For thousands of years people have relied on ancient
wisdom for ideas about how to live a happy life. Now this has been
put to the test by modern science and research has identified the
practical actions you can take today to feel happier.
> Free 10-day
program to learn How To Be Happy
Although our genes and circumstances play a role, happiness also
depends on our choices and activities. We can change how happy we
are by the way we approach our lives, even in challenging times.
Read on to learn about the Ten Keys to Happier
Living and how to you can put these into practice
today. Your actions matter and you can make a
difference.
Giving: Do things for
others
Caring about others is fundamental to our happiness. Helping
other people is not only good for them, it helps us too. It makes
us happier and can help to improve our health. Giving also creates
stronger connections between people and helps to build a happier
society for everyone. And it's not all about money - we can also
give our time, ideas and energy. When we do good, we feel good.
> What have you done recently to make someone happy
or to help others?
Relating: Connect with
people
Our relationships with other people are the most important thing
for our happiness. People with strong relationships are happier,
healthier and live longer. Our close relationships with family and
friends provide love, meaning, support and increase our feelings of
self worth. Our broader social networks bring a sense of belonging.
So it's vital that we take action to strengthen our relationships
and make new connections.
> What helps you stay close to the people that really
matter?
Exercising:
Take care of your body
Our body and mind are connected. Being active makes us happier
as well as being good for our physical health. It instantly
improves our mood and can even lift us out of a depression. We
don't all have to run marathons - there are simple things we can do
to be more active each day. We can also boost our well-being by
spending time outdoors, eating healthily, unplugging from
technology and getting enough sleep!
> Which ways of being active and healthy do you
really enjoy?
Awareness: Life life
mindfully
Have you ever felt there must be more to life? Well good news,
there is! And it's right here in front of us. We just need to stop
and take notice. Learning to be more mindful and aware does wonders
for our well-being, whether it's on our walk to work, the way we
eat or in our relationships. It helps us get in tune with our
feelings and stops us dwelling on the past or worrying about the
future - so we get more out of the day-to-day.
> What do you notice about where you are and how
you feel right now?
Trying Out:
Keep learning new things
Learning affects our well-being in lots of positive ways. It
exposes us to new ideas and helps us stay curious and engaged. It
also gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps boost our
self-confidence and resilience. There are many ways to learn new
things throughout our lives, not just through formal
qualifications. We can share a skill with friends, join a club,
learn to sing, play a new sport and so much more.
> What have you learnt or tried out for the
first time recently?
Direction: Have goals to
look forward to
Feeling good about the future is really important for our
happiness. We all need goals to motivate us and these have to be
challenging enough to excite us, but also achievable. If we try to
attempt the impossible this creates unnecessary stress. Choosing
meaningful but realistic goals gives our lives direction and brings
a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we achieve
them.
> What goal are you excited about and what's
your next step towards it?
Resilience: Find ways to bounce back
All of us have times of stress, loss, failure or trauma in our
lives. How we respond to these events has a big impact on our
well-being. We often cannot choose what happens to us, but we can
choose how we react to what happens. In practice it's not always
easy, but one of the most exciting findings from recent research is
that resilience, like many other life skills, can be learned.
> What has helped you bounce back from difficult
times before?
Emotions: Look for
what's good
Positive emotions - like gratitude, contentment, inspiration,
and pride - don't just feel good when we experience them. They also
help us perform better, broaden our perception, increase our
resilience and improve our physical health. So although we need to
be realistic about life's ups and downs, it helps to focus on the
good aspects of any situation - the glass half full rather than
half empty.
> What good things have happened in your life
recently?
Acceptance:
Be comfortable with who you are
No-one's perfect. But so often we compare a negative view of
ourselves with an unrealistic view of other people. Dwelling on our
flaws - what we're not rather than what we've got - makes it much
harder to be happy. Learning to accept ourselves, warts and all,
and being kinder to ourselves when things go wrong, increases our
enjoyment of life, our resilience and our well-being. It also helps
us accept others as they are.
> How can you be kinder to yourself (like you would
be to a friend)?
Meaning: Be part of
something bigger
People who have meaning and purpose in their lives are happier,
feel more in control and get more out of what they do. They also
experience less stress, anxiety and depression. But where do we
find meaning and purpose? It might come from doing a job that makes
a difference, our religious or spiritual beliefs, or our family.
The answers vary for each of us but they all involve being
connected to something bigger than ourselves.
> Which aspects of your life give you a sense of
purpose?
