15 Simple Ways to be Happier in 2010.

According to Shine on YAHOO, in 2010, there are 15 ways to make an individual's mood more happier.

1. Be your own BFF (best friend forever). Enjoy your own company. Embrace everything about you! Without a doubt, it's the most important step towards being a happy person.
My thoughts: Love what you do and do it for yourself

2. Smile, giggle, snicker, or chuckle! Smiling releases serotonin in the brain, which instantaneously gives your mood a lift.
My thoughts: Smiling also makes your day "brighter."

3. Dream big in every area of life. Set your life in motion and manifest your heart's desire.
My thoughts: Everyone has dreams that they want to come true. Keep believing you can achieve it, and you will be happier.

4. Shut the doors and the windows tight! And then put on your favorite song and sing out loud. Let it rip!
My thoughts: HAVE FUN in your own room!

5. Cook a healthy, delicious meal. Serve it up pretty and savor the flavor, one bite at a time.
 My thoughts: Eating something tasty can put you in a good mood.

6. Expect a miracle. Believe that something wonderful will happen for you today. The universe is waiting to shower happy blessings on you.
My thoughts: Always think that "today will be a good day."

7. Meditate, pray and chant. Research shows that people who are spiritual tend to be happier and healthier than those who are not.
My thoughts: Believe in something or someone you admire, or learn about a new "spirituality."

8. Pull up your best pair of warm socks. Wiggle your toes and enjoy a cozy kind of bliss.
My thoughts:  Slip into something comfy.

9. Sleep baby sleep. Seven or eight hours each night should increase your energy and decrease your moodiness.
 My thoughts: If you feel like you're going to have a bad day or something negative happened, sleep on it.

10. Count your blessings daily. Gratitude, the emotion of thankfulness, is one of the key ingredients for living a happy life. Make gratitude a habit and happiness will be yours.
My thoughts: Jot down a list of the things you are grateful for and put it somewhere you can see it everyday.

11. Wake up early! Start the day off on a happy foot, with a happy thought. The morning hours are full of spiritual energy and prana (life force).
My thoughts: You can get a lot more done to satisfy your happiness.

12. Let the sun shine in. 20 minutes of sunlight per day improves mood and wards of Seasonal Affection Disorder (SAD).
My thoughts: Looking at the sun can be calming.

13. Take a hot bath. Feel the tension melt away as you sink into a pool of happiness.
My thoughts: Taking a hot bath can ease your negative feelings and make you feel more relaxed.

14. Say "Good Job!" Give yourself permission to pat yourself on the back. Recognize your accomplishments and positive qualities.
My thoughts: ALWAYS reward yourself when you accomplish something.

15. Happiness is contagious! Surround yourself with happy, positive people who share your values, your goals and dreams.
My thoughts: You want friends who are positive, not negative because they can bring your mood down.

( http://shine.yahoo.com/event/newyear/15-simple-ways-to-be-happier-in-2010-558317).

Authentic Happiness = Increases Happiness?

Can a website improve someone's happiness? If so, what are its methods? According to Martin E.P Seligman, he introduces a website called "Authentic Happiness" to help evaluate one's daily moods. For instance, there are  many varieties of different surveys that pertain to one's mood and actions; otherwise known as well-being journaling. So how can taking daily surveys improve our happiness? Since participants take the well-being journal everyday, they are apparently deciding which mood and thoughts to choose from the given survey. According to Seligman, when thinking about the choices to select from, individuals are realizing how they think or act in the present, but also reminisce about their past actions. One example includes mood after purchasing a materialistic item. Later, the participants learned what held them back from "being happy." According to the statistic, "A large scale random assignment placebo controlled study of users of this website found that three interventions reliably increased positive emotion and decreased depressive symptoms with six month follow-up." If this is true, shouldn't everyone try this website?
       Since this website was such an interest to me, I decided to sign up on the website and participate in the different surveys that the website has to offer. Truth is, I am going to have to agree with Martin E.P. Seligman. After bubbling in the choices offered, it made me realize what I have been doing in my past, especially with the way I spent my money. Now, I have more closure with the actions I am permitting to. Also, while bubbling in the different choices for my current feelings,  it made me realize how I feel about accomplishing my daily routines; there were some mood words that I never thought about until seeing and having to think about. Since Martin's conclusion was about taking the surveys to better our happiness, I see no difference in mine. But at the end of each survey, each individual is placed on a chart with a percentage to compare how much happier we are from other people. For myself, I was among the higher percentage ranges; I listed 75%-90% happier amongst others that participated in the surveys. I guess comparing yourself with other can also increase your happiness because I was surprised with my results.Enough about contemplating if this website can increase happiness. Try it out for yourself at the link below.

 http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/default.aspx

Science of Happiness

Even though, the article may be dated back to year 2005, it is still important to embrace how positive psychology impacted a world-wide magazine called, TIME. In this issue, the authors are speaking on behalf of many different psychologists. There are also various of methods into ways into how we can achieve to be happier. One quote that really sums up the whole issue, is

"Who's right? This is an experiment we can all do for ourselves. There's little risk in trying some extra gratitude and kindness, and the results — should they materialize — are their own reward."

As TIME magazine explores different methods, it runs into many conclusions such as how to be more generous, more sociable, more relaxing, and more focused. TIME magazine also looks at opposite ends with those with money and those with children. Based on experiments, money can ONLY make us happy for a shot period of time. For example, those with money were surveyed on a Happiness Scale while the same applies to those of middle- class. At the end, it revealed that those with most money still match results with those with "little" or "enough" money. Why is that? Wouldn't people with the most money who can receive everything in the world be happier than those who struggle to make ends meat? In the magazine, it was also quotes that "circumstantial factors like income, marital status, religion and education contribute only about 8% to one's overall well-being." So what covers the rest of the percentage? As stated before, being more sociable, more relaxed, more generous, and more focused can be more fulfilling towards being happier. A psychologist quotes,  "but the cerebral virtues — curiosity, love of learning — are less strongly tied to happiness than interpersonal virtues like kindness, gratitude and capacity for love." Doing five kinds of acts a week can increase our happiness because we are building relationships with others and we are making ourselves feel good.  Take a look at the article and tell me what you think about psychologists' approach on happiness. This magazine highly focuses on issues we all face and provides help that we all need.

LINK TO ARTICLE: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1015902-1,00.html

The How of Happiness.

The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky is one of my favorites by far! Although, I have not finished reading it, it's too difficult to place this book down! I recommend everyone renting this at the library or purchasing one on Amazon. Not only do I think it is a great book, but on Psychology Today, many journalists are reviewing this novel. As I am focusing on "happiness," one of the solutions addressed in this book includes, "giving to others." What does that mean? In Psychology Today, the author Sonja Lyumbomirsky wrote an article about generosity. She tells educators about a research experience she tested with two different control groups known as the "givers" and the receivers." Every member wore a wristband that detects social interactions. To conclude her study she states that "generosity" makes people more happier, more creative, and more successful with outer relationships.

(http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/how-happiness/201011/does-the-pay-it-forward-effect-really-exist).

I want to know what you guys think about the experiment. The way the author states her experiment is pretty bland, but at least she proved her point. In the book, "The How of Happiness," she also speaks about how we should give to others and somehow in return our kindness will make us happier. I believe this method because it will make us feel good about doing or giving something to someone else. One thing I tend to always do while living in San Francisco, is give food or money to the homeless and in return, I get a smile. That literally just makes my day! So whenever you are having a bad day, maybe you can make someone's day better and in the end hopefully you will be happier and your day will get better.