What makes people happy

The Science of Happiness: What Actually Makes Us Happy

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” — Dalai Lama

We all want to be happy. Period. In fact, I would argue that nearly everything we do, whether it’s working, marrying, running, or even filing our taxes is done with an overarching purpose: To feel happier.

Now, it’s not that we particularly enjoy all of these activities for their own sake, even though we might (and for some, we certainly should), but that we want to create certain feelings: Passion, excitement, purpose, love, excitement, relief, or any other emotion that makes us, well, happy.

Sadly, most people fail in their quest for happiness for one simple reason: They seek it where there is nothing to be found. Empty success, shallow pleasures, and immediate gratification seem to dominate our culture more and more, and so it’s time to ask:

What actually makes us happy?

Luckily, researchers have found an answer to the question that has plagued philosophers for thousands of years.

But before we get into that, there is one important concept you need to understand: Baseline Happiness

We all have a happiness baseline, which is our general long-term happiness. Now, there will always be good days (such as winning the lottery) and not-so-good days (like being paralyzed), and so our daily happiness constantly fluctuates around the baseline.

The important thing here is, happiness, always returns back to baseline. In fact, research by Dr. Happiness aka Ed Diener has found that even after such drastic life changes such as winning the lottery and being paralyzed, happiness will eventually return back to baseline.

So what if we want to become happier?

I’m glad you asked! Research by Sonja Lyubomirsky has shown that we actually can raise our happiness baseline — if we know how.

H = S (Setpoint) + C (Circumstances) + V (Voluntary Activities)

Let’s take a closer look at them:

We all have a genetic predisposition for happiness that accounts for roughly 50% of your happiness. Researchers still argue over the exact numbers, but what matters is this: As is nearly everything, some people win the genetic lottery of life, and some people lose.

However, even if you are one of those unlucky people seemingly doomed for misery, don’t give up just yet! There’s still 50% of your happiness left.

These are our external circumstances, which we often tend to focus on the most: Money, status, jobs, cars, beautiful houses, and other external things that we chase in the pursuit of happiness.

Now, I hate to break it to you, but money won’t make you happy. At least according to the aforementioned Ed Diener, who was the first person to study happiness scientifically. Diener compared people on the Forbe’s list of wealthiest Americans with the general population, and found that they were only slightly happier than average, with 37% being less happy than the average American. Looks like we might have been chasing the wrong things.

Now, since we cannot control our genetics, and we can only in part control our external circumstances, there’s only one thing left to increase our happiness:

If you want to change your happiness baseline for good, there’s two ways to do that: Change your thoughts, or change your actions. Here’s a few examples:

Thoughts:

Actions:

“On exercise days, people’s mood significantly improved after exercising. Mood stayed about the same on days they didn’t, with the exception of people’s sense of calm which deteriorated.” — Jo Coulson, University of Bristol

Now, I hope this article got you thinking about what you actually want from life. We often look for happiness in the wrong places or blame bad luck in the genetic lottery for our misery, but through changing our thoughts and actions, we can all become happier.

Once you realize that, happiness becomes a choice. Are you willing to make it?

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What Makes People Happy? 20 Secrets of “Always Happy” People

Michael shares about tips on self-development and happiness on Lifehack. Read full profile

Some people just seem to float through life with a relentless sense of happiness – through the toughest of times, they’re unfazed and aloof, stopping to smell the roses and drinking out of a glass half full.

They may not have much to be happy about, but the simplicity behind that fact itself may make them happy.

It’s all a matter of perspective, conscious effort and self-awareness. Listed below are a number of reasons why some people are always happy.

1. They Manage Their Expectations

They’re not crushed when they don’t get what they want – or misled into expecting to get the most out of every situation. They approach every situation pragmatically, hoping for the best but being prepared for the worst.

2. They Don’t Set Unrealistic Standards

Similar to the last point, they don’t live their lives in a constant pursuit towards impossible visions of perfection, only to always find themselves falling short of what they want.

3. They Don’t Take Anything for Granted

Happiness rests with feeling fulfilled – those who fail to stop and appreciate what they have every now and again will never experience true fulfillment. Here’re some examples of what they’re grateful for: 32 Things You Should Be Grateful For

4. They’re Not Materialistic

There are arguing viewpoints on whether or not money can really buy happiness; if it can, then we know from experience that we can never be satisfied because there will always be something newer or better that we want. Who has ever had enough money?

