Back to Newsletter Article 10 Tips For A Happier You
Does money buy happiness? Not necessarily. Researchers found that lottery winners are not significantly happier than non-winners. They also found that patients with spinal-cord injuries do not appear to be nearly as unhappy as one might expect.

If we want to become happier, we should focus on changing our situations rather than our moods. Psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky says 40 percent of our happiness may be within our power to control. Making ourselves happier could take less than 10 minutes a day, she says.

How can you be happier, and how can you make those around you happier? Try these 10 tips:

1. Smile. People who smile really do live longer.

2. Focus on the positive rather than dwelling on the negative.

3. Encourage family members and friends to volunteer for good causes.

4. Practice a healthy lifestyle, which means eating properly and being active.

5. Laugh. Laughter releases endorphins (responsible for the so-called "runner's high"). Laughing can be infectious. Those around you will laugh, too.

6. Make a conscious effort to count your blessings. Reframe situations in a positive light.

7. Perform random acts of kindness. Don't seek to take credit. Just do something nice for someone.

8. Work in a job you like. Studies show that those who see their job as a "calling" work more hours, miss less work and are more satisfied with life.

9. If you are a business owner or supervisor, help employees find meaning in their jobs. Empower co-workers by involving them in decision-making and giving them more job autonomy.

10. Offer employees flexible work scheduling and other benefits that help them manage the demands they face both inside and outside of work.

Make happiness a way of life. Practice being happy every day.