This one can be anecdotal. We all know how we feel when we bring bagels into the office, when we help out at a camp, when we volunteer at the phone bank... It feels so nice to help others. There's a study on this one too. People report feeling a "warm glow" when they give money to others.
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Hang Out With Friends
Socialization is good for you. Psychologists have discovered that people who spend a lot of time with friends and family report feeling depressed much less than people who don't. One caveat: it has to be face-to-face time, phone and email don't count. The more people spent actual time with friends and family, the lower depression rates were. Even connecting with strangers — a chat with your takeout delivery guy, a smile to the doorman, a hello to the lady down the street — shows improvements in mood.
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Make it an Everyday Thing
Remember, these things take practice, and you're not going to be happier overnight. But try putting a few of these principles into place for a week, then a month. It could change your mindset. It could change your damn life.
(We're not even going to mention exercise because we all know that it boosts your mood, so go work out, kay?)
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Happiness 101
By the way, you no longer have to be an Ivy League student to attend the class we mentioned in the first slide. Coursera has teamed up with Yale to make the course available online to anyone, for free (graded assignments and all). You'll learn about the misconceptions people have about happiness and activities that are proven to increase happiness in your life. Sound like something you'd be interested in? Learn more here.
