Happiness Hacks

Although many company meetings may seem dull and mundane, it says a lot about you and your work ethic if you show up on time and prepared for them. This in turn will make your coworkers look at you favorably, which of course will lead to in- creased work happiness. Whether you are leading a meeting or simply attending a meeting, if you are expected to provide input, ideas, or data, take time to prepare yourself. Being prepared and on time demonstrates a high level of integrity and commitment. Be proud of yourself for making the effort.

Exercise can make you happier, but sometimes it can be a drag. One way to motivate yourself to exercise is to do it with a friend, so invite a friend to be your exercise buddy! Walk together during your lunch hour. Ride bikes or roller blade around a local park. Take an aerobics swimming class. Do yoga together. The point is to make exercise fun—make it a social event as much as it is a workout. When you’re laughing and conversing, the time goes by much more quickly. Socializing stimulates the mind just as exercise increases blood flow. Both nourish you and should be part of a healthy lifestyle. 

There’s a way you can “trick” your mind into reliving a happy event as if it is actually happening again. Simply draw a picture in your mind of a past happy event. Use sensory details to make it come alive in your mind, creating a tangible feeling of happy anticipation. Now slowly bring yourself back to the present by becoming re- centered in your body, from the soles of your feet to the crown of your head. Take a deep breath and slowly open your eyes. You will likely feel rejuvenated and happy, ready to focus on thinking happy thoughts. This process can spark existing neurons and strengthen neural connections associated with the original memory, essentially doubling your levels of pleasure and happiness. The more you remember happy times, the happier your outlook on life will become.

If you like to dabble with art (even if you aren’t very good at it), take some paint with you on your next vacation, then paint a scene somewhere during your trip. It doesn’t have to be ornate or perfect—just the quiet, still activity of painting will help you feel relaxed and centered. And there’s a bonus: when you get home from your sojourns into the world, you’ll feel happy looking at your paintings and remembering the good times you had on your trip and the places you visited.

Perhaps you are nervous about an upcoming situation, and your mind keeps going over all the things that could go wrong. Instead of letting a barrage of negative thoughts take over your life, create a list of positive affirmations to counter them. Suppose you are nervous about going to a party where you will know no one except the hostess, who will obviously be very busy. Repeating a positive phrase like “I will be relaxed, sociable, and have a really fun time” fifty times a day every day before the party (in five sets of ten) will create an expectation in your mind that your brain will be happy to fulfill.

Cleaning up poop may not immediately seem like the path to happiness, but helping a friend and their furry (or scaly or feathered) friend is. Pet sitting is also a great way to decide on whether or not you would want a pet. It’s a good idea to care for the animal in its own environment rather than in your home—a puppy that likes to chew on things, for example, may ruin your favorite book or your shoes. You can learn a lot from pet sitting. You might discover that a guinea pig is not the right pet for you because of its nocturnal nature, for instance. An iguana might not be active enough, and a parrot might be too possessive or too talkative. But if you connect with your friend’s pet, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy your pet sitting experience. Discover what many pet owners have learned: pets bring much fun and happiness! 

Looking for an excuse to break the monotony of your winter doldrums? Get into the party spirit and host an Oscars bash! Since film buffs say that Hollywood films were in their heyday in the 1930’s and 1940’s, ask everyone to dress in attire that reflects those golden decades of film making. Offer appetizers and drinks and pass around cards asking your guests to pick the nominees for Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, and Best Picture . . . and then enjoy the Oscars and cheer on your picks. 

Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and decidedly unhappy? Try cooling down with a mini-meditation: stop whatever you are doing right now, close your eyes, and focus on your breath until your mind quiets. As thoughts come up, allow them to float away by, gently redirecting your mind back to your inhalations and exhalations, blotting out whatever is going on around you. Stay in your mini-meditation for fifteen minutes (or start with five minutes and work your way up to fifteen minutes). With practice, you can easily learn to quiet any mind chatter that may be distracting you. Doing a mini-meditation is a great way to refocus yourself and find some calm.

Are you dissatisfied with politicians? Do you hope for change? Do you hold a brighter vision for America and the world? Mahatma Gandhi once advised people to be the change they want to see in the world. That means get off the couch, get away from television, and go out into the world and do something to bring about that change. Join with others who share your passion about creating a more meaningful life and a better future through political action. Living and working toward a more meaningful and purpose-driven life is an important part of achieving happiness. 

One way to spread happiness is to keep your promises. Just as you see someone who is faithful to their word as a trustworthy person, your friends, family, and business colleagues will also trust you when you keep your promises. In this age of spin, when facts get altered in ways to deliberately mislead people and to further ideological agendas, let your truth be absolute and do what you say you’ll do. It isn’t always easy to align feelings, thoughts, beliefs, and spoken words so that no one questions your truthfulness or integrity, but keeping your promises will put you on the path to being that trustworthy person others can depend on.