5. They Don’t Dwell

They don’t sweat the small things or waste time worrying about things that don’t really matter at the end of the day. They don’t let negative thoughts latch onto them and drain them or distract them. Life’s too short to worry.

6. They Care About Themselves First

They’re independent, care for themselves and understand that they must put their needs first in order to accommodate the needs of others.

They indulge, aim to get what they want, make time for themselves and are extremely self-reliant.

7. They Enjoy the Little Things

They stop to smell the roses. They’re accustomed to find serenity when it’s available, to welcome entertainment or a stimulating discussion with a stranger when it crosses their path. They don’t overlook the small things in life that can be just as important.

8. They Can Adapt

They’re not afraid of change and they work to make the most out of new circumstances, good or bad. They thrive under pressure, are not overwhelmed easily and always embrace a change of pace.

9. They Experiment

They try new things, experience new flavors and never shy away from something they have yet to experience. They never order twice from the same menu.

10. They Take Their Time

They don’t unnecessarily rush through life. They work on their own schedule to the extent that they can and maneuver through life at their own relaxing pace.

11. They Employ Different Perspectives

They’re not stuck in one perspective; a loss can result in a new opportunity, hitting rock bottom can mean that there’s no where to go but up.

12. They Seek to Learn

Their constant pursuit of knowledge keeps them inspired and interested in life. They cherish information and are on a life-long quest to learn as much as they can.

13. They Always Have a Plan

They don’t find themselves drifting without purpose. When something doesn’t go as planned, they have a plan for every letter in the alphabet to fall back on.

14. They Give Respect to Get It

They are respectful and, in turn, are seen as respectable; the respect they exude earns them the respect they deserve.

15. They Consider Every Opportunity

They always have their eyes open for a new road, a new avenue worth exploring. They know how to recognize opportune moments and pounce on them to make the most of every situation. Success is inevitable for them.

16. They Always Seek to Improve

Perpetual self-improvement is the key towards their ongoing thirst for success. Whatever it is they do, they take pride in getting better and better, from social interactions to mundane tasks. Their pursuit at being the best eventually materializes.

17. They Don’t Take Life Too Seriously

They’re not ones to get offended easily over-analyze or complicate matters. They laugh at their own faults and misfortunes.

18. They Live in the Moment

They don’t live for tomorrow or dwell on what may have happened yesterday. Every day is a new opportunity, a new chapter. They live in the now, and in doing so, get the most out of every moment.

19. They Say Yes

Much more often than they say no. They don’t have to be badgered to go out, don’t shy away from new opportunities or anything that may seem inconvenient.

20. They’re Self-Aware

Most important, they’re wholly aware of themselves. They self-reflect and are conscious of their states of mind. If somethings bothering them, they fix it.

We’re all susceptible to feeling down every now and again, but we are all equipped with the necessary solutions that just have to be discovered.

Lack of confidence, inability to feel fulfilled, and susceptibility to stress are all matters that can be controlled through the way we handle our lives and perceive our circumstances.

Final Thoughts

The main philosophy employed by the happiest includes the idea that life’s simply too short: life’s too short to let things get you down, to take things for granted, to pursue absolute and unrealistic perfection.

For some, employing these characteristics is a second nature – they do it without knowing. For others, a conscious effort must be put forth every now and again. Self-Awareness is key.

What Makes People Happy? The Top 10 List

Most studies on what makes people happy agree that family and relationships rank right at the top. Next come meaningful work, positive thinking, and the ability to forgive. In rough order of importance, here are the top 10 things you can do to increase happiness in your life.

What MOST makes people happy:

1. Family and relationships

The happiest people spend time with those they love. Intimacy with others fulfils two basic human needs. We need social connections with others of our kind. We also need the personal growth that relationships provide which makes us feel fully alive.

Try to accept social invitations whenever possible, or initiate social gatherings with family and friends. Face-to-face meetings make us more happy than online networking, because hugging and other forms of physical touch release endorphins. So use technology to set up meetings, but get out there and hobnob the old-fashioned way.

2. Meaningful work

We are happiest when engaged in activities that make us forget ourselves and lose track of time. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls this the “flow” experience. Flow can be achieved when making music, gardening, playing with children, practising sports, writing, or even pouring over a spreadsheet. You achieve flow when you enjoy doing what you do best.

