22 happy habits
Optimise your happiness quotient with these powerful practices.
The founder of positive psychology Dr Martin Seligman says 60 per cent of happiness is due to joyful genes and environment, the remaining 40 per cent is in our hands.
- Identify and address areas you’re unhappy with, writing down an issue and action to address each area daily. E.g. career, relationship, health, finances.
- Concentrate on what you can do, not what you can’t.
- Love list. Brainstorm things you love to do and prioritise them.
- Smile often, it releases happy hormones.
- Express negativity in a misery minute then move on to solutions for a happy hour.
- Appreciate the beauty and love around you.
- Enjoy inspiring places, people, books, music, movies.
- See good in situations, yourself and others.
- Hang out with happy people
- Do charity work or support someone.
- Vary your routine.
- Listen to your body’s calls to stretch, strengthen, move, eat, drink, sleep, play.
- Positively reframe past painful experiences by emphasising good that came from them.
- Focus on commonalities with others to unite rather than divide you.
- Feel your flow by growing gifts in sports, music, drawing, dancing, writing or whatever appeals.
- Show yourself love with words, activities, appreciation, receiving.
- Surround yourself with beauty and comfort.
- Never compare yourself to others. Celebrate your specialness.
- Don’t dwell on negative thoughts, worrying won’t help.
- Analyse less. Satisfied people are less analytical according to a study by NSW psychologist Joseph Forgas.
- Be curious and adventurous. A 2007 study by Todd Kashdan and psychologist Michael Steger found that curious people experienced higher life satisfaction and engaged in more enjoyable activities.
- Don’t hinder happiness until conditions are perfect. It’s a fallacy to believe you’ll only be happy when you can drive, have left school, are married, have kids, are slimmer etc…Happiness is here and now.
- Bounce back from the blues by focusing on your blessings, seeing the good in the bad, doing what you love and seeking supportive people.
