“Happiness should be the goal of life.”

“Happiness is a journey and not a destination.” 

At some point or another, we all have heard these dialogs. But what is happiness? Is it a goal or a journey? And how can we achieve it? 

From ancient Greek philosophers to psychologists today, everyone has tried to define happiness. Aristotle described happiness as a goal. He believed that all human desires existed to achieve one desire – to obtain happiness. Today, psychologists use subjective well-being to measure happiness. The three components of subjective well-being are life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect.

Life satisfaction: This is related to your satisfaction with different parts of your life.

Positive affect: Feelings that people have when things are positive or going well.

Negative affect: Feelings that people have when things are negative.

The pursuit of happiness is a never-ending one. And while it is impossible to always be happy, since happiness is a state of mind, it is definitely possible to consciously try and improve happiness. 

MyndStories looked hard and found these 5 science-backed ways to improve happiness.

Express gratitude

When you have a bad day, most of the time, it’s because of a single event and not a slew of them. That one bad event has the power to ruin the entire day and make you forget anything good that might have happened.  

This is where expressing gratitude can help. It is a low-effort way of improving happiness and remembering days by the good things that happened. Express your gratitude. At the end of each day, write at least 3 things you are grateful for. It can be anything – from meeting a long-lost friend to taking a walk or seeing a dog smiling. No matter how big or small the thing is, write it down. You can maintain a gratitude journal or write them down on your phone.

A 2005 study asked the participants to write three good things daily that happened to them for a week. The participants reported feeling happier than when they began the practice (Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson). Writing things you are grateful for can decrease symptoms of depression and can increase happiness in the long term. 

Engage in random acts of kindness

Have you ever felt like complimenting a stranger for their hairstyle or choice of clothes but held yourself back because of how it might be perceived? Don’t hold back. An experiment was conducted in 2018 to find the effects of doing random acts of kindness on happiness. The participants performed different acts of kindness for 7 days straight and reported feeling happier. Kindness has the power to boost happiness and well-being. 

You don’t have to go out of your way and beyond to be kind. Do something that is within your control. Compliment that stranger’s hairstyle, make tea for your partner, give up your seat for someone who needs it, feed birds, or do anything that makes you happy.

However, remember that this will only work if you do it by choice and not because you feel obliged. Netta Weinstein and Richard Ryan examined the impact of kindness done by choice and forcefully on happiness. They found that the study participants felt better and happy only when their actions were self-chosen and not obligatory (Weinstein & Ryan).

Exercise

Physical exercises increase chemicals such as endorphins, adrenaline, and dopamine in the brain. These chemicals are responsible for reducing stress and making you feel happy and less anxious. 

Exercise is a fool-proof way of improving happiness. Even if you don’t want to exercise for an hour, do it for at least 7 minutes. A systematic review of the existing literature found that exercising, even 10 minutes per week, can increase happiness (Zhang & Chen, 2019). 

Meditation and mindfulness

Meditation can improve focus, keep you calm, and help you gain peace. It is no surprise that it is also proven to be effective in improving happiness. A Massachusetts General Hospital study had the participants attend an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program. The results found that parts of the brain associated with stress shrank, and parts of the brain associated with compassion grew. (MGH experiment)

A study surveyed 365 participants and asked them to complete an assessment protocol to explore the relationship between meditation and happiness. It found that mindfulness and self-compassion can significantly influence happiness. You don’t have to meditate for an hour every day to see the results. Start small. Spend a few minutes with yourself every day. You can also try the 10-minute body scan meditation by Elisha Goldstein. 

Connect with your loved ones

Forming meaningful connections and spending time with your loved ones can also help you improve happiness. Humans are social creatures. The Harvard Study of Adult Developments revealed that people with close relationships are happier in their lives than the ones who do not have close relationships. 

The study started in 1938 to learn the secret of living healthy and happy lives. It is now in its second generation, and the participants are children of first-generation participants. Dr. Robert Waldinger, the Director of the Study, in a TED Talk, described the results of their study as “good relationships keep us happier and healthier.” 

Therefore, when days feel tough and the world starts overwhelming you, talk to your loved ones. Call them. Spend some time with them, even if in silence.

Happiness isn’t all sunshine and rainbows; there is no single way to have it. Don’t spend your entire life in the pursuit of happiness. The more you worry about attaining it, the harder it will be to get it. Instead, let it come to you. Do simple things. Be kind and compassionate, not only to others but also to yourself. Live in the present. Smile often. 

Dr. Rahul Khemani, a psychiatrist, gave this advice to The Bridge Chronicle on happiness, “It is not compulsory to be happy at all times. You can experience sadness, happiness, anxiety, anger, or jealousy. And it is important to experience them all. What one should realize is that happiness becomes important when it is connected with contentment. If people are content with whatever they have, they can be happy.”