Don’t worry, this list is solid, not airy-fairy magical thinking..! ~ ed.

All of us want to be happy, but sometimes we get caught up in negative emotions.

The Dalai Lama says, “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”

Happiness is an emotion that has to be trained on a daily basis. It’s similar to building a muscle; we have to work on it.

Here are six things that can make us happier instantly.

1. Laugh

I always find myself trying to find some type of opportunity to laugh. Try to incorporate laughter into your day. Go online and watch a video that make’s you laugh. Call up a friend or family member that you find hilarious. I have a close friend, I call up whenever I need to laugh and we start reciting lines from our favorite movies.

2. Smile

Try to find as many opportunities as you can to smile. I’ve never met someone I didn’t like who smiled all the time. There’s tons of scientific research on how beneficial it is to smile; a simple smile can immediately brighten your day.

3. Talk to someone who’s happy

Emotions are contagious and they spread like wildfire. Scientists call this “Emotional contagion“— meaning that you literally catch the feeling of the person your interacting with.

4. Interact with people

The Sufi poet Rumi said, “Every object, every being, is a jar full of delight. Be a connoisseur, and taste with caution.”

Go out and interact with as many people as you can. If you’re an introvert, just try to take small strides interacting with people. Neuroscience has proven that the brain can re-wire itself. If we’re introverted, we can teach ourselves to become more extroverted through daily training.

5. Talk to a person who’s much older than you

I always find myself in a gas station or at some other event talking to people who are in their 70s or 80s. They always have a great to deal of wisdom to share and they are generally happy.

6. Do meditation

There’s tons of scientific research that shows how effective meditation is for producing positive emotional states. Try to incorporate a daily practice into your life.

~

Editor: Brianna Bemel

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