Happiness in 4 Easy Tips

Americans are not a happy bunch. Only 33% of Americans surveyed said that they are happy in the 2017 Harris Poll Survey of American Happiness. And they are willing to invest money to be happy. There is a booming industry now focusing on the wellness of people. In 2018, the global wellness industry was a $4.2 trillion market. Applications spring up to help us practice mindfulness, self-help books fly off the shelves and yoga classes are squeezed into every busy working women's schedule.

Self-care is now a buzzword. Jobs are being churned out of the industry: happiness coaches, therapists and even positions like being the Chief Happiness officer of the company. The most popular course for a while in Harvard was a positive psychology class by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, and similar courses in other universities were also in hot demand.

What if there are simpler ways to be happy?

We sat down with Pam Garramone, a Positive Psychology Speaker, to find out more about positive psychology. Here’s what we got from Pam:

1. Three Good Things

Turns out, most of us are prone to the negativity bias. We are more prone to being affected by the negative things that happens during the day while missing out on the positive ones.

Pam suggests listing out three good things that have occurred every day, to refocus on the good. We are used to using our journals, more often than not, as a channel to vent and write about all the things that went wrong in a day. The more you look for good things, however, the more good things you will start to see during the day. In order for it to really work, Pam recommends that the individual “tries to really feel it” while doing the exercise, to bring out genuine feelings of happiness.

2. Power Pose

How we stand can make a huge difference in how we feel. Standing in a power pose can increase the chances of likelihood of you succeeding in the event. Whether it is an important exam, an interview or a date, the power pose can do a lot for your confidence. The most popular power pose is the Wonder Woman power pose – where one stands a hip’s width apart, chest out and hands on hips.

Research done by Harvard University has shown that high power poses increases testosterone and your confidence by 20% and decreases cortisol levels, your stress hormones by 25%. Be sure to avoid low power poses which include leaning inwards and crossing your legs, to make yourself look smaller.

3. Complement each other and…yourself

Ever notice something nice about someone but hold back on your compliments? A small compliment can makes someone’s day and goes a long way. Learn to accept compliments instead of deflecting them and being embarrassed about it – this makes the compliment giver feel better too!

Compliments don’t have to come from others, you can tell them to yourself too! Telling yourself that you are an awesome human being (or whatever you strive to be) is sometimes what the brain needs to hear to be in peak performance.

4. Gratitude

Express gratitude to someone you are grateful for or even better, pen it down in a handwritten note and send it to them. CEO of Home Depot, Frank Blake did it every Sunday during his seven year stint as CEO, writing notes to exceptional employees of Home Depot. Studies have shown that people who express gratitude are more optimistic, hopeful and emotionally healthier. Keeping a gratitude journal is another way to consciously practice gratitude.

Ultimately, we still have permission to be human, said Pam, and that it is okay to allow ourselves to feel sad when unfortunate events occur in our lives. Positive psychology to sum it up is two things: to make yourself and others around feel good, and you will feel happier. It may not be an instant process, but by applying these practices constantly in your daily life, you will definitely see an increase in happiness.