12 Superb Ways to Be Happier

(”Enjoy”; courtesy of Sator Arepo)

1.  Forget the myth that happiness is elusive and unattainable, and that it’s something that either happens or it doesn’t.  Being happy is a choice.

2.  Expand your understanding of health to include happiness.  Here’s a quote from Deepak Chopra, one of the world’s foremost experts on the mind-body connection:

“Health is not just the absence of disease.  It’s an inner joyfulness that should be ours all the time - a state of positive well-being.”

3. The term Gross National Happiness (GNH) was first expressed by the King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, and it’s rooted in the Buddhist notion that the ultimate purpose of life is inner happiness. Wangchuck maintains that economic growth does not necessarily lead to contentment, so instead of merely focusing on Gross Domestic Product (GDP), he focuses on the four pillars of GNH: economic self-reliance, a pristine environment, the preservation and promotion of Bhutan’s culture, and good governance in the form of a democracy. Follow Bhutan’s lead: instead of simply calculating your net worth, start calculating your net happiness.

4.  Living in the moment, which we aim to achieve through the practice of mindfulness, has been shown to be linked to positive emotions and physical well-being.

5.  Research shows that meditation stimulates the left anterior temporal region of the brain, which is active during sensations of happiness and positive emotion.

6. Enrique Peñalosa, the former mayor of Bogota, Colombia (population 7 million), sought to create a city of joy–in terms of transportation and urban design–that supported social interaction and equity, and that honored the sacredness of people and the environment. During his tenure he created urban infrastructure and public space that gave priority to children and to those who don’t own an automobile.  Here is a quote from Peñalosa:

“We had to build a city not for businesses or automobiles, but for children and thus for people. Instead of building highways, we restricted car use.  We invested in high-quality sidewalks, pedestrian streets, parks, bicycle paths, libraries; we got rid of thousands of cluttering commercial signs and we planted trees.  All our everyday efforts have one objective: happiness.”

Organize your space around the concept of creating happiness.

7. Let go of idea that happiness equals consumption. Positive psychology is affirming that once we meet our basic needs, the experience of authentic happiness has much more to do with intrinsic factors such as self acceptance, meaning, empathy and love.

8. Act in ways that are socially and environmentally responsible. You may take great pleasure in drinking your morning coffee, and this pleasure can be accompanied by feelings of satisfaction and happiness. However, if you’re not drinking fair trade coffee, that happiness is not sustainable.

9. Dan Baker, a clinical psychologist whose practice draws on the science of happiness, writes that the greatest barrier to individual happiness is fear. He concludes that all of our fear can be grouped into three basic fears:

1) Survival;
2) Fear of not Having Enough, and;
3) Fear of not Being Enough.

He explains that as long as we are operating out of fear, rather than love, we will consistently pursue happiness in ways that are destructive for ourselves and others.

10. In the book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, McDonough and Braungart pose the following question; “What if humans designed products and systems that celebrate an abundance of human creativity, culture and productivity? That are so intelligent and safe, our species leaves an ecological footprint to delight in, not lament?”  Ask yourself how you can apply this concept in your life.

11. Encourage your city’s major to adopt the “Slow City Manifesto”. In his book In Praise of Slow: How a Worldwide Movement Is Challenging the Cult of Speed, Carl Honoré explores the benefits of slowing down and describes the Slow City movement in his first chapter. He explains that many Italian cities have taken the Slow City pledge and are working to improve the quality of life of their citizens:

“The Citta Slow manifesto contains fifty-five pledges, such as cutting noise and traffic, increasing green spaces and pedestrian zones; backing local farmers and the shops, markets and restaurants that sell their produce; promoting technology that protects the environment; preserving local aesthetic and culinary traditions; and fostering a spirit of hospitality and neighbourliness.”

12. Call the “Laughter Yoga Hotline” and participate in a laughter yoga session in the privacy of your home (it’s free, but you may have to pay a long distance fee depending on your phone service plan).

Editor’s Note: This post is my contribution to the “Life Balance Group Writing Project” hosted by Stacey from CreateABalance.com.

Related Posts:

• “Be Happy Now - Set Goals Without Postponing Joy”
• “Happiness Extravaganza: Tips, Tidbits, and Tools”
• “How to be Happy”
• “Six Scientific Ways to Create True Happiness”

Further Reading:

• “A Footprint of Delight”
• “What About Gross National Happiness”

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