Happiness Hacks Read online

  Party Like It’s Cinco de Mayo

  Nothing says happiness like a burrito! Serve beer, beans, and burritos for a Cinco de Mayo party and get into the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, the day that marks the triumph of the Mexican militia over the French army in the 1862 Battle of Puebla. Throw some colorful woven Mexican blankets on the table and set out some green cacti, red chili peppers, and miniature sombreros. Make a centerpiece out of a grouping of candles in terra-cotta pots. Whip up some traditional Mexican foods to go along with your beans and burritos and then serve everything with margaritas and ice-cold Coronas. Invite your neighbors and friends over to eat, drink, and celebrate!

  Help Sick Kids

  If you are looking to truly make a difference in someone else’s life and get a big boatload of happy feelings in return, consider volunteering at a children’s hospital or on a hospital’s pediatric, neonatal, or nursery wing. You will be making a positive contribution to the lives of sick children and their families, and that’s a contribution that can bring meaning to your life too. You’ll enjoy knowing that you are helping others—seeing a child smile and knowing that you are responsible for making that smile happen is one of the biggest happiness boosts you can find. Hardworking volunteers are always needed and appreciated by hospital staff, the patients, and their families. When you give friendship and compassion to others in their time of need, happiness flows back to you in abundance.

  Don’t Be a Hater

  Want to feel uplifted and happier? Don’t put other people down. Throwing shade at others or participating in malicious gossip will actually rob you of your happiness, so refuse to do it. Don’t take part in the mudslinging! If a friend or coworker tries to get you to join in on the negativity, step back, count to ten, and remove yourself from the situation. (Counting is a powerful technique you can use to manage a behavior you want to avoid.) Feel happy knowing that you didn’t take part in the bashing, and your friend might see the error of doing so as well. Finding ways to compliment others inspires you to feel happy, whereas gossiping does just the opposite.

  Put on a Happy Face

  Sometimes when it comes to feeling happy, you have to fake it ‘til you make it, so force yourself to smile. Now hold that smile for a count of ten. Think to yourself, “I am happy. I am totally, blissfully happy.” You’ll notice that your mood will begin to shift. You can’t help but feel a little lighter. Use your smile to start a happiness epidemic! Smile at everyone, everywhere. People are hardwired to respond to the facial expressions they encounter. If you glower at someone, that person will return a frown, but if you smile, you’ll get a smile back. You’ll feel happier, too, because your body will respond to your smile even if you are faking the grin. So go ahead—fake it until you genuinely feel happy!

  List Your Top Ten

  Millions of people live their lives without a sense of direction. Unless you know what is really important to you and what you want out of life, how are you going to know where you are going or how to get what you want? How will you know what your life’s purpose is? Think of ten things that are really important to you. Then make each item as specific as possible. For example, what about your friends especially makes you happy? Is it eating meals together, having people in your life who understand you, or working out tough situations together? Refine the ten things on your list until you know exactly what is of primary importance to you. These are the things that will make you happiest! Knowing what they are can help you make better choices in life.

  Say No

  It’s easy to say yes—people like you when you say yes to the things they want or need. It’s tougher to say no, but sometimes saying no is just the thing you need to feel happier. Is someone trying to push you into doing something you don’t have time or the desire to do? Say no. Is someone trying to make you bend on a boundary you feel you need to stand firm on? Say no. Is someone trying to dump a project or task on you? Say no. If you have a hard time saying no, try this: stand in front of a mirror and practice saying, “No, it’s not possible,” and then turning and walking away. You never again have to give in when you know you don’t want to do something or when you know something is not a good idea. Practice until saying no is as easy as saying yes. Saying no is a powerful tool in your game-of-life chest.

  Appreciate Your Grandparents

  If you grew up with grandparents around, then you are truly lucky. Grandparents are treasure troves of memories and details of a bygone era. They can help you link your life experiences and tribulations to those of your ancestors, giving you a solid feeling about who you are in the grand scheme of life. Grandparents are also great for telling stories about what little troublemakers your parents were as kids. Many people never have that connection to an earlier generation, though, so if you have grandparents, appreciate them now! You’ll feel happier in the years to come knowing that you got to spend time with these amazing people and learn from their wisdom.

  Eat Chocolate

  When you want a moment of pure pleasure, eat some dark chocolate. Not only does it make you feel good, it has specific health benefits, namely that dark chocolate increases the brain’s serotonin and endorphin levels. In other words, it enhances your feelings of pleasure and happiness. Dark chocolate also lowers high blood pressure, improves blood flow through arteries and veins, and acts as a powerful antioxidant. See? Chocolate is the perfect food! Just nibbling a little piece of chocolate can lift your spirits.

