simple experiences—like practicing gratitude or spending time with friends—that promote a sunny outlook. Whether you need to shift from negative thoughts or want to continue a streak of positivity, here are five ways to boost happiness every day.

Expressing gratitude has been shown to do more than improve your mood. People who write down a few positive things about their day are healthier, more energetic, less stressed and anxious, and get better sleep. The key is to make this a regular habit and to do it with intention. Think about creating a small gratitude ritual.