INNER BEAUTY
1. Buy some bliss
"Purchasing things like televisions, clothes and coffee machines won't make you happier overall -- but buying experiencesmaximizes happiness," says Michael Norton, associate professor
of business administration at Harvard Business School and co-author of the book, "Happy Money: The Science of Smarter
Spending."
2. Getting older
Happiness dips when women are about 40 and comes roaring back as they approach 50, finds a study of 500,000 women and men in 72 countries. (This is something I actually have doubts about thinking 40 is finally getting it, but hey, if this is going to take you even further getting 50 the prospects are great...)
3. Forget self-improvement
Basking in what's already great about yourself is a more effective route to joy than trying to fix what's not, says Willibald Ruch, a professor of psychology at the University of Zurich who studies
character strengths and happiness.
4. Make tough stuff work
"It's often negative experiences that help us grow and learn, which is vital for being happy," says Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of psychology at the University of California in Riverside and author
of the book, "The Myths of Happiness."
5. Spend 21 minutes focusing on your relationship
"Couples who evaluated their relationship had less argument- induced stress -- and significantly higher levels of happiness and passion than those who didn't quiz themselves..."
6. Try a tearjerker
"The sadness that you feel as a result of watching unfulfilled love, for instance, can spur you to think about your relationships -- and appreciate what you have."
7. Love your commute
"People who walk or bike to the office may be happier than those who drive or take the bus, finds a 2012 study of 800 people in Portland, Oregon."
8. Take credit for giving
"While giving to charity brings more happiness than spending money on yourself, our research finds that doing things for people you know makes you happiest,"
9. Fake it until you feel it
"When you're bummed out, the mere act of smiling can cheer you up. The reasons for this effect have yet to be pinpointed, but one study at the University of Kansas in Lawrence reveals that flashing a grin slows down your heart rate during stress and chills you out."
This is an excerpt from Living Free from Laptop Millionaire and you can read the whole article from CNN here
