Every year on World Happiness Day (March 20), the United Nations produces the World Happiness Report, which is based on Gallup polls of self-reported wellbeing as well as perceptions of corruption, generosity and freedom. Unfortunately, the United States has fallen from 3rd place in 2007, to 14th in this year’s poll. The report attributes this drop to “declining social support and increased corruption.”
Being happy is important, so here are some ways you can improve your personal happiness, and help make America happy again!
Find something you love and do it
This could be anything, a hobby, a sport, or even a job. The only requirement is to find some kind of activity that makes you feel good and just do it.
Volunteer
Helping make other people happy is scientifically proven to improve your own happiness. Seriously, look it up.
This one can’t be stressed enough. Getting active and moving your body is another scientifically proven way to boost your endorphins and feel great about yourself.
Ok, hear me out, meditation is actually really cool and everyone should do it. It’s super relaxing and if you take time out of your day to do it, it can help alleviate a lot of stress. Here is a great article on some of the benefits of meditation, and here you can learn how to do it yourself!
Get Enough Sleep
Sleeping is great, but a lot of us (especially college students) often don’t get enough of it. Sleep deprivation has been linked to things like high blood pressure, weight gain, and higher risk of getting sick. Get at least eight hours of sleep a night, and you will certainly be much happier.
Everybody loves some pizza and French fries every now and then, but eating processed junk food consistently has been proven to cause all sorts of health problems. Eating better can be as simple as making sure you are getting more fruits and vegetables in your diet, but it can make a world of difference.
This is probably the easiest, yet most important thing you can do to be a happier person. Smiling every day has been linking to higher levels of happiness in people that do it, and many studies have linked the act of smiling to higher levels of oxytocin, a hormone that makes you feel happy. So take time out of your day to find something to laugh or smile at, and odds are you’ll be happier for it.