Happiness Strategies | How to be Happy

The cover story in the current issue of Scientific American Mind is all about how a sense of humor can make you stronger, friendlier – and sexier!

Here are some key ideas from the article (quoted):

- The concept of laughter as a cure for disease lacks scientific support, but humor may indeed have significant effects on the psyche.

- Laughter relaxes us and improves our mood, and hearing jokes may ease anxiety. Amusement can also counteract pain.

- Cheerfulness, a trait that makes people respond more readily to humor, is linked to emotional resilience—the ability to keep a level head in difficult circumstances—and to close relationships. Life satisfaction may increase with the ability to laugh.

Read the whole story – and lighten up!

I thought you may find this article interesting:

Can happiness be found online?

Story Highlights:

• The ‘Virtual Happiness Project’ in the Netherlands looked at the relationship between Web 2.0 and happiness
• The findings suggest that blogs and social networks give people a strong sense of  belonging, which can be part of happiness
• It warns, however, that there’s a risk of being too internet-involved, which can detrimentally affect offline relationships

The report is yet to be published, but survey and experimental results point to findings:

that a lot of Facebook users already sense: social interaction is a driver for happiness, and the Web 2.0 is a valid way to experience it.

Read the article here.

(via @akselsoft)

Image by Kevin Zollman

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Look alive!

A new study has found that thinking
fast can improve your mood.

Princeton and Harvard researchers conducted six experiments requiring participants to briskly whisk through activities such as brainstorming, reading ideas on screen or watching a fast-forwarded film clip.

Thinking fast brought participants creativity, elation and, to a lesser extent, a sense of energy and power.

Scientific American observes:

It is unclear why thought speed affects mood, but [the study’s lead author, Emily] Pronin and her colleagues theorize that our own expectations may be part of the equation. In earlier research, they found that people generally believe fast thinking is a sign of a good mood. This lay belief may lead us to instinctively infer that if we are thinking quickly we must be happy. In addition, they suggest, thinking quickly may unleash the brain’s novelty-loving dopamine system, which is involved in sensations of pleasure and reward.

So up your thinking speed – and you’ll join the ranks of the quick and the glad.

Image by jurvetson

Guess what!

I’ve recently released a nifty
little Strategies for Happiness
workbook on creating more
happiness in your life.

It uses checklist-style worksheets to guide you to think about, and organize, the areas of your life you want to change, including:

• - Creating a happiness mindset
• - Optimism and beliefs
• - Goals and happiness
• - Research-based strategies for happiness
• - Releasing barriers to happiness

In fact, it’s much of the stuff you read about here, put into a ready-made action plan.

It’s an instant PDF download, so if you’re keen to get started right away, you can!
Best of all, it’s only (US) $9.95 – but ONLY till February 8. Download now!