Happiness Hacks

It’s tough to leave your comfort zone, which is why so many of us reach a place of comfort in our jobs or lives and then stop: we stop learning, we stop growing, we stop changing. But stagnation results in less happiness! Of course, just changing for the sake of change won’t lead to happiness, either. Getting a new job will be exciting at first, for example, but as soon as the novelty wears off, you’ll be back in your same rut. Instead of letting that happen, try to continue making improvements in your life. Move well past your comfort zone if you have to—don’t settle for less. 

Being a pushover means that you tend to do things you don’t want to because you’d rather avoid confrontation. You don’t stand up for your opinions or ideas and you are easily taken advantage of. However, being a pushover doesn’t make you weak, it just means you lack the tools of defense. First learn how to express how you feel. If something doesn’t feel right to you or bothers you, speak up about it. Next learn how to say no if you feel you don’t have the time to do something. Then pick your battles and fight constructively— meaning you should be direct and honest but calm. Remember you shouldn’t be passive in your life: communicate your preferences and ask for what you want. You don’t have to steamroll over other people to do that, but do be assertive and set boundaries for yourself that you don’t want others to break. You’ll find that assertiveness increases self-esteem, makes you feel like your needs are being better met, and can improve your relation- ships. 

Coffee is the nectar of the gods for many of us, and for good reason—the caffeine in coffee gives us energy, fights off depression, and boosts our mood. A recent study showed that just the smell of coffee can make you feel less stressed. In addition, coffee provides you with easily absorbable antioxidants, is good for your liver, can make you feel happier, can fight your risk of getting skin cancer (if you’re a woman), can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, and can keep your brain healthier for longer than a non-coffee drinker. The caveat with caffeine, though, is that the more you consume, the less you reap its benefits. So to really get happy from your coffee, enjoy it in moderation.

Staying hydrated gives you more energy, improves your skin’s texture and color, and gives your body what it needs to function properly. Even mild dehydration can have cognitive effects on your mood, decrease your memory, and impact brain function. In fact, many people mistake symptoms of dehydration for symptoms of depression! If you are feeling lethargic, have difficulty concentrating, or have trouble remembering things, you may need to drink more water. When you get enough water, your body will feel healthier and happier. 

Are you feeling a little lost and lacking direction in your life? Try sitting down in a quiet place and thinking about what you really want to do. Write it down. Maybe there’s a place you’ve always wanted to visit or a job you’ve always wanted to try or a food you’ve always wanted to cook. Your goals can be anything. Look at your list and think about how you can accomplish those things. You know that doing those things will make you happy, so why not finally do them? 

This is an almost immediate happiness technique that comes from several two-bit New York movie gangsters (just kidding, it’s from author Eckhart Tolle) that asks you to think if you’ve got a problem. Here’s what you do, simply ask yourself, “Do I have a problem right now at this moment?” When you really think on this matter the answer is usually no. Most problems are things you imagine coming down the road or things that happened in your past. When you think about this present moment and realize you don’t have a problem right now, you’ll give yourself a little mood boost. 

Having a network of longtime connected friends is a proven stress-buster. If you haven’t seen your old friends in a while, it’s time to reconnect with them. Sure, you may have grown and changed since you last spent time together, but the new experiences you’ve all had will give you plenty to talk about. Don’t fret about how things used to be—just find new ways to connect with your longtime friends. You’ve gone through a lot together! Remember the good times and keep your ties strong. 

Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but it usually isn’t high on most people’s happiness scale. Decluttering your home, however, will help you declutter your life—when your home is clean and organized, your mind feels organized too. A clean home environment brings less stress and helps you feel calmer and in turn happier. If you are facing a big mess and feeling overwhelmed, try throwing away/ donating five items every day. 

Studies have shown that color can enhance your mood and make you feel better about yourself. The takeaway? While black may be slimming for your body, it isn’t doing much for your mind. Get out of your black clothing rut and add a little color to your wardrobe! You’ll notice an improved sense of confidence, and happiness will follow. 

The hot burn you get when you eat something spicy is not technically a taste but a sensation of pain. Capsaicin, the chemical in spicy food, binds to pain receptors in the body when you eat it, causing your body to interpret the feeling as pain and your brain to release feel good endorphins to offset your body’s reactions. That means you’ll get a rush of good feelings when you eat spicy food.