Happiness makes the world go round. Finding a pocket full of sunshine through small acts each day that leave us and others feeling good is what we often seek, but what if there was a science to happiness that can help you boost those levels of serotonin?
In celebration of World Kindness Day, we bring you seven things that science says will make you and others happy.
Performing acts of Kindness
We feel happier when helping others. Not only do you put a smile on someone's face, but your serotonin levels increase when you can help others. It’s proven that five random acts of kindness a week tend to leave people feeling happy.
Socializing with our favourite people
They do not necessarily have to be your favourite but spending a couple of hours socializing with family and friends is likely to leave you feeling joyful. Furthermore, spending time with the people we love over the weekends has proven to boost our levels of happiness.
Practicing gratitude
Taking the moment to appreciate the things that have gone right during the day has proven to be a mood booster and also increases our level of happiness. Journaling what you are grateful for can result in feelings of inner calm and clarity of thinking.
Tap into what makes you laugh
There is a reason why on a bad day we tend to gravitate towards things that can help us unwind or make us laugh. Enjoying a good TV show that is funny, speaking to someone who leaves us smiling or participating in things that make us laugh are bound to boost our happiness levels and leave us feeling less stressed.
Surround yourself with positive people
You are what you surround yourself with. You are what you consume. Therefore, shifting your environment into one that is surrounded by positive people and things that centre you can help boost your happiness.
Your age
It may be a matter of your age that can help you tap into the happiest state you can find yourself in. We all know about teen angst, but psychologists have found that people who are aged 33, 55 and in their 70s tend to be happier than any other age.
It’s not always in your control
Being in control of your own happiness 24/7 is a myth. In reality, there are a range of factors that can affect our access to feeling happy. Scientists have found that we can only have control over 40% of our happiness. The rest is affected by a complex interaction of genes, life circumstances and behaviours that can affect us. Therefore, be kinder to yourself - especially on your bad days.
