If you’re already in a relationship or you’re looking for your “soul mate,” you can only make things better for both of you if you’re happy within yourself, not dependent on someone else to “make” you happy. In fact, studies show that happily married couples live longer, healthier lives than single people. So, how can you just “make yourself happy?” Try these tips for a new attitude that just may make you, and those around you, smile more often.
Aging Backwards Happy Tips:
- Volunteer. Numerous scientific studies show that acts of kindness can result in significant mental and physical health benefits. Helping can bring on a rush of euphoria, followed by a longer period of calm, often called a “helper’s high” that releases the body’s natural painkiller, endorphins, thus reversing feelings of depression, hostility and stress. The greater the frequency of volunteering, the greater the health benefits. Keep in mind these statistics:
- Personal contact with the people being helped is important.
- Helper’s high results most from helping people we don’t know.
- Regular club attendance, volunteering, entertaining or faith group attendance is the happiness equivalent of getting a college degree or more than doubling your income.
- Fake a smile. Charles Schaefer, psychology professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, found in his research that even self-imposed smiling and forced laughter can boost mood and psychological well-being tremendously. “Phony laughter works because your body doesn’t know it’s fake, even though your brain might,” he says. “Once the brain signals the body to laugh, the body doesn’t care why. It’s going to release endorphins; it’s going to relieve stress as a natural physiological response to the physical act of laughing,” he adds.
- Express gratitude, often. According to Tal Ben-Shahar, author and lecturer at Harvard University, “We too often take our lives for granted. Learn to appreciate and savor the wonderful things in life, from people to food, from nature to a smile.” He is the author of numerous books including, Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment (2007).
Once you find your own inner happiness, you’ll be surprised at how other areas in your life will start to blossom. You’ll treat others differently, people will react differently to you and you could take your romantic relationship to a whole new level.
Have a Youthful Day,
Jackie Silver
[Ed. Note: The latest addition to our panel of top experts, Jackie Silver is the author of Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young. She’s a dynamic and beautiful 50-something bombshell who looks half her age. She created “Aging Backwards” in 2006 to help empower women to look and feel younger than their actual age. Keep reading Ageless Beauty Secrets for more of Jackie’s best tips, tricks and secret weapons for stopping the effects of aging and improving the whole self – mind, body and spirit.]