Abraham Maslow defines “self-actualisation” as the innate human motivation that each of us has to achieve our potential. This is why we experience a sense of fulfilment when using and developing our skills, talents and abilities. When we complete a challenge or task that we are pleased with, we achieve a peak experience of self-actualisation.

3. Positive thinking

Refuse to compare yourself with others. Be content you have “enough house” instead of envying your neighbour’s bigger house. If you really have to compare, compare down and not up. Olympic bronze medallists who consider themselves lucky to get a medal are happier than silver medallists who feel that they missed the gold medal.

You can also choose to believe the better option. For example, if your partner often works late, accept that he is overwhelmed with deadlines instead of telling yourself that he just doesn’t care enough to spend time with you.

What also makes people happy:

4. Gratitude

This is a subset of positive thinking, yet it is such an important aspect that it deserves a place all by itself. Grateful people are happy people. Gratitude is best expressed in writing or talking. Keeping a gratitude journal or saying prayers aloud every night is a surefire way to increase your happiness.

5. Forgiveness

Those who cannot forgive become angry and depressed over time, and suffer poorer health due to the physical reactions to these negative emotions. Give the gift of forgiveness, and you increase your happiness.

6. Giving to others

Many people testify that what lifted them from depression was helping others. So you could volunteer at a homeless shelter, hold the hand of a terminally ill patient, raise funds for charity, or tutor children from poor families. All these forms of giving take us out of ourselves and set us back on the path to normalcy and happiness.

7. Religion

Religion provides a personal creed, a direction in life, and this sense of purpose contributes to a person’s well-being and happiness. A person’s specific religions belief or denomination does not seem to matter as much as the fact that she believes in something.

8. Personal freedom

We cannot be happy unless we determine our own fate and are left to make our own choices. Each of us may need this freedom in varying degrees. If this is extremely important to you, starting your own business, freelancing, or even choosing a single life may contribute to making you happy.

9. Good health

Surprisingly, health does not contribute much to happiness. This is because health, like money, is a hygiene factor. We are unhappy with it, but once we have it, we take it for granted and do not become any happier with more of it. So keep yourself in reasonably good health so that you can enjoy life, but do not obsess over it.

10. Watching TV

Psychologists and economists confirm that this simple activity increases our enjoyment and happiness in the moment. While excessive TV may reduce your quality of life by taking away time from other important things, a little TV is harmless and may even be good for you 🙂

What makes YOU happy?

Lists like this are useful only if you take action on at least one of the 10 areas above. If you’re not sure where to start, work on your personal relationships. This is the number one thing that makes people happy.

A good way to improve your relationships is to learn the 5 languages of love. Start using these with the people you love. Doing this alone will work wonders for your happiness. And theirs too!

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23 replies on “What Makes People Happy? The Top 10 List”

Sometimes it makes me happy to wallow in a bit of unhappiness but then I write to get it out of my system. I feel happy when I create even if unhappiness causes the creativity. Right now, happiness is a calm ocean and a soft sunset.

[…] if happiness leads to wellness and longevity; what is it that makes people happy? According to Joyfuldays.com here is the Top Ten things that lead to […]

I think, you can say that smile is a reflection of happiness. The more we smile more look happy. I’ve created the way, haw we can cheer up the whole world, virtually. I believe its a good starting point to make world a happy place. Its cheerupz.com. There you can cheer up a sad face and park your website, blog or any third party url forever. And there are many sad faces to cheerup, how wonderful it would be if we can cheer up most of them… it is my dream… Check out a cheerupz fundraising campaign at http://www.indiegogo.com/cheerupz?a=493050.

May be we will make the world a happy place one day.

[…] website called Joyful Days (link) seems to agree with these for the most […]

Aw, this was a very nice post. In thought I want to write like this – taking time and actual effort to make a very good article is very rare…

very nice post, i certainly love this website, keep on it

I appreciate your honesty, and those are good questions as happiness is indeed intangible. Your comment reminded me of something I read about Buddhism, although I’m not a Buddhist myself. Given your worldview that we exist just to suffer, you may find it interesting to read up on the Four Noble Truths of Buddha:

1) Life means suffering.
2) The origin of suffering is attachment.
3) The cessation of suffering is attainable.
4) There is a path to the cessation of suffering.

i think that happiness makes people at firs religion then to spend a time with their favorite people and good health.

