Relationships and family are certainly the ones that give happiness to people as agreed by most studies.
Also, positive thinking, forgiveness, and meaningful work make people happy.
Intelligence, education, material possessions, money, gender, attractiveness, and gender don’t really make every individual happy.
Below are the things which make every individual happy and what you can do to increase happiness in life.
1. Relationships and Family
People who spend time with their partners, friends, and family are the happiest individuals. Two human needs are fulfilled by having an intimate relationship with others; the need for personal growth and the need to be socially connected.
By initiating social get-together with friends and family and accepting social invitation every now and then, are simple ways for happiness. Compared to online networking, meeting via face to face will make us happier, mainly hugging or another way of personal touch that releases the endorphins. Therefore, use technology for you to initiate meetings, however, socialize through old fashioned technique and you must get out. Check out these 15 reasons why friends are important.
2. Significant Work
Being engaged in an activity makes us happy and helps us to forget ourselves and forget time. It is called “The Flow Experience” as per a psychologist named Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Flow is achieved by gardening, practicing sports, making music, writing, or laying with kids. Doing things that bring out the best on you is the best way to accomplish flow.
Self-actualization is described by Abraham Maslow as a motivation of each individual to achieve the highest potential. A sense of accomplishment is what we experience when we develop and use our talents, skills, and abilities. When a given task or challenge has been completed, it gives us happiness and self-realization. In that short period of time, we have accomplished self-actualization.
3. Thinking Positive
Not comparing yourself to others is one attitude that contributes to happiness. Always be contented on what you have and stop comparing yourself and envying other’s current status. Be satisfied with what you’ve achieved and be thankful for that instead of blaming yourself for not being the best of the bests.
Choosing a better option is another attitude that’s beneficial. Once your partner often works overtime, understand the situation and accept that he has deadlines to finish instead of being pessimistic and thinking that he has no time for you. Here are the top 10 reasons why you should keep a positive attitude.
4. Gratitude
Possibly, gratitude is the subcategory of thinking positive. So far, it’s a significant characteristic which deserves to have a place. People who are grateful are the happiest. Through talking or writing, it’s the best way to express it. Surely, one way for you to be happier is to say your prayers aloud once every night or keeping a gratitude journal with you.
5. Helping Others
Helping others can give you a positive feeling and could change any depressed emotion to a happy one. Either holding the hands of a patient who is terminally ill, being a volunteer to a homeless shelter, teaching kids that came from deprived families, fundraising for a charity or any ways to help others can lead us to the path of happiness. Check out these 15 ways to help someone in need.
6. Forgiveness
People who can’t forgive become depressed and angry as time goes by, and suffer health issues because of physical reactions towards negative emotions. For you to be happier, you must remove any toxic feelings.
7. Individual’s Freedom
Whereas everyone needs to be free to the degrees that vary, some individuals basically can’t be happy unless they figure out their fate personally and make choices of their own. Some people tend to choose to resign from their job for them to start a business of their own or to become a freelancer which contributes significantly to their own happiness.
8. Religion
Specific denominations and religion of an individual don’t seem to be important as long as the person believes in something. Religion can be a spiritual guide, provides personal creed, and a life direction, and this can give an impact on the individual’s happiness and well-being.
9. Good Health
Unexpectedly, health doesn’t contribute to happiness that much. Like money, health becomes a hygiene factor. The absence of it makes everyone unhappy. However, the presence of is often neglected. Better to keep yourself healthy for you to enjoy life, however never think too much that being more healthy will give you more happiness.
10. Watching TV
Watching TV goes in contrary to conventional wisdom. As per economists and psychologists research, they confirm that this activity increases happiness and gives more enjoyment. Extreme watching might decrease our life’s quality by taking the time away from other significant things. Less watching on TV might be good for everyone and it is harmless.