They share what's going on in their lives and how they feel. Follow their example and carve out time to talk and enjoy each other's company. Offer sincere compliments.

Think of the things you admire and appreciate about the other person and then tell them. This will not only make the other person happier, it will encourage him or her to be an even better friend or partner.

As a practice of gratitude, it will also make you value the relationship more and feel happier. Seek out happy people. Research shows that happiness is contagious.

You can literally catch a good mood you can also catch a bad mood, but thankfully, sadness is less contagious than happiness. So, make an effort to seek out and spend time with happy people. Before you know it, you'll be feeling the happiness, too.

Take delight in the good fortune of others. One of the things that truly separate healthy, fulfilling relationships from the rest are how the partners respond to each other's good fortune and success.

Do you show genuine enthusiasm and interest when your friend or family member experiences something good? If you'd like closer relationships, pay attention when the other person is excited.

Ask questions, relive the experience with the other person, and express your excitement for him or her. Remember, happiness is contagious, so as you share the experience, their joy will become yours. Think about a time when you were depressed or anxious.

Chances are, you were either dwelling on something negative from the past or worrying about something in the future. In contrast, when you focus on the present moment, you are much more likely to feel centered, happy, and at peace.

You're also much more likely to notice the good things that are happening, rather than letting them pass by unappreciated or unobserved. So how do you start to live more in the moment and savor the good things life has to offer?

Mindfulness meditation is a powerful technique for learning to live in and enjoy the moment. And you don't have to be religious or even spiritual to reap its benefits.

No pan flutes, chanting, or yoga pants required. Simply speaking, meditation is exercise for your brain. When practiced regularly, meditation appears to decrease activity in the areas of the brain associated with negative thoughts, anxiety, and depression. At the same time, it increases activity in the areas associated with joy, contentment, and peace.

It also strengthens areas of the brain in charge of managing emotions and controlling attention. What's more, being mindful makes you more fully engaged in the here-and-now and more aware and appreciative of good things. Body scan — Body scanning cultivates mindfulness by focusing your attention on various parts of your body.

Like progressive muscle relaxation, you start with your feet and work your way up. Walking meditation — You don't have to be seated or still to meditate.

In walking meditation, mindfulness involves being focused on the physicality of each step — the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your breath while moving, and the feeling of the wind against your face.

Mindful eating — If you reach for food when you're under stress or gulp your meals down in a rush, try eating mindfully. Sit down at the table and focus your full attention on the meal no TV, newspapers, or eating on the run.

Eat slowly, taking the time to fully enjoy and concentrate on each bite. If you adopt a mindfulness meditation practice, you will automatically begin to notice and savor life's pleasures more. But there are other things you can do to increase your awareness and enjoyment. Adopt enjoyable daily rituals.

Build moments of enjoyment into your day with pleasurable rituals. These can be very simple things like lingering over a cup of coffee in the morning, taking a short stroll in the sunshine during your lunch hour, or playing with your dog when you get home.

It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you enjoy and appreciate it. Minimize multi-tasking. Savoring requires your full attention, which is impossible when you're trying to do multiple things. For example, if you're eating a delicious meal while distractedly surfing the Internet, you're not going to get as much pleasure out of the food as you could have.

Focus on one thing at a time in order to truly maximize your enjoyment. Stop to smell the roses. It may be an old cliché, but it's good advice. You'll appreciate good things more if you stop whatever you're doing for a moment to appreciate and luxuriate in them.

It will enhance your pleasure, even if you can only spare a few seconds. And if you can share the moment with others, that's even better. Shared pleasure is powerful. Replay happy memories. You don't have to limit your savoring to things that are happening now.

Remembering and reminiscing about happy memories and experiences from your past leads to more positive emotions in the present. There is something truly fulfilling in helping others and feeling like your actions are making a difference for the better in the world.

That's why people who assist those in need and give back to others and their communities tend to be happier. In addition, they also tend to have higher self-esteem and general psychological well-being. Happiness is just one of the many benefits of volunteering.

You'll get the most out of the experience by volunteering for an organization that you believe in and that allows you to contribute in a meaningful way. Practice kindness. Look for ways to be more kind, compassionate, and giving in your daily life.

This can be something as small as brightening a stranger's day with a smile or going out of your way to do a favor for a friend.

Play to your strengths. The happiest people know what their unique strengths are and build their lives around activities that allow them to use those strengths for the greater good.

There are many different kinds of strengths, including kindness, curiosity, honesty, creativity, love of learning, perseverance, loyalty, optimism, and humor.

Go for the flow. Research shows that flow, a state of complete immersion and engagement in an activity, is closely associated with happiness. Flow happens when you're actively engaged in something that is intrinsically rewarding and challenging yet still attainable.

Anything that completely captivates you and engages your full attention can be a flow activity. You can be happy even when you're suffering from illness or bad health, but that doesn't mean you should ignore the aspects of your health that are in your control.

Exercise and sleep are particularly important when it comes to happiness. Exercise isn't just good for the body. It also has a powerful effect on mental well-being. People who exercise regularly are happier across the board. Plus, they're also less stressed, angry, anxious, and depressed.

It doesn't really matter what kind of exercise you do, so long as you do it regularly. For best results, aim for an hour of exercise at least five days a week.

If you find something you enjoy, you'll be more likely to stick to it. So don't think you're limited to going to the gym or lacing up jogging shoes. Find something that suits your lifestyle and preferences. It could be taking a dance class, shooting hoops, walking in nature, joining a community sports league, playing tennis, running with your dog, swimming laps at the pool, hiking, biking, or doing yoga in the park.

If you're having trouble thinking of activities you enjoy, think back to when you were a kid. What sports or games did you like to play? Getting quality sleep every night directly affects your happiness, vitality, and emotional stability during the day. When you're sleep deprived, you're much more susceptible to stress.

It's harder to be productive, think creatively, and make wise decisions. How much sleep do you need? According to sleep scientists, the average person needs at least 7.

What to do when you feel like a fraud at work, school, or in relationships. Your personality impacts your health, mood, and relationships. Changing your habits to avoid anxiety, depression, isolation, and FOMO.

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Download PDF. By Melinda Smith, M. and Jeanne Segal, Ph. The idea of purpose can also conjure up grandiose notions of obtaining fame and fortune or having wild adventures. It can be quiet and simple and sustaining, too.

Ultimately, finding our purpose may be a path of exploration, experimentation, play, and following our passion. Our passion is simply what lights us up from the inside, what drives us to engage and get curious and commit our energy to something.

When we feel vibrant, energized, and connected with what matters most to us, we likely have stumbled upon our passion. Below is an adapted version of The Calling Scale by Dobrow and Tosti-Kharas. It is a handy tool to assist us in experimenting with finding our passion.

Joy looks different for everyone. It is a personal mosaic that reflects our truest sense of self. After long change seasons, find unique moments, things, and events that bring joy, and make room to feel good again. Dobrow, S.

Calling: The development of a scale measure. Personnel Psychology, 64 4 , — Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, Ed. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe Ed. Everyday Resilience. Creativity Cultivating Joy After Change and Uncertainty How to find your joy and make room to feel good again.

Posted July 19, Reviewed by Kaja Perina Share. Creativity Essential Reads. The Best Strategy for a More Creative Life. Listening to Our Better Angels via Creativity.

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