Actively improve your social connections, including making new ones and talking to strangers, as strong social ties are a necessary condition for high happiness and universally boost well-being.
Actively cultivate happiness and positive emotions, as research shows these states directly improve immune function, physical health, and longevity, and facilitate healthier lifestyle choices.
Engage in a daily gratitude practice, such as scribbling down three to five things you are grateful for each night, as this simple act can significantly boost your well-being in as little as two weeks.
Actively express your gratitude to others, particularly those you’ve intended to thank, as this practice can significantly boost your own well-being for over a month and strengthen social bonds.
Recognize that your mind often misleads you about what truly brings happiness; material possessions or changing circumstances typically provide only fleeting joy, not lasting well-being.
Actively and intentionally seek out opportunities to build social connections, as these interactions no longer occur as naturally in modern life but are crucial for happiness.
Challenge your intuition by actively engaging in conversations with strangers, such as on your commute or with service staff, as research shows these interactions significantly boost happiness and well-being.
Schedule dedicated time to genuinely talk with someone, ensuring you are fully present by shutting off screens and putting your phone away to foster meaningful connection.
Actively look for ways to help others, such as donating money, texting a friend in need, or doing a kind deed for someone in your household, to foster an ‘other-oriented’ mindset.
Take a moment to identify one thing you are currently grateful for, fully notice it, and stay present with that feeling, potentially integrating broader mindfulness practices to boost well-being.