April 2, 2018
Ask an Expert – Five Happy Hacks for a Flourishing Life
A growing body of research suggests that if we want to be happy and flourish in life
and relationships, there are simple things we can do every day – happy hacks – that
provide a boost to our brains and bodies.
In research conducted by my colleagues and I, more than 1,500 people were surveyed
across three states and found that the happiest people scored high on three character
strengths: positivity, compassion and humility. It turns out that people who are open
to learning and being influenced by others, who are optimistic about what lies ahead
and who look for ways to help others are much more likely to flourish. Here are more
research-based tips for a flourishing life:
1) Start your day in a positive way – A study reported in the Harvard Business Review showed that watching just three
minutes of negative news in the morning made viewers 27 percent more likely to report
having a bad day. Those who started the day with positive and inspiring stories, on
the other hand, reported have a good day 88 percent of the time. Other ways to start
the day off right include exercising, meditating or taking slow, deep breaths, eating
a healthy breakfast, having positive thoughts, and feeling grateful for specific things
or people in your life.
2) Broadcast Happiness – We are all constantly transmitting information to our families, co-workers and
all those around us. The information we broadcast by our face, voice and body language
sends signals that influence how others view and respond to us. Smiling, for example,
sends signals to our brain, called biofeedback, to be more positive and happy. Paying
attention to what we are broadcasting can affect our mood, attitude and overall levels
of happiness and well-being.
3) Grow in Gratitude – Feeling thankful and expressing gratitude are some of the quickest ways to feel
positive, according to an article on gratitude and well-being in the Clinical Psychology Review. There are several easy ways you can make this happen. Write in a gratitude journal
about two or three things you are grateful for each day, write a letter of appreciation
to a loved one or someone who has influenced you for the better or send a text or
email to someone to let them know you are thinking of them. Learning to savor and
appreciate our past and present helps us to flourish and feel positive – not to mention
the numerous physical and psychological health benefits!
4) Find Flow – This occurs when you are fully immersed and focused on an activity that brings
enjoyment. Another term for flow is feeling “in the zone.” Often, flow is related
to an activity that stretches our mind or body, such as putting a puzzle together
or working at a challenging piano piece – when creativity and productivity work together
in our minds. Being immersed in flow can be both difficult and worthwhile. Sometimes
the best moments in our lives are not the relaxing passive ones, but the engaging
moments when we are so immersed in what we are doing that we may even lose track of
time.
5) Connect with Kindness – results from decades of research studies suggest that one of the best ways to boost
your mood is to do something kind for someone else. People who flourish tend to have
an outward mindset that searches for ways to make others happy. This can include random
acts of kindness such as opening a door, paying for someone’s meal or simply smiling
at someone.
By: David Schramm, Utah State University Extension family life specialist
See more with David Schramm explaining these happy hacks here: http://fox13now.com/2018/03/19/happy-hacks-for-a-flourishing-life/
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