When thinking about what you want in life – whether it’s money, fame, love, success, lots of travel – what it all ultimately boils down to is happiness.
We all want to be happy; the great job, perfect boyfriend, and dream vacation are just a means to get there. What any major celebrity, wealthy business tycoon, or friend in a seemingly perfect relationship will tell you, is that the “one thing” you thought you needed to make you happy really just brings a momentary high that eventually fades.
What does it take to find happiness within ourselves and in our daily lives, even when things aren’t as Instagram-perfect like we like to make people believe. Thankfully, these secrets can be divulged by science.
The Science of Happiness
Neuroscientists spend their entire careers trying to better understand the human brain, the control center of every thought, movement, and feeling. There has been increasing emphasis on studying depression and how to help people be happier.
By studying the reward centers of our brains, neuroscientists have found several small, seemingly insignificant behaviors you can do every single day that trigger your brain to be happier.
Positive Psychology: How to be Happy
- Talk about your problems and feelings. Talking about what is making you sad, worried, stressed, or scared with someone else, be them a friend, family member, or professional, helps us work through our problems and makes them seem a little smaller (like a literal weight off of your chest/shoulders). This simple act releases serotonin in your brain, a neurotransmitter that helps you to feel more positive and constructive.
- Solve problems one at a time. This goes along with the first item in this list: Your brain is constantly searching for solutions to every problem and everything that worries you.
- Say “thank you” more often. People who have more gratitude are happier. Every time you say thank you, whether it’s to the barista handing you your morning coffee, the coworker who helped you with your computer problem, or that silent word of thanks you send up to the cosmos after a successful sprint for the train, it makes you focus on the positive aspects of your life.
- Learn something new every day. Each time you learn something new, it changes your brain. Acquiring new knowledge causes a permanent adaptation to a changing environment.
- Give lots of hugs. Humans are a tactile species and physical touch is extremely important to our well-being.
- Get some sun. A little sunshine goes a long way for increasing feelings of happiness.
- Get moving. Though exercise is good for you for so many different reasons, technically speaking it is still a stressor on your body.
- Sleep well. When you don’t sleep well or enough, you become mentally and physically drained as levels of the stress hormone cortisol get higher and higher.
- Focus on positive memories and upcoming events. Thinking back to happy memories, as well as looking forward to the good things to come, can increase serotonin and causes a “salivation response”.
The Conclusion
We aren’t trying to say that getting promoted, married, or an Olympic gold medal won’t make you happy, because they will! Only that happiness is only temporary. Keep working toward your goals, and while you are on your way to becoming CEO, take the time to enjoy the little moments of happiness along the journey.
Everyone deserves to be happy, so help us spread the joy by sharing…