[…] Whether it is due to frustration about the status quo of a service or a community organization, a sense of duty, or some other reason to contribute and become a better person, many people respond to the needs of […]

12 key elements for a happier life (according to experts)

Happiness is not a far-fetched idea reserved for the rich and famous.

Every day Joe’s find happiness all the time through a dedication to themselves, their lives, and the pursuit of what this life may bring.

You might think you’ll find “money” at the top of this list, as there is a real assumption that money makes people happy.

Sure, money can certainly help you buy things and experiences to make you happy, but if you look at your life right now, where you are, what you have, you might find ways to be happier too.

It doesn’t take much for people to be happy. The first step is to let yourself pursue happiness.

Here are 12 things happy people always do but never talk about.

1) They don’t take things for granted.

One of the easiest ways to become happier in your life is to stop taking what you already have for granted.

The Harvard Health Blog says that “gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness.”

“Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”

A major difference between happy and unhappy people is the ability to appreciate what they have.

In fact, a white paper by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkely says that people who consciously count what they’re grateful may have better physical and mental health:

“Research suggests that gratitude may be associated with many benefits for individuals, including better physical and psychological health, increased happiness and life satisfaction, decreased materialism, and more.”

Sure, you might hate your job, but at least you have a job. Taking a different outlook on your situation will help you see that you already have so much to be happy about.

2) They’re agile.

Happier people aren’t rigid and don’t follow a strict routine.

Getting up at 5 am to work on your novel might sound like am an ambitious goal that will make you happy, but if you are someone who prefers to sleep until 10 am, it will not.

According to Psychology Today, a key component of happy people is “psychological flexibility”.

This is “mental shifting between pleasure and pain, the ability to modify behavior to match a situation’s demands”.

This is important because you can’t control everything in life. There are always going to be situations and challenges that pop up out of nowhere.

Psychology Today says that flexible thinking gives you the flexibility to tolerate discomfort:

“The ability to tolerate the discomfort that comes from switching mindsets depending on whom we’re with and what we’re doing allows us to get optimal results in every situation.”

It’s also beneficial to learn to tolerate negative emotions and uncomfortable situations.

According to Noam Shpancer Ph.D. in Psychology Today one of the “main causes of many psychological problems could be the habit of emotional avoidance”.

Noam Shpancer Ph.D. says that avoiding a negative emotion buys you short term gain at the price of long-term pain.

“When you avoid the short term discomfort of a negative emotion, you resemble the person who under stress decides to drink. It “works,” and the next day, when bad feelings come, he drinks again. So far so good, in the short term. In the long run, however, that person will develop a bigger problem (addiction), in addition to the unresolved issues he had avoided by drinking.”

Noam Schpancer explains that emotional acceptance is a better strategy than avoidance for four reasons:

1) By accepting your emotions, you are “accepting the truth of your situation. This means you don’t have to spend your energy pushing the emotion away.
2) Learning to accept an emotion gives you an opportunity to learn about it, become familiar with it and get better skilled at its management.
3) Experiencing negative emotions is annoying, but not dangerous – and eventually much less of a drag than continually avoiding them.
4) Accepting a negative emotion causes it to lose its destructive power. Accepting an emotion allows it to run its course while you run yours.

3) They are curious.

Happy people love learning about themselves the world around them, and the people in their life.

There is more information out there than you could ever possibly use, but the pursuit of knowledge is certainly one that will bring happiness in your life.

In a brilliant article in The Guardian, it argues the case that curiosity might have an intrinsic link to a happier existence.

Curiosity may lead to more happiness for a couple of reasons.

According to Kanga, “Curious people ask questions, they read more and, in doing so, significantly broaden their horizons.”

Also, “Curious people connect with others on a far deeper level, including strangers…They ask questions, then actively listen and absorb the information instead of just waiting for their turn to speak.”

4) They avoid getting stuck in a rut

Happy people keep life interesting by pursuing new experiences, trying new hobbies, and developing new talents.

Unsuccessful people are those who never change their approach to life. They never challenge themselves.

They never feel or do anything that could change the way they see their lives or the world around them.

On the other hand, happy people work hard to find new things to learn, experience, and do.

They enjoy simply seeking out new experiences that push them out of their comfort zone.

This makes them happy because it is easy for them to feel alive instead of just coasting through life.

The question is:

So how can you overcome this feeling of being “stuck in a rut”?

