Monday, January 14, 2008

Be Happier - 10 Easy Ways

Want to feel happier -- Sure you do..so here are some easy ways

1. Share positive feelings
Let your children know how great it feels to spend time with them. Tell your spouse about the compliment your boss paid you. E-mail your best friend to tell her how fondly you remember the camping trip you took last year, and include a silly picture. Sharing happy memories and experiences with others—or even simply anticipating doing so—is one of the most powerful and effective ways to prolong and magnify joy.

2. Build memories
Take mental photographs of memorable moments that you can draw on later. Recall vivid, specific events, and pinpoint what brought you joy.

3. Congratulate yourself
Take pride in a hard won accomplishment. If you spent a year sweating at the gym to reach a fitness goal, bask in your success—and share it with others.

4. Fine tune your senses
Close your eyes while you roll a square of dark chocolate over your tongue or fill your lungs with salty sea air or eavesdrop on your grandchildren's play and laughter.

5. Compare downward
Comparing upward makes us feel deprived, but comparing downward can heighten enjoyment. Think about how things could be worse—or how things used to be worse.

6. Get absorbed
Some joyful moments seem to call for conscious reflection and dissection.

7. Fake it till you make it
Putting on a happy face—even if you don't feel like it—actually induces greater happiness, says Bryant. So be exuberant.

8. Seize the moment
Some positive events come and go quickly—a surprise toast to your accomplishments at work, your daughter's sweet 16 party.

9. Avoid killjoy thinking
The world has enough pessimists. Short circuit negative thoughts that can only dampen enjoyment, such as self recriminations or worries about others' perceptions.

10. Say thank you
Cultivate an "attitude of gratitude."

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