How to be 22.5% happier
Tired of feeling down? Find out why a small percentage of society are 22.5% happier than the rest of us – and 10 positive steps you can take to join them.
Over the past 12 years psychologist Andy Cope has been studying happiness and happy people. These people are what he calls the ‘two-per-centers’ – the top 2% of the working population who stand out as creating a positive uplift in those around them.
These people are apparently 22.5% happier than the rest of the population, and Cope’s research has revealed some specific daily habits and attitudes that contribute to their happy state.
Happiness is a choice
One thing that is increasingly becoming clear is that happiness and positivity is a choice we can all make (as this article explains). However, too many of us have a passive attitude to happiness, expecting it to ‘just happen’.
Or we assume that happiness is tied to money and an easy life full of possessions – things we frustratingly don’t seem to be able to acquire or afford.
There’s often an assumption that if you win the lottery and can afford to do anything you want, you’ll automatically be happy. But it’s not that simple. Research shows that coming into money or achieving celebrity status isn’t the instant pass to a lifetime of happiness we assume.
Our understanding of happiness, even personal happiness, is often patchy at best, making it all too easy to live life only realising our happy moments in retrospect. It’s easy to sit back and expect happiness to occur in your life. But, rather than just relying on a random emotion, it appears that we should be actively creating our own happiness formula.
How to create your own happiness formula
One important way of helping yourself and your family to feel happy is to create a happy environment at home and, where possible, at work.
Our brains respond in a negative way to the wrong colours, smells and sights, so prime your mind for happiness by taking control of your surroundings. Natural products, like wood, stone and fabric are said to raise our feelings of wellbeing, as are uplifting or soothing colours like yellow, blue or some shades of green. Flowers and plants can lift your mood too, as can the sight or sound of running water.
Is there a song or piece of music that uplifts your spirits? Make sure it’s on your iPod or computer, or you have a CD handy, so you can play happy music when you need a boost.
Read the five steps to happiness
10 ways you can be 22.5% happier
So what positive steps can you start taking today to boost your happiness levels? Here are ten things you can do to increase your happiness by that magic 22.5%:
- Think small – to be happy, you need to start off by thinking small and seeking out those moments in the day when you feel better or contented. It could be the first great coffee of the day, a hug from the kids or the cat purring on your lap.
- Cherish what you love – next, seek out those things and allow yourself to build unashamed anticipation for them. Remind yourself verbally what you like – e.g. “I love sitting reading the Sunday papers” – and cherish those moments.
- Avoid negativity – avoid focusing on negatives and stop moaning, being cynical and dwelling on bad news. There will always be things you don’t like doing, but why allow them to dominate your thoughts, mood or conversation? It will only diminish your happiness.
- Release your inner child – kids seek out happiness – it’s their natural stage – they have goals and dwell on enjoyments.
- Build treats into your day – do something nice in your lunch break, phone someone you haven’t spoken to for ages or dance around the kitchen for fun. Find ways to let your day exceed your expectations and see these ‘exceeds’ as treats.
- Plot bigger and longer-term goals in your life – make sure they’re things you want to achieve, not something you think you ought to achieve to please other people.
- Remind yourself of your achievements so far – write down what you’ve learnt, overcome, worked hard on or made other people happy with.
- Create a happy collection – fill a box with items that make you happy, such as a small gift from someone you love, a special card you’ve received, funny photos, funny newspaper clippings, holiday photos, children’s drawings or your baby’s first shoe.
- Keep both sides of your brain boosted – if your job involves logical, detailed work, make sure you have a hobby that involves creativity – like baking, crafts or gardening. Immersing yourself in a creative skill can be one of the best ways of boosting your feelings of happiness and contentment.
- Keep a journal – writing your life down helps remind you to have happy moments each day so you can log them. It also helps put any problems into context.
For more information, visit AXA PPP healthcare.
