There are many books and articles on happiness that essentially say the same things. I have compiled that information into this blog post.

According to The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky, there are 12 ways that you can do to increase happiness.

1. Gratitude- Gratitude comes in many shapes and sizes. It can be appreciation in any form; for a person, a pet, a life event, a circumstance, an experience, or a physical object. Gratitude can also be looking at the bright side of a setback or imagining/manifesting abundance. It can be directly or indirectly thanking someone in your life or thanking God or the universe. Gratitude can be past, present, or future oriented. The act of expressing gratitude gives us perspective and positions us to be in a positive head space, which leads to the next point.

2. Cultivate optimism- There are many ways to cultivate optimism. You can think about your best possible self, imagining yourself in the future, having achieved something you have or are currently working on. You can also think of realizing your life dreams and achieving you best potential. Being optimistic is just as much about cultivating positivity as it is interrupting negativity. It is important to hold yourself accountable when you notice negativity arise. Keep in mind that happiness is a state of mind, a way of perceiving and approaching ourselves and the world in which we reside. It is important to reinterpret and redirect our negative thoughts into more neutral and optimistic ones. If we want to be happy we need to manage our perspectives.

3. Avoid overthinking and social comparison- At times, we all have fallen trap to comparing ourselves to others or excessively pondering the meanings, causes, and consequences of our problems. Becoming happier means learning how to disengage from overthinking about major and minor negative experiences, learning to stop searching for the pitfalls and not let them affect how we feel about ourselves and life as a whole.

4. Practice Acts of Kindness- Acts of kindness look different to different people. For some it might be a thoughtful phone call, an act of service, or getting to spending quality time together. For others it might be a small gesture or kind words. Eastern philosophies teach that to decrease depression we must focus outward on others instead of on our own needs.

5. Nurture social relationships- As humans, one of the most important needs we have is to belong. Spending time with others will help us feel connected and will facilitate social support in times of stress, distress, or trauma.

6. Develop strategies for coping- Coping varies from person to person. It can be internal or external. Some coping skills focus on increasing awareness of self while others focus on distracting from intense unwanted feelings.

7. Learn to forgive- Letting go is important in moving forward. In therapy, we process all feelings in regards to any traumatic event before discussing letting go and establishing a new narrative.

8. Increase flow experiences- Create more time in your life when you are so completely absorbed by what you are doing that you lose track of time. Ideally these experiences also cultivate a feeling of mastery or growth.

9. Savor life’s joys- Any single happy experience may be amplified or minimized depending on how much attention you give it. Here are 4 ways to absorb the most happiness from any experience. The first is to anticipate it- plan for it, imagine it, let yourself feel all the anticipatory excitement. The next is to savor happiness as it unfolds. Feel all the happy feelings while they’re occurring. Be aware of any anxiety or self sabotaging thoughts that come up and confront those before they rob you of joy. The third stage is to express happiness (bonus points if you can tap into vulnerability). Lastly, recall/replay a happy memory, either by yourself or with a loved one. Other ways to savor life’s joys are to relish ordinary experiences, transport yourself to a joyful moment using your auditory or olfactory senses, celebrate good news, open yourself to beauty and excellence, be mindful/present, or savor with your camera.

10. Commit to your goals- It is important to have something to work towards, no matter how big or small.

11. Practice religion or spirituality - This varies drastically depending on your own personal belief system. Regardless of your beliefs, the main goal is to seek meaning, connection, or purpose.

12. Take care of your body- meditate, exercise, act like a happy person. All these are proven ways to release dopamine.

If you would like to speak further about these or other ways to increase happiness, reach out for a consultation appointment.