{"id":59855,"date":"2017-07-03T07:15:17","date_gmt":"2017-07-03T11:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=59855"},"modified":"2021-05-05T08:07:34","modified_gmt":"2021-05-05T12:07:34","slug":"find-happiness-every-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/find-happiness-every-day\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Ways to Find Instant Happiness Today"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finding happiness seems like a pretty straight-forward task. Just turn your frown upside-down or maybe book a spa day, right? Not quite, says Christine Carter<\/a>, happiness expert and author of The Sweet Spot: How to Accomplish More by Doing Less<\/a><\/em>, who says that we may be trying too <\/em>hard to be happy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s so much emphasis in our culture on happiness, but it\u2019s important to recognize that the need to be happier is in and of itself a particular form of unhappiness,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s almost like the glass is, by definition, half empty if what you need is to be happier.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Is a Lack of Self-Awareness Keeping You from Happiness?<\/a><\/p>\n

Another mistake she sees: mistaking pleasure for happiness. \u201cWe pursue pleasure and gratification as though it\u2019s the same as a positive emotion like joy, gratitude, confidence<\/a> or awe,\u201d she says. But constantly seeking pleasure can leave you dissatisfied. \u201cWhen something is gratifying, it stimulates the reward system in our brain and release a little hit of dopamine. Dopamine\u2019s primary function is to create craving or desire \u2014 it leaves us wanting more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of chasing the elusive happiness fix, we asked Carter, as well as other happiness experts, psychologists and life coaches how they fight negativity<\/a> and cultivate joy every day. Try these 11 simple, expert-endorsed tips.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>19 Positive Affirmations That\u2019ll Change the Way You Think<\/a><\/p>\n

11 Tricks\u00a0to Finding More Happiness Every Day<\/h2>\n

1. Make a Wish<\/h3>\n

According to Carter, one of the best predictor\u2019s of a person\u2019s happiness is their connection to other people<\/a>. \u201cThat\u2019s the thing that\u2019s going to move the needle the most \u2014 not the pursuit of happiness for ourselves, but for other people,\u201d she says. One way to do that? Make a wish for someone to be happy, says Chade-Meng Tan<\/a>, author of Joy on Demand<\/a><\/em>, and former Jolly Good Fellow at Google. (Yes, that was his real title!) \u201cAs you take a deep breath and a moment to wish this person happiness, you are creating a useful mental habit,\u201d he says. \u201cYou feel more joyful and sincere goodwill is picked up unconsciously by others and creates trust that leads to highly productive and positive collaborations.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Put Pen to Paper<\/h3>\n

\u201cGratitude is one of the most powerful positive emotions we have related to happiness and connectedness.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You already know that journaling<\/a> about a stressful<\/a> or emotional event can have long-term physical and psychological benefits. Well, it can do wonders for your happiness, too. Tara Newman<\/a>, a business and leadership coach, trains herself to find silver linings with her journal. \u201cDefine happiness for yourself so you aren\u2019t derailed by what makes other people happy,\u201d she says. And don\u2019t just focus on specific outcomes. Newman suggests using all your senses. Think: What does happiness look, feel, smell and taste like? \u201cPracticing happiness every day makes it easier for us to grab hold of those feelings when things get hard,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>How the Bullet Journal Trend Can Change Your Life<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Say Thanks (More Than Once)<\/h3>\n

\u201cGratitude<\/a> is one of the most powerful positive emotions we have related to happiness and connectedness,\u201d says Carter. That\u2019s why she\u2019s builds several gratitude practices into her daily schedule. \u201cIt becomes habit,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Every morning, Carter pulls out her planner and writes down her gratitude list of three things. When her family gathers for dinner, they each share one thing they\u2019re thankful for that day. \u201cIt shifts my attention away from what might not be working to what is working,\u201d she says. Better yet, Carter tells her husband what she appreciates about him every day. \u201cEven just thinking about what you\u2019re grateful for in another person can improve the relationship<\/a>,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

4. Lend a Hand<\/h3>\n

\u201cFor me, happiness isn\u2019t just feeling good. It\u2019s also about doing good,\u201d says Dr. Timothy Sharp<\/a>, Chief Happiness Officer at The Happiness Institute. \u201cI get my greatest pleasure and satisfaction when I\u2019m doing what I can to help others and\/or contributing in some way to causes that are important to me.\u201d On a daily basis, that can mean surprising his colleagues with coffee or sending a fruit box to a friend going through a tough time.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>\u00a0Hygge, Fika and How Getting Cozy Can Make You Happier<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Find Your BPO<\/h3>\n

