Editor’s note: This article was first published in December 2013. It was written on 31 December 2013, and the reference to this crisis means the economic crisis in Spain at that time.
We’re not going to talk about goals or wishes that make us happier, because, as we’ve said before, happiness shouldn’t be a goal but the fuel for achieving our goals. According to psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness, a small percentage of people’s happiness is genetic, another percentage is due to the circumstances we live in, and finally there’s a percentage that we can change.
Happiness is different for each person, but she argues that human beings have a surprising amount of power over their own happiness, and sometimes there are small things or details that can make anyone happier. Here are 14 scientifically proven ways to be happier.
1. Get your hands dirty in the soil.
Breathing in the smell of soil can lift your mood. One study found a bacterium in soil that has effects similar to antidepressant drugs. These bacteria (Mycobacterium vaccae) are harmless. They stimulate the release of serotonin in the brain, and low serotonin levels are one cause of depression.
Other studies have shown that cancer patients who followed mud therapies, coming into contact with these bacteria, reported an improvement in their quality of life. Many scientists say people should spend more time playing in the dirt.
2. Become a florist or a gardener.
Inexplicably, one of the professions that reported the most happiness was florist or gardener. More than 80% of florists said their job was fulfilling and felt it was worthwhile and useful, and that they felt recognised and appreciated. Of course, these levels of happiness are probably not down to florists’ creativity, but to those magical soil bacteria and microbes, as well as the aromatherapy that people who breathe in the different scents of plants are exposed to, awakening all kinds of pleasant sensations through contact with nature.
3. Spend money on lots of small treats, not on a couple of big ones.
Happiness is more strongly associated with the frequency of small pleasures than with the intensity of a couple of big ones. In other words, five 20-minute massages on five different days of the month are more enjoyable than one 100-minute massage once a month.
Similarly, some people spend a lot of money on a single indulgence and then allow themselves no other treats. Some studies have shown (whatever we may think) that pedicures, soft socks and coffees with friends bring more pleasure in the long run than buying sports cars.
Even so, one secret of happiness is to spend your money on experiences rather than material things.
4. Have a meal on the beach or in the mountains.
Some scientific studies have shown that workers who had breakfast or lunch on the beach were much happier and more creative than those who ate breakfast at their desk. The sun and contact with the different energies of nature itself are not only good for your health in general, but for your happiness in particular. What about those who don’t live near the mountains or the beach? Well, a 15- or 20-minute breakfast while soaking up the sun can be a good start.
5. Include fruit and vegetables in your diet.
People who eat at least seven portions of fruit and vegetables are happier, according to various studies. They will also suffer from fewer diseases in the future, so it’s happiness for the long term too.
6. Master a skill.
During this crisis, two kinds of unemployed people have emerged: 1. Those who have only looked for work. 2. Those who have learned or developed new skills.
The second, even though they are in the same unemployed situation as the first, should feel more satisfied and fulfilled. Working hard to improve a skill or ability can increase stress in the short term, but in the long run it makes people feel happier once they master that skill or feel they’ve perfected a technique. (Read: How to achieve excellence in whatever you set out to do.)
7. Kisses and hugs.
Loving and being loved is probably one of the pillars of happiness. And sometimes, to be loved, we first have to love. Hug the people you care about, and not just on special occasions. If you’re a business owner or a company manager, handing out kisses and hugs to all your employees may obviously not go down well. That’s why we published 9 simple yet extraordinary things to say to the people you work with. That way, they’ll feel looked after and happier.
8. Have more sex.
You don’t need a study (although there is one) to conclude that people who have sex regularly are happier than those who don’t. A study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology did find, however, that people who had sex with a single partner were happier than those who had casual sex with different partners over the course of the year. What’s more, sex releases toxins, burns calories and is one of the most complete and satisfying forms of exercise there is, as well as probably the most pleasurable.
9. Surround yourself with happy people.
Emotions are contagious. If you surround yourself with pessimistic people, it’s only a matter of time before you become a pessimist. If you’re an unhappy person and you join a circle of cheerful, optimistic people, you will inevitably end up being a very happy person. Surround yourself with healthy, honest, happy people. Your happiness will grow in the long run.
10. Get a pet.
There’s something about dogs and cats that makes people happier. In fact, many studies have shown that having a pet relieves anxiety, loneliness and depression. The simple contact of stroking a pet already brings happiness and affection.
11. Stop comparing yourself with others.
Unhappy people have one thing in common: they spend much of their time comparing themselves with others. Envy is what leads many people to go into debt to have what others have. Envying a social class that is better off financially than ours is what can make you unhappier.
Don’t envy someone who has achieved a lot fairly. Admire them, and spend that valuable time learning how they did it.
But remember this: “Your neighbour having a €60,000 car doesn’t always mean they have a €60,000 car. Sometimes it just means they have €60,000 more debt than you.”
12. Limit how much television you watch.
Remember when television was called the idiot box? Well, now it’s even more idiotic.
13. Cut back on online relationships and build real ones.
Although it’s early days for studies on this subject, the truth is that what we call social networks are probably killing our social lives. While technology and social tools are bringing highly valuable benefits when it comes to doing business or making new contacts in our industry, they are wiping out that other thing called personal relationships. (Read: The day Albert Einstein warned us about has arrived.)
14. Set goals and objectives.
A life without goals is not only boring; in the long run it makes us unhappy, for the obvious reason that we have no achieved goals and objectives to celebrate. We covered this point in the 7 habits found in successful people. Goals should be big and long-term, while objectives should be small and short-term.
And finally, there’s the power of positive thinking: although many people think it’s something mystical or spiritual, positive thinking actually helps in a very scientific way.
Featured image: Mutney, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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