  Daydream

  Have you ever had anyone tell you to “Quit your daydreaming!”? Well, it turns out they were wrong. Daydreaming can stimulate your mind in creative ways, reduce stress, organize your thinking, generate solutions to problems, help you gain new perspectives on troubling issues, and of course, make you feel happier. Assuming that you are not using daydreams to escape from your responsibilities, then regularly daydreaming is not only healthy, it’s helpful for solving problems and fostering creativity. Set a timer and let your thoughts take flight to a Greek island, a trekking path high in the Himalayas, a manicured estate in England, a beach in Barbados, or anywhere else you like. Indulge yourself!

  Pack Your Pet

  Whenever you can steal away for a little rest and relaxation, think about taking your pet with you. Pets bring happiness and love, so why not return the favor and give them a change of scenery and some new experiences? Traveling with a pet has never been easier—many more hotels, campgrounds, and RV parks are becoming pet-friendly. You might find one at your desired vacation destination by searching DogFriendly.com or Pet-friendly-hotels.net or asking other pet owners where they go. If you hesitate to take your dog along on a vacation because he has canine motion sickness, talk with your veterinarian to learn new ways of dealing with that issue. Nondrowsy drugs for motion sickness are available for dogs, for example, or you can take your dog on shorter outings to acclimate him or her to a longer trip.

  Tackle Your Bills

  If you are like many people, you hate paying bills, yet deep down you know you have to pay bills to maintain good credit. An excellent way to deal with this unpleasant task is to rip off the proverbial bandage and just tackle the problem. Procrastinating will only increase your stress—relief could be just twenty minutes away. So gather those bills, grab your computer, a calculator, a checkbook, a pen, or whatever you need, and set a timer. Hunker down for twenty minutes or until the job is done. Then reward yourself with a glass of wine, a piece of dark chocolate, or anything that makes you happy.

  Go on a Field Trip

  Remember the excitement of field trip day when you were a kid—getting to leave school, taking a ride to a new and exciting place, having the thrill of not having to do any work and just having a day full of fun? Do that again! Maybe you have a child in school or a niece or nephew or even a distant cousin. Take a day off work and volunteer to help at an upcoming school-sponsored field trip. Schools are often in need of adult volunteers to accompany children to field trip destinations such as a natural history museum or historic or cultura
l sites. Not only will you get to see firsthand what your child is experiencing during the field trip and how and what she is being taught, but it is also a lot of fun! As an added benefit, it will also mean a lot to your child that you have taken time off to join her and her classmates. For some kids, that’s a really big deal and a source of happiness and pride. Getting to be the cool dad/mom/uncle/aunt is also pretty great!

  Scream Into a Pillow

  Have you ever been so angry that you felt like you might explode? The next time that happens, scream into a pillow and feel instant relief. This technique releases the pent-up energy that’s holding those negative feelings inside—it works especially well when dealing with anger or grief. Scream the words of anger that you can no longer hold in or sob your sorrow into the pillow. Empty out your feelings. Pound the pillow with your fists. You may need to get a bigger pillow or even a new one if your beating destroys it, but that’s a small price to pay for getting out your rage. Then, when your peace is restored, do something that makes you happy.

  Make the Most of Your Time in Line

  Don’t you hate the monotony of having to wait in lines? Well, the next time you are forced to stand in line for something, make a friend! Strike up a conversation with someone you don’t know but who looks interesting (and safe). After all, you are both stuck wasting time in line. Why not at least have a nice conversation while you do it? Maybe you have some insight to give, or maybe you can joke about the current in-line-and-waiting situation, or maybe you can just say “Hi!” Others around may join in the conversation; you may meet a group of people who share similar interests (seeing as you’re all waiting in the line for the same thing). You never know until you open your mouth and start a conversation. When you’re traveling, this is a great way to make friends on the road who can make your traveling experience even more awesome.

  Buy a Cup o’ Joe for “The Man”

  If your boss never notices you, buy her a cup of coffee and that might change. Or just buy your boss coffee as a spontaneous act of thoughtfulness. You may not totally love her, but consider what it might be like to do her job. It is unlikely that your boss was hired because of some kind of likeability quotient—she was probably hired because she had the right credentials, experience, and know-how to do whatever the job entails. If you find your work challenging and stressful at times, imagine what your boss feels. Wouldn’t you just love to have someone buy you a cup of coffee when you felt challenged, frustrated, glum, unfocused, behind schedule, or stressed? So buy that cup of coffee for your boss and put a smile on both of your faces.

  Ride a Horse

  Imagine bundling up in a sweater and scarf on a chilly spring or fall morning and riding horseback along a beach past crashing waves. Or imagine riding through a leafy forest glade, replete with dew-laden spider webs and small critters scurrying out of your path. The world looks and feels different from the back of a horse. Horseback riding seems to heighten your senses of sight, smell, and touch. You’ll even get a bit of a workout—riding at a full gallop requires you to use those thigh muscles as well as your feet and hands to stay in the saddle! No matter your pace, the joy you feel seated atop a horse and observing the world is what makes this activity truly worth it.

