5 Things That Make You Happier

You want to be happy right, who doesn’t.

What we’re talking about are 5 things that researchers have found can make you a happier person.

Up until now, scientists have thought that happiness mostly came about because of things outside our control. They felt it was controlled by genetics, health, our livelihood and other things we couldn’t easily change. But new research, just reported in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, has found just 5 things you can do that will improve your happiness.

Number one, be grateful. Researchers found when people wrote letters of gratitude, even if they didn’t send them, they also reported an increase in happiness that lasted weeks and even months in some cases.

Number two, be optimistic. Study participants that visualized a good outcome for some future event, and wrote about it in a journal increased their feelings of well being.

Number three, count your blessings. Researchers found that those writing down three good things that happened to them every week showed significant boosts in their own happiness.

Number four, use your strengths. Study participants that identified their greatest strengths, and used them in new ways also reported being happier.

And finally, the fifth step is the “do unto others” principle. People that helped others also ended up helping themselves. Those who donated time or money to a charity, or helped someone in need, also felt happier themselves.

Although some of these steps might seem obvious, scientists in this study have been able to show that these simple moves can help you feel better about yourself.