What Happy People Know

Happiness is Powerful

The good news is happiness is powerful and, in general, is good for our health. In the last decade, a group of mental health professionals turned their attention from what makes people sick to what makes people happy. Dr. Martin Seligman is the father of this movement called positive psychology.

5 Happiness Boosters You Can do Anytime

The positive psychology movement describes three different kinds of happy lives:

Pleasant Life: Living life with as many pleasures as possible. Positive psychology tells us that a life of pleasure doesn’t seem to contribute to lasting fulfilment.

Meaningful Life: Knowing your highest strengths and using them to belong to and in service of something larger than yourself.

Life of Engagement: Focus on life, work, parenting, love, and leisure.

Happiness is a skill you can build with consistent practice.

Positive psychology experts theorize that 50% of our happiness is determined by our genetics, 10 % by our environment, and 40% by our own choices. You absolutely have the ability to control how fulfilling your life is because you control your thoughts, feelings, actions, values, beliefs, knowledge, and skills.

Consider these tips for creating happiness in your life:

LiVe Secure:

• Spend money on experiences, not stuff
• Save money for peace of mind
• Give money for joy

LiVe Engaged

• Unplug from technology
• Listen to a good music playlist that improves your mood
• Spend time doing something you enjoy so much, you lose track of time
• Know and use your strengths
• Give yourself credit for little successes

LiVe Healthy

• Make exercise a priority
• Savor delicious food with good company
• Sleep at least seven hours every night
• Go outside and spend time in nature
• Laugh out loud

LiVe Happy

• Cultivate resilience – the ability bounce back after difficult situations
• Make a decision to try to be happy
• Be grateful for simple pleasures
• Notice the things that go right
• Look on the bright side
• Keep a gratitude journal

LiVe Connected

• Spend more time with happy people
• Devote some time to giving
• Nix small talk for deep conversation
• Listen with empathy
• Smile when you feel it
• Spend time with face-to-face conversations

RELATED: Scanning for the Positives and Taking in the Good

Remember happiness is a journey, not a destination. You can start anytime down the road, so why not today?