3 Ways to Feel Happier in 60 Seconds or Less

 Leader's Digest Quick Tips

 

 

 

Why is it important to be happy? Well, for one thing, by definition you will feel better. However, there is more to it than that. Happiness doesn't just make you enjoy life more, it actually affects how successful and fulfilled you are in both your personal and professional life.

Given the emotional and tangible benefits of happiness, it's not surprising that everyone wants a slice of the pie.

The good news is that social-psychological researchers have shown that there is a host of simple, easy-peasy happy behaviors that can be quickly incorporated into your everyday life--right now!

1.    Smile More.

Most important of all, smile more. This shouldn’t be a brief, unfelt smile that finishes in the blink of an eye. Instead, you should try to maintain the expression for between 15 and 30 seconds. To make the grin as convincing as possible, try to imagine a situation that would elicit a genuine smile. Perhaps you have just met a good friend, heard a hilarious joke or found out that your “X” isn’t coming to visit after all. Consider creating a signal to remind you to smile regularly. Set you watch, computer or Smart Phone to beep on the hour, or use a more random cue such as your telephone ringing. Studies reveal that a sincere smile releases endorphins--the "happy chemical."  

 

A smile not only reflects how you feel--it determines how you feel.

2.    Sit Up Straighter.

Your posture is equally important. In a study conducted by Tomi-Ann Roberts and Colorado College, participants were randomly split into two groups and asked to spend 3  minutes either sitting up straight or slumping down in their chair. Everyone was given a math test and asked to assess their mood.

Those who had sat upright were much happier than those who had slouched down, and even obtained higher scores on the math test.

3.    Act Positive.

Research by Peter Borkenay from Bielefeld University and others has revealed that happy people move in a very different way to unhappy people. You can use this information to increase your sense of happiness by acting like a happy person. Try walking in a more relaxed way, swinging your arms slightly more, putting more of a spring in your step. Also, try making more expressive hand gestures during conversations, nod your head more when others are speaking, wear more colorful clothing, use a greater frequency of positively charged emotional words (especially “love”, “like”, and “fond”), show a lower frequency of self-references (“me”, “myself”, and “I”), have a larger variation in the pitch of your voice, speak slightly faster and have a significantly firmer handshake.

Incorporating these behaviors into your everyday actions will help enhance your energy and happiness!

 

Click here to read a related post: How to Transform Your Life During Uncertain Times (5 min read)

"We can create happiness or sadness, the amount of work is the same."
                                            --Carlos Castaneda

 

To your greater happiness,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

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