Pharrell wrote a song about it. Self-help authors have written volumes of books about it. So what's the secret to being happy? Research shows that while 60 percent of happiness is determined by our genetics and environment, the remaining 40 percent is up to us.
We invited Certified Relationship Coach Val Baldwin on the show to talk about the things that remarkably happy people do.
1. They surround themselves with other happy people. Joy is contagious. Researchers who investigated the spread of happiness over 20 years found that those who are surrounded by happy people 'are more likely to become happy in the future.' So limit yourself to the amount of Debbie Downers and Negative Neds in your life. Stick with the happy people.
2. They smile when they mean it. Even if you`re not feeling so chipper, cultivating a happy thought - and then smiling about it - can up your happiness levels and make you more productive, according to a recent study.
3. They cultivate resilience. According to psychologists, resilience, not happiness is the opposite of depression. Happy people know how to bounce back from failure. Resilience is like padding for the inevitable hardship human beings are bound for face.
4. They are mindful of the good. It`s important to celebrate great, hard-earned accomplishments, but happy people give attention to the smaller victories too. When we take time to notice the things that go right - it means we`re getting a lot of little rewards throughout the day.
5. They devote some of their time to giving. Even though there are only 24 hours in a day, positive people still fill some of that time doing good for others, which, in return, does some good for the do-gooders themselves. A long-term research project found a large amount of benefits of altruism. Volunteers work was good for both mental and physical health. People of all ages who volunteered were happier and experienced better physical health and less depression.
6. They make it a point to listen. When you listen, you open up your ability to take in more knowledge versus blocking the world with your words or your distracting thoughts. You are also demonstrating confidence and respect for others. Knowledge and confidence are proof that you are secure and positive with yourself, thus radiating positive energy.
You can find more from Val at: valbaldwin.com.
