Shawn Achor, positive psychology speaker and educator, recently gave a TED Talk on the formula of happiness: he says that we actually have the formula backwards. Achor claims that achieving happiness does not come through the modern ideas of success and achievement, but through gratitude and self-awareness. Shawn then lays out the key to happiness and tells us how to actually re-train your brain to be happier, less stressed, and more focused. Sounds very beneficial for a college student, right? Here are Shawn Achor’s five steps to happiness and mental positivity, to be repeated every day for 21 days!
Step 1: Meditation
ABC’s Dan Harris recently spoke at Colby about his book 10% Happier, in which he lays out his discovery of and personal transformation through meditation. If we remove the stigma around meditation, it is clear that the benefits of a couple minutes of silence and self-reflection make a huge difference in happiness!
Step 2: Journaling
Writing about one positive experience you had each day drastically changes the way your brain thinks and “re-wires” you to see the good in every situation and be more appreciative.
Step 3: Gratitude
In the same journal you write about your experiences in, jot down three specific things you are grateful for. Today, mine are Colby, spring, and Netflix!
Step 4: Random Acts of Kindness
Email someone who has impacted your life in a positive way and thank him or her for their support. Not only does gratitude increase happiness, but teachers, coaches, and friends always appreciate thoughtful emails!
Step 5: Exercise
This seems unrelated, but physical exercise is incredibly effective for increasing happiness. Not only does exercise make your body feel healthier, but it also releases the happiness hormone, dopamine, in your brain.
Some of these steps seem silly, unrelated, or time consuming, but doing these five simple acts for twenty-one days can drastically decrease stress and increase overall mental well-being. As Audrey Hepburn says, “Happy girls are the prettiest girls.”