A hectic schedule and a never-ending to-do list has a way of sucking some joy out of life. That\u2019s why Naomi Hirabayashi and Marah Lidey, co-founders of Shine<\/a>, the text-based service that promotes positive mental health<\/a>, hone in on their BPO \u2014 aka biggest possible opportunity. \u201cBy remembering the big picture opportunities, you\u2019re reminding yourself the purpose behind your work and what you do, which research says helps with feelings of gratitude and joy,\u201d they say. Try starting your day with a few moments to focus on your BPO and the little things that lead to it.<\/p>\n

6. Go with the Flow<\/h3>\n

Stress can seriously lower your cheerfulness levels. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to feel really joyful when you\u2019re tense and overwhelmed,\u201d says Carter. To dial back stress, she gets in a work groove by blocking off one and a half hours, sans interruption. \u201cIt\u2019s a sacred time for me to be able to engage deeply with my work,\u201d she says. After all, crossing a bunch items off your list of to-dos can make you feel great.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Single-Tasking: The Secret to Less Stress, More Productivity<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Reframe Your Commute<\/h3>\n

\u201cAcknowledge your wins and lessons learned. This is <\/em>the silver living.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From road rage to delayed trains, commuting can often feel anything but<\/em> happy. That\u2019s why Sumati Gupta, clinical psychologist and a professor at Barnard College, hones in on her surroundings en route to the office. \u201cWhen walking<\/a> to work, I try to focus on what\u2019s pretty around me for one block,\u201d she says. Think: trees and architecture, instead of trash and crowded streets. \u201cHonestly, it makes me very grateful that I get to live in New York City. It\u2019s a really cool place, at least when you look up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hirabayashi and Lidey opt for biking<\/a> to work, rather than hopping on the train. \u201cWhat we love about biking is you can\u2019t be plugged in, and as a result, it gives our minds time to wander, helping us feel more balanced overall,\u201d they say.<\/p>\n

8. Do Sweat the Small Stuff<\/h3>\n

Most of us are pretty good about celebrating the big wins \u2014 a promotion at work or snagging a race PR<\/a>. But acknowledging those everyday wins (say, a nice convo with a co-worker or making it to your fave workout class<\/a>) can give you an instant mood boost, too. \u201cHumans are hard on themselves and often fail to acknowledge how far they\u2019ve come,\u201d says Newman. \u201cAcknowledge your wins and lessons learned. This is <\/em>the silver living.\u201d Think back on your day and remember the good that came from it.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Injured or Defeated? 4 Mental Strategies to Get Through<\/a><\/p>\n

9. Press Pause<\/h3>\n

Always working in the fast lane? \u201cWhen things feel hard, it\u2019s usually because I\u2019m forcing them or I\u2019ve bitten off more than I can chew. So I slow down,\u201d says Newman. \u201cIt might be for 15 minutes or I might rearrange my schedule to give myself more space to just be. Doing less creates the space for me to let happiness back in.\u201d Another way to create some \u201cme\u201d time in your schedule to slow down: Say \u2018no\u2019 more often.<\/p>\n

10. Have a Cuppa<\/h3>\n

One way to find calm: Pour a cup of tea. Every morning, Gupta makes a mug full of chai from scratch. \u201cI\u2019m focused on the act of making the chai and sipping it. In those moments, there\u2019s nothing else I have to do,\u201d she says. \u201cI drink it mindfully<\/a> and am grateful that I have the time to do just that.\u201d Spend a few extra minutes making your morning tea or coffee and really focus on the task at hand. It\u2019ll be like a moving meditation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>40 Resources for Practicing Mindfulness Every Day<\/a><\/p>\n

11. Read Something Inspiring<\/h3>\n

An instant happiness booster for Carter involves reading poetry. \u201cThere are some Mary Oliver poems that, when I read them, I feel a sense of elevation,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s a way of fostering positive emotion.\u201d If poetry isn\u2019t your jam, pick up something you\u2019ve always been curious about. It can give you the same sense of inspiration and awe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Happiness doesn\u2019t always come easy. That\u2019s where these experts in optimism come to the rescue with 11 simple get-happy tips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":59866,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,12,15],"tags":[159,187,282,341,360],"class_list":["post-59855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","category-mental-health","category-stress","tag-anxiety","tag-happiness","tag-stress","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2stress-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59855"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59855\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}