Happier Living Tools

Happiness makes all the difference.

Research in positive psychology, or the study of human flourishing, shows us that happiness is linked with better health, stress management, and success in life.

LIFT YOUR SPIRITS WITH THESE HAPPINESS TIPS

Use Your Unique Strengths

When your daily actions are aligned with your natural strengths, you feel powerful and effective.

Try it now:

Write a strengths-based affirmation

Not sure what your strengths are? Take the free Values in Action Survey of Character Strengths.


CULTIVATE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

 

Spend a little time every day thinking about what you enjoy and appreciate. Even noticing one thing that made your day easier can shift your mindset and improve your mood. 
 

Use Our Weekly Optimism and Gratitude Journal

Practice Optimism

Optimism is the ability to see the future in a positive light and see yourself as having the ability to make that positive future happen.

Try it now

  • Put away the to-do list and make a looking forward to list.

  • Put things you're looking forward to in your schedule.

  • Envision your best possible future self.

More ways to feel more optimistic

Give yourself something to look forward to
 

Put at least 1 thing to look forward to in your daily planner. It doesn't need to be extravagant. Even seemingly simple actions like having a glass of lemonade or saying hi to a friend can make all the difference.

Envision your best possible self
 

Spend time picturing your highest vision for yourself and your goals in an important area of your life. 

 

Be inspired
 

The feeling of awe you get when you look at a beautiful piece of art or marvel at nature is good for you! Take time out for awe and inspiration. Listen to an inspirational song, watch a documentary about someone you admire, or spend time in nature.

Feel good in 5 minutes or less

 

 

 

 

 

Set the goals that help you thrive

Memorize this: PERMA-V
 

PERMA-V stands for the building blocks of happiness

  • positive emotion
  • engagement
  • positive