We tend to think that great achievements, mutual love, an impressive fortune or world fame are indispensable for happiness. Scientific research proves that happiness is the art of small steps, and it is born within us.
“Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you catch it, the more it slips away. But if you shift your attention to other things, it will come and sit quietly on your shoulder,” said existential psychologist Viktor Frankl.
Try to follow his advice and follow fifteen simple steps with proven effectiveness for at least a month. And you will definitely notice changes for the better.
1. Every week, Sunday night is best, write down three things you are grateful for in life.
Gratitude psychology researcher Robert Emmons believes that the more we say thank you to life, the happier we become.
2. Look at the stars on a clear day.
The feeling of delight that the starry sky evokes awakens an interest in life and even makes people more tolerant of others, a group of psychologists from the University of California found.
3. Don’t sit at home all the time.
It is enough just to leave the house and walk down the street to feel better. Chinese researchers at the Geriatrics Laboratory in Zhejiang Province have shown through blood tests that taking a short walk can significantly reduce stress hormone levels.
4. Act like you’re already happy.
People absorbed in dark experiences are able to rebuild and start thinking positively thanks to just one motivating idea, psychologists at the University of California at Riverside say.
5. Meditate.
Banal advice that works. Yoga and meditation are the enemies of anxiety and depression.
6. Read adventure novels.
Bad mood? Take Harry Potter off the shelf. The exciting adventures of literary heroes immerse us in another world, from which you can endlessly draw positive emotions.
Living in nature feel happier than the inhabitants of the stone jungle
7. Listen to sad music.
Sad melodies evoke nostalgia for happy times in us, calm us down and help us get over a breakup, says Liila Taruffi, a Berlin-based psychologist.
8. Enjoy nature.
An hour and a half in nature – and your tendency to self-criticism and anxiety will noticeably decrease. Specialists from the University of Wisconsin School of Public Health note that low-income people who live in nature feel happier than socially arranged residents of expensive high-rise buildings.
9. Set goals.
Planning helps you feel in control of your life, helps you understand yourself better, and energizes you. And when the goal is achieved, it is always a holiday.
10. Keep a diary.
The diary is an effective tool for parsing feelings and finding new solutions.
11. Spend money on others.
After a hard day, you usually want to treat yourself, but it turns out that you will feel much better if you donate something to charity or treat a workaholic colleague to coffee.
Coffee reduces depression in women
12. Stay up to date with cultural events.
People who frequent theatres, museums and clubs have lower levels of anxiety and depression than those who don’t.
13. Keep learning.
This does not mean that you have to enroll in courses or get a second degree. To learn means to master everything new, computer games, for example. Mastering any new skill leaves no time for anxious thinking and makes us more productive, erudite, and happy.
14. Go to a park or beach for a business lunch.
Get rid of office irritants for at least half an hour. Sip coffee in the park or take a walk – this will be your “reset” for the rest of the working day.
15. Drink coffee.
Caffeine increases attention and improves mood. Nutritionist Michelle Lucas of the Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues have found a link between coffee consumption and lower levels of depression in women.