Happiness is an electrifying and elusive state. Philosophers, theologians and psychologists have struggled to pin it down.
One family of theories, called hybrid accounts, tries to strike a balance between different intuitions about happiness. These approaches usually identify happiness with both life satisfaction and emotional or hedonic state. But this approach has its own problems.
1. Invest in yourself
Investing in yourself can be one of the easiest and most cost-effective things you do to increase your happiness. Whether that’s learning something new, trying out a new exercise routine, sprucing up your home or taking time out to read or meditate, the benefits will extend into every facet of your life.
This doesn’t have to be professional development either, it can be a hobby like drawing, sculpting or cooking. It could also be something as simple as joining a book club or going for a weekly lunch with positive, motivated people. Whatever it is, the key is to do it regularly and set yourself clear goals. This will help you realise that you have far more potential than you think. That’s why investing in yourself is so important.
2. Take care of your body
Whether you want to be more productive at work, have more energy for your loved ones, or simply feel better about yourself, taking care of your body is the key. While there are many things that can contribute to your physical health, three simple and easy ways to take care of yourself include a good diet, exercise, and getting enough sleep. All three are important to support your mental health and overall well-being. They are also important in reducing stress and building resilience.
3. Focus on your relationships
It is clear from research and experience that a solid support system is critical to happiness. Our study found that the more supportive friends, family members, and romantic partners a person has, the happier they are.
It can be helpful to take a step back and consider the internal and external behaviors that feel effective for you, the ones that contribute to your satisfaction with your relationships. You might also want to get clear on what your values are in relationship to others, which is a way of determining what is most important for you.
Results from our study showed that the most important characteristic in elevating relationship quality to the next level was being pro-social (kind, compassionate, forgiving). The more of these qualities a person had, the higher their relationships were rated by their peers.
5. Give back
Research has shown that donating your time and money to the community can boost your happiness levels by increasing activity in the brain’s pleasure centers. It also boosts oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine—other powerful “happiness” brain chemicals. Giving back also increases feelings of empathy and compassion, which helps you feel good about yourself.
One study gave participants $100 and told half of them to spend it on themselves, while the other half to spend it on someone else. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers found that the brains of those who spent their money on others demonstrated greater activity in areas associated with happiness than those who spent the same amount on themselves. People are even more likely to express happiness when they have control over where their donations go—meaning that it’s better for companies to allow employees to choose how they want to help than simply tell them where their money will go.