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I’m not fond of posting articles with lists, like 10 easy ways to write a book, or 5 miracle drugs to reduce your weight, or 6 ways to do this, or 50 ways to accomplish that…you get the idea. But this morning, I was sent an article about happiness. The title of the article was “10 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Incredibly Happy.” Being the nerd that I am, I was intrigued, and I decided to check it out.
As it turns out, I was happily surprised with the article. The ten suggestions listed in the article aren’t just opinions; rather, they are based in real science. As a former professor, I still have an inclination for seeking evidence that supports whatever fact is being put forth, and the article didn’t disappoint. In fact, the author included specific citations from peer-reviewed journals showing compelling evidence to support the list. When so many other list articles fell short, this one spoke to me. Naturally, I’m inclined to pass on the good information.
After reading through the list of ten ways to be happy, I would summarize them as follows:
- Exercise: 7 Minutes Could Be Enough
- Sleep More: You'll Be Less Sensitive to Negative Emotions
- Spend More Time With Friends/Family: Money Can't Buy You Happiness
- Get Outside More: Happiness is Maximized at 57°
- Help Others: 100 Hours a Year is the Magic Number
- Practice Smiling: Reduce Pain, Improve Mood, Think Better
- Plan a Trip: It Helps Even if You Don't Actually Take One
- Meditate: Rewire Your Brain for Happiness
- Move Closer to Work: A Short Commute is Worth More Than a Big House
- Practice Gratitude: Increase Happiness and Satisfaction
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I rated myself against the list and determined that I need to work on #2 and #8: getting more sleep and meditating more. Even so, I was surprised to see that I’m already intentionally doing some of the ten suggestions. I consider myself a very happy individual, and I guess now I know why!
Many of the ten suggestions are related to self-awareness, or simply being aware of how something makes you feel. I’ve learned over the years that being aware of what is going through my head and how I feel in my heart are both very important to happiness. Sometimes we find ourselves feeling down or depressed, or just unhappy overall, and we have no idea why. I think that if we get in touch with ourselves more, if we mute the noise around us and really listen to ourselves, we’ll be able to identify what makes us feel a certain way. We’ll be more aware of what makes us happy or unhappy.
Knowing this, then, we can do something about it. For me, I know that my happy place is when I go running. It’s my meditation time, my time to think. Sometimes I think I’ve found peace for the Middle East or solved world hunger during my runs, but if not those lofty goals, I have at least learned to listen to myself and be aware of why I feel the way I do. I’ve even been able to define my own happiness list that works for me:
- Don’t judge
- Be authentic
- Be grateful
- Take time for yourself
- Surround yourself with people that will lift and inspire you
- Exercise you mind, your body, and your spirit.
- Be helpful
Maybe somewhere in these lists is the key to finding your happy place, or at the very least, learning to be aware of what makes you happy and what doesn’t.
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