It’s all about setting small goals that eventually lead to achieving a big goal in your life.

I actually learned about this from Life Journal, created by the highly-successful life coach and teacher Jeanette Brown.

You see, willpower only takes us so far…the key to transforming your life into something you’re passionate and enthusiastic about takes perseverance, a shift in mindset, and effective goal setting.

And while this might sound like a mighty task to undertake, thanks to Jeanette’s guidance, it’s been easier to do than I could have ever imagined.

Now, you may wonder what makes Jeanette’s course different from all the other personal development programs out there.

It all comes down to one thing:

Jeanette isn’t interested in being your life coach.

Instead, she wants YOU to take the reins in creating the life you’ve always dreamt of having.

So if you’re ready to stop dreaming and start living your best life, a life created on your terms, one which fulfills and satisfies you, don’t hesitate to check out Life Journal.

5) They remember how to play.

Happy people let themselves be silly. Adults forget how to play, and only allow it in formalized ways.

In his book Play, psychiatrist Stuart Brown, MD, compares play to oxygen. He writes, “…it’s all around us, yet goes mostly unnoticed or unappreciated until it is missing.”

In the book, he says that play is essential to our social skills, adaptability, intelligence, creativity, ability to problem solve and more.

Dr. Brown says that play is how we prepare for the unexpected, find new solutions and keep our optimism.

The truth is, when we engage in play and have fun, it brings joy and is helpful for improving our relationships.

So kick off your shoes and get your feet wet in the river. Get dirty. Eat ice cream. Who cares how many calories there are in it.

6) They try new things.

Give yourself permission to go out and experience the world around you. It’s huge!

There are things you have never done right in your own backyard. Try something new and watch yourself be happier.

Psychologist Rich Walker of Winston-Salem State University looked at over 500 diaries and 30,000 event memories and concluded that people who engage in a variety of different experiences are more likely to retain positive emotions and minimize negative ones.

According to Alex Lickerman M.D. in Psychology Today:

“Thrusting yourself into new situations and leaving yourself there alone, so to speak, often forces beneficial change. A spirit of constant self-challenge keeps you humble and open to new ideas that very well may be better than the ones you currently hold dear (this happens to me all the time).”

7) They serve others.

There is a Chinese saying that goes:

“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”

For years, some of the greatest thinkers have suggested that happiness is found in helping others.

Research is also suggesting that this is the case. A summary of existing data on altruism and its relation to physical and mental health had this to say in its conclusion:

“The essential conclusion of this article is that a strong correlation exists between the well-being, happiness, health, and longevity of people who are emotionally kind and compassionate in their charitable helping activities—as long as they are not overwhelmed, and here world view may come into play.”

We often look inward for our own happiness meters, but often serving the needs of other people is enough to make us feel happy in an outward way.

If you turn your attention to helping someone else, a friend or family member perhaps, then you take the burden of happiness away from yourself and try to make someone else’s life better.

In turn, you get to feel pleasure from helping them and they get to feel happier from your help. It’s a win-win.

Yet, more and more people are focusing on how to make themselves happy without regard for how they can help bring happiness into the lives of others; missing the opportunity to indirectly make themselves happy.

[To dive deep into self-help techniques you can use to improve yourself, check out my no-nonsense guide to using eastern philosophy for a mindful and peaceful life here].

8) They experience life.

Happy people embrace all types of experiences and in doing so, experience all that life has to offer.

If you want to be happy, you need to get out there and see what the world has to offer. You aren’t going to find happiness sitting on your couch binge-watching television.

It might bring you momentary enjoyment, but it doesn’t add to your happiness factor.

And if you are on a mission to find things that make you happy, that requires getting up and getting out.

Experience, regardless of age, makes people happy.

Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University, has been researching the effect of experience on happiness for two decades. Gilovich says

“Our experiences are a bigger part of ourselves than our material goods. You can really like your material stuff. You can even think that part of your identity is connected to those things, but nonetheless they remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences.”

Young people often feel stifled in life because of a lack of funds and society’s expectations that they need to struggle before they can relax.

Society has it all wrong. Live your life right now. Stop waiting for later.

Say you are happy.

It might seem trite, but it helps a lot to just walk around believing you are already happy.

You deserve all that you want in this life, but you need to believe it. Nobody is going to make you happy.

No object, thing, experience, advice, or purchase will make you happy. You can make yourself happy if you believe it.

According to Jeffrey Berstein Ph.D. in Psychology Today, trying to find happiness outside yourself is misguided as “happiness based on achievements does not last long.”

Look for things in your life to be grateful about and you’ll find that happiness comes easier and easier with time. It is a process.

You won’t just wake up happy, although you could. We think our emotions are controlled by external sources, but it’s our thoughts that control how we feel.

If you want to be happy, really happy, stop waiting for things to make you happy and be grateful right now.

One of the easiest ways to practice gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal.

Every morning you could write down a few things that you’re grateful for in your life. Get in the routine and you’ll be more appreciative by the day.

9) Don’t live life waiting for the next event

There’s such a thing as being too forward-thinking.

If you’re the kind of person who only finds happiness in the next thing (the next trip, the next job, the next time you see your friends, the next milestone in your life), you’re never going to find peace in your life.

Even when your life is at its best, you’ll always be looking out for what comes next. This kind of mindset is damaging to the things you already have and currently built.

Instead, happy people look at what you have now. They take pleasure in knowing that whatever is currently happening in their life is good enough, and the rest that will follow would just be a bonus.

So how can you develop this mindset and be satisfied with what you have right now?

You see, we all have an incredible amount of power and potential within us, but most of us never tap into it. We become bogged down in self-doubt and limiting beliefs. We stop doing what brings us true happiness.

I learned this from the shaman Rudá Iandê. He’s helped thousands of people align work, family, spirituality, and love so they can unlock the door to their personal power.

He has a unique approach that combines traditional ancient shamanic techniques with a modern-day twist. It’s an approach that uses nothing but your own inner strength – no gimmicks or fake claims of empowerment.

Because true empowerment needs to come from within.

In his excellent free video, Rudá explains how you can create the life you’ve always dreamed of and increase attraction in your partners, and it’s easier than you might think.

10) They work on their relationships

There’s a reason why human beings are drawn to one another: we belong together.

Whether you find a close friend to confide in or you have found the love of your life, having someone to love beyond yourself is an ingredient in the happiness recipe.

Having a few close relationships has been shown to make us happier while we’re young, and has been shown to improve quality of life and help us live longer.

So, how many friends?

About 5 close relationships, according to the book Finding Flow:

“National surveys find that when someone claims to have 5 or more friends with whom they can discuss important problems, they are 60 percent more likely to say that they are ‘very happy’.”

Giving of yourself to someone else is not only rewarding for them, but also for you.

If you let yourself be loved, that simple change can make a big difference in how you show up in the world and how you see your value. That can improve your happiness ten-fold.

11) They don’t try so hard.

An interesting thing happens sometimes when we focus our energy on a particular goal: we push it away.

The same can be said of trying to be happier.

When we fall back or lose our footing, it’s a great example of how we think we aren’t capable and not worthy of being happy, so we basically make our worst-case scenario come true!

But if you stop focusing on the need to be happy all the time and allow yourself to live life as it comes, you’ll prevent the sabotaging ways that many people employ when they feel happiness getting closer.

“The chase is making people anxious. It’s making people overwhelmed. It’s making people feel pressure that they have to be happy, all the time. This is a big problem, but luckily it’s a solvable one.”

She says that happiness is not about being happy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s about having the full human experience, including positive and negative emotions.

12) They exercise.

Want to feel happier? Get out and go for a run or head to the gym for some exercise. Get your heart pumping and feel the endorphins rushing through your body. They’ll make you happy!

The Harvard Health Blog says that aerobic exercise is key for your head, just as it is for your heart:

“Regular aerobic exercise will bring remarkable changes to your body, your metabolism, your heart, and your spirits. It has a unique capacity to exhilarate and relax, to provide stimulation and calm, to counter depression and dissipate stress. It’s a common experience among endurance athletes and has been verified in clinical trials that have successfully used exercise to treat anxiety disorders and clinical depression. If athletes and patients can derive psychological benefits from exercise, so can you.”

According to Harvard Health, exercise works because it reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol.

It also stimulates the production of endorphins, which are natural painkillers and mood elevators.

Exercise doesn’t have to be a drag and can, in fact, make you feel like a million bucks when the cards are stacked against you.

So get out and do more with that body of yours besides sitting on the couch waiting for your ship to come in. You deserve to be happy. Let yourself be happy!

