7 THINGS THAT HAPPY PEOPLE DO FREQUENTLY

Happiness can be a choice — especially when you take the right actions.

Happiness: Everyone wants it, but few seem to have enough of it, especially those in their early forties. Unfortunately, around 50% of your happiness, your “happy set-point,” is influenced by personality traits that are mostly inherited. Half of how happy you are is mostly out of your hands.

However, this means that you have complete control over 50% of your degree of happiness: relationships, health, career, and so on. So, even if you’re genetically predisposed to be a bit pessimistic, there are things you can do to make yourself a lot happy.

Here are seven things remarkably happy people do every day. Which of these can you incorporate into your own life?

1. Make good friends.

Because there is a payoff, it is easier to focus on creating a professional network of partners, clients, workers, connections, and so on.

However, there are distinct advantages to making genuine (rather than professional or social media) connections. In terms of how happy you feel, increasing your number of friends correlates to increased subjective wellbeing; doubling your number of friends is equivalent to doubling your income by 50%. As if that weren’t enough, those who don’t have strong social interactions are half as likely as those who do to survive at any particular time. (That’s a frightening concept for loners like me.)

Make acquaintances outside of the workplace. Make new coworker pals. Make new friends wherever you go.

Make real friends. You’ll live a longer, happier life.

2. Actively express thankfulness.

While it is not necessary to give thanks every second of every day, it is beneficial to remember where we came from to appreciate how fortunate we are. According to a study, couples expressing gratitude in their contacts with each other had higher levels of relationship connectedness and happiness the following day — both for the individual expressing gratitude and for the person receiving it. Of course, this is also true at work. You will both feel better about yourself if you express gratitude for the employee’s hard work.

Another simple technique is to jot down a few things you are grateful for each night. One study found that those who wrote down five things they were glad for once a week were 25% happier after ten weeks, increasing their happiness set-point.

Happy people concentrate on what they have rather than what they need. It’s motivating to want more in your work, relationships, money account, and so on, but reflecting on what you already have and expressing thankfulness for it will make you much happier. It will also remind you that you have done a lot even if you still have big aspirations and should be proud of yourself.

3. Actively pursue your goals.

Another simple technique is to jot down a few things you are grateful for each night. One study found that those who wrote down five things they were glad for once a week were 25% happier after ten weeks, increasing their happiness set-point.

Happy people concentrate on what they have rather than what they need. It’s motivating to want more in your work, relationships, money account, and so on, but reflecting on what you already have and expressing thankfulness for it will make you much happier. It will also remind you that you have done a lot even if you still have big aspirations and should be proud of yourself.

But don’t compare where you are today to where you hope to be someday. Compare your current location to where you were a few days ago. Then you’ll get dozens of bite-size morsels of fulfillment, as well as an endless supply of things to be thanked for.

4. Focus on what you excel at as often as possible.

Did you ever agree to something and then feel bitter or burned out due to it? Many demands are made on our time in today’s fast-paced society, and most of us struggle to say no. We limit our happiness when we strive to be all things to all people, and taking on too much is one of the ways we do it.

In contrast, joyful individuals recognize that each moment presents an opportunity to focus their time, attention, and love on what is most important to them. They value their gifts and their priorities. No is always the right answer for them; they not only say it gracefully, but they also feel comfortable saying it.

Of course, it’s unrealistic to believe you can throw it all away and do what you love. You can, however, find ways to accomplish more of what you specialize in. Delegate. Outsource. Begin to change the products and services you offer into areas where you can apply more of your capabilities. Find strategies to train more individuals if you’re a superb trainer. Find strategies to streamline your administrative work and get ahead of more consumers if you’re a great seller.

Every person excels in at least one or two things. Make an effort to do such activities more frequently. You’ll be much happier. And most likely a lot more successful.

5. Give.

While giving is typically thought to be selfless, it can also be more helpful to the donor than the receiver. It is possible that giving social assistance is more useful than getting it.

I believe we all recognize it intuitively because it feels great to help someone in need. Not only is assisting others in need rewarding, but it also serves as a reminder of how lucky we are — which serves as a good reminder of how thankful we should be for what we already have.

Furthermore, receiving is something you have no control over. You can’t make folks help you if you need it or desire it. However, you can always choose whether or not to offer and provide assistance. Because giving makes you happier, you can always control, at least to a certain degree, how happy you are–because giving makes you happier.

6. Don’t single-mindedly chase “stuff”

Money is essential. You can use the money for many things. (Creating options is one of the most crucial.) Money, however, does not make people happy after a certain time. While money is necessary for a comfortable lifestyle, it is not what you will carry with you at the end of the day. Invest in telling stories with someone else–and having more people to tell them to. It will be more valuable in the end.

New always becomes the new normal.

The things we possess provide only momentary bursts of happiness. If you want to be happier, stop chasing after things. Instead, chase experiences.

7. Live the life you want to live.

What other people think, especially individuals you don’t even know, doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what other people want you to do.

Your aspirations, dreams, and goals — live your life your way. Surround yourself with people who care about the real you, not the “you” they want you to be.

Make the best decisions for yourself. Say what you want to say to the individuals who need to hear it. Feelings should be expressed. Stop and smell the roses. Become friends and stay in touch.

Above all, recognize that happiness is a decision. Fifty percent of your happiness is within your control, so start doing more activities that will make you happier.