  Throw Your Own Birthday Bash

  Instead of having the usual dinner with your significant other or relatives, why not plan a birthday bash that you’ll never forget? Perhaps you want to fly to London to shop at Harrods and then go to the theater district to see a play. What are you waiting for? Book the trip. You only live once. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to go mountain climbing or scuba diving or skydiving. Get on the Internet, find out what’s involved, and do it. Whatever you do, do it your way and enjoy every minute of it.

  Donate Your Couch Coins

  For a quick dose of happiness, gather up that loose change in the cushions of your couch or lying around the house and give it to a good cause. By some estimates, the average American household has as much as $90 lying under sofa cushions, in dresser drawers, and even in the laundry room (where a lot of it comes out in the wash). There are myriad ways to donate your loose change: drop the coins into charity boxes at grocery store checkout lines, give it to your church or temple, or simply donate it to your favorite charitable organization. Happiness researchers say that when you perform selfless acts of generosity for others, you increase your happiness.

  Tell Someone You’re Proud of Them

  The statement “I am proud of you!” is something people don’t hear very often, yet hearing it does so much for the recipient’s self-esteem. Be generous with your encouragement and praise! It costs you nothing and can mean happiness for those who hear it. Through your example, you can show others that happiness isn’t necessarily being successful at work, having lots of money, or having the latest car model in your garage.

  Fix a Fault

  Everyone has faults, but that doesn’t mean you are stuck with yours. Pick a fault you would like to change or eliminate. First, be completely honest with yourself and examine what faults you have. Are you a gossip? Do you have a quick temper and a short fuse? Do you procrastinate and avoid facing problems until they’ve snowballed out of control? Are you still blaming others for the things that are wrong with your life? Choose to fix what you don’t like about yourself. See goodness in yourself and others.

  Have a Sushi Party

  Sharing a meal with friends is one of the most pleasurable activities known to humankind, so why not invite some friends over and make your own food? Host a hands-on sushi-making party. Tell each person to invite someone else too. You get the supplies (sushi rice, nori or seaweed sheets, crab, cucumber, avocado, and other fillings). Explain the directions: each person puts the rice on a strip of nori, adds the desired filling, rolls the sheet, wets one end and wraps it over the other to seal it closed, and then cuts the roll into several pieces. Then everyone can share their creations, talk, laugh, and eat together. Sake, anyone?

  Feed Your Brain

  Like the old saying goes, you are what you eat. If you want to be happier, then you better start eating some good-for-you food! Junk food will weigh you down and depress your moods, whereas healthier foods will improve your body and brain health and lead to you feeling happier and more energized. Omega-3 fatty acids are especially good for your brain health and are necessary for survival, yet your body doesn’t produce them. You need to get them in the foods you eat, such as in fish like halibut, herring, salmon, sardines, snapper, swordfish, and tuna. Other good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseed and walnuts, wheat germ, pumpkin, and spinach. If you want a healthy heart and you want food for your brain, eat your omega-3s.

  Imagine Fame

  Sure, your work is pretty satisfying, but you still want recognition for those big accomplishments and milestones. Draw the fame you desire by using the law of attraction. Before you retire for the night, take five minutes to clear your mind. Focus. Use your imagination to create a scenario in which you are receiving accolades, praise, and ovations. Now add emotions to your imagined scene. Concentrate on your feelings and mood as you listen to the words others are saying about your achievements. Your subconscious doesn’t know real experiences from imagined ones—according to the law of attraction, you just have to believe the experience can be yours and then supercharge it with emotion in order for it to manifest in your life. Let those happy feelings permeate your dreams and your subsequent time at work.

  Think of Two Ways Life Could Be Better

  Your boyfriend walks out on you. Your dog dies. Your new car is totaled by a tree limb. Your boss announces layoffs and your name is on the list. Some days, it seems that nothing goes right. But change is certain, and things can and do get better. Think of two ways your life could change in positive ways! A new partner walks into your life . . . with dogs. Your new job comes with a car. Life is good and you are on top of the world. Relish the thought!

  Pack Less

  Lugging a big suitcase around wherever you go
can cause more than one kind of headache—for one thing, most airlines now charge a fee to handle checked bags. Traveling light makes more sense than ever! Purchase basic travel clothing that is lightweight, wrinkle free, and washable, in neutral colors like black and tan that can be dressed up easily for any fancy occasions during your trip. Pack less, travel light, and avoid the headaches.

  Get More Friends

  According to happiness research, friendships have a bigger effect on your happiness than your income does. Companionship stimulates your brain’s attachment and social group circuitry, both of which help you feel safe and loved. According to a survey by the National Opinion Research Center, on average, the more friends you have, the happier you are. Furthermore, friendship itself lights up your brain in all the right areas. In October 2010, researchers at Harvard University found that brain areas associated with calm, familiarity, and happiness would respond more strongly when people were thinking about a friend versus a stranger with similar interests (such as a work colleague). If you can’t see your friends, at least think about them.