Becoming Happy

Becoming a happy person takes more than just saying you’re one. It’s a lifestyle. It starts with appreciating what you have right now and focusing on a purpose.

Many of us feel like our life is going nowhere.

We follow the same old routine every day and even though we try our best, it just doesn’t feel like our life moves forward.

So how can you overcome this feeling of being “stuck in a rut”?

Well, you need more than just willpower, that’s for sure.

I learned about this from Life Journal, created by the highly-successful life coach and teacher Jeanette Brown.

You see, willpower only takes us so far…the key to transforming your life into something you’re passionate and enthusiastic about takes perseverance, a shift in mindset, and effective goal setting.

And while this might sound like a mighty task to undertake, thanks to Jeanette’s guidance, it’s been easier to do than I could have ever imagined.

Now, you may wonder what makes Jeanette’s course different from all the other personal development programs out there.

It all comes down to one thing:

Jeanette isn’t interested in being your life coach.

Instead, she wants YOU to take the reins in creating the life you’ve always dreamt of having.

So if you’re ready to stop dreaming and start living your best life, a life created on your terms, one which fulfills and satisfies you, don’t hesitate to check out Life Journal.

You may also like reading:

Putting yourself first

Hey, Lachlan from Hack Spirit here.

What’s your number one goal at the moment?

Is it to buy that car you’ve been saving up for?

To finally start that side-hustle that’ll hopefully help you quit your 9-5 one day?

Or to take the leap and finally ask your partner to move in?

Whatever it is, you’re not going to get there, unless you’ve got a plan.

And even then…plans fail.

But I didn’t write this to you to be the voice of doom and gloom…

No, I’m writing this because I want to help you achieve the goals you’ve set.

I’ve recently been taking part in a workshop called Life Journal created by teacher and career coach Jeanette Brown.

Covering all the basics and more on what’s needed to reach your goals, Jeannette tackles everything from creating habits and new behavior patterns to putting your plans into action.

She doesn’t mess around – this workshop will require effort on your part but that’s the beauty of it – Jeanette has carefully designed it to put YOU in the driving seat of your life.

So…think back to that important goal I asked about at the start of this message.

How much do you want it?

Are you willing to put the effort in to get there?

If so, check out the workshop here.

If you do take part, I’d love to hear how your Life Journey goes!

All the best,
Lachlan

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What makes people happy?

Americans are proud to claim certain inalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It’s interesting to note that the Founding Fathers, in all their wisdom, didn’t claim happiness as a right, only its pursuit. Since those three concepts were linked in 1776, public health has improved and our freedom to live life as we see fit has increased. The pursuit of happiness continues, largely because the object of our pursuit is so much more elusive than life or liberty.

We all want happiness, but finding it isn’t the easiest venture. Many of us conceive of it as the end-product of material wealth, career goals and family harmony. With that in mind, we seek out the things we believe will deliver it: better cars, nicer houses and bigger paychecks. Others of us work to put together a large network of friends or find a spouse.

So what does make us happy? Is it a vibrant social life? Hearing the pitter-patter of little feet? Having a healthy lifestyle? Research has uncovered some surprising facts about what makes us happy, as well as the effect that happiness has on our lives.

Positive Attitude and Happiness

That still gives us another half to work with, which means we can control our happiness much more than we might think. Our happiness is to a large degree dependent on how we react to or perceive outside events.

Our stress levels, as measured by the presence of cortisol and other stress hormones in our bodies, are in part regulated by our perception of whether or not negative circumstances will be bearable and the amount of hope we have that the situation will improve. While an occurrence such as losing one’s job or home may seem catastrophic to one person, another person may view it more as a storm that must be weathered until it passes.

If the luck of the draw didn’t give you the resilient personality you’d like, there are ways to enhance certain traits. Studies indicate that happiness can be «practiced» or enhanced through meditation, and that empathy and conscientiousness are also increased through this practice [source: National Institutes of Health].

As far as perceptions concerning our wants and desires, there have been some interesting findings. Want more of what you already have? You’re going to be happier than the guy who wants less of what he has. If that’s a puzzler, this won’t be: People who don’t have much of what they want aren’t as happy as people who have lots of their desires met [source: Association for Psychological Science].

Researchers have found that the simple act of reading at a quickened pace increases feelings of happiness, self-confidence, energy and creativity. The result was the same even when test subjects read depressing material [source: Association for Psychological Science].