What sets happy people apart from the rest? According to a survey by the Harris Interactive polling institute, about a third of the US population describes itself as “very happy”. It is a fairly large percentage.
Do not think, however, that these are people who have everything easy in their lives. They are simply optimistic and willing people regardless of the unexpected challenges that come their way. People who are excited about the small and simple things.
These are people who endure difficulties with a smile and who constantly see the positive side of life.
Studies show that half of our happiness is determined by genetic factors and less than 40% is influenced by external factors.
In fact, only 12% of our happiness is influenced by ourselves, however our choices have great weight in whether we are happy or not.
The happiest people make seven basic choices every day:
1. They do gymnastics
Tell me, there are a lot of happy people around us who are not in great shape, so how can that be? And yet it is possible! The explanation is that you only need 7 minutes of exercise a day to feel happy. Just 7 minutes is enough to release endorphins from your body. It may not even be exercise, but happy people find some time each day to move.
2. They go out
Just 20 minutes a day on the road or in nature is enough to raise your levels of happiness. You can even combine it with the previous stage and take a short break. A simple walk for lunch or even a little time in your yard, on your terrace or in a nearby park can make all the difference. You may not even realize the impact on your happiness, but happy people consider it an important factor in happiness.
3. Focus on their families
They consider the family the most important factor in their lives. So resolve your differences and focus on your parents, your children and your siblings if you want to be happier. Happy people find at least a few minutes each day to do things to improve their family relationships.
4. They choose to spend time with friends
Friends are the family we choose for ourselves and we have to spend some time with them every day if we want to be happy. Talking to your friends for a few minutes on the phone or taking a short walk with them can make a difference. If you are busy and do not catch up you can combine your friends with physical exercise. Happy people may not always have as much time as they would like, but they do find ways to communicate with their friends.
5. They find meaning in their work
Satisfaction with our work affects our happiness, this also applies to the self-employed. Happy people may not have found the job of their dreams, they may not even love their job – but they try to find meaning and perspective in their daily work so that they feel proud and happy through what they do.
6. They like to offer to society as a whole
Being part of an offer community gives you a sense of belonging and helps you improve your sense of self-worth. Every day, really happy people find a way to share things with other people and give.
7. They get enough sleep
Fact: Lack of sleep ruins your life. If you do not get enough sleep, you will be more irritable, your crisis will remain reduced, as will your libido. Happy people could be just as busy as everyone else, but they get something out of their schedule when they feel they have to. They watch less TV, surf the internet less or just do not worry about things that cannot be changed and sleep at least seven to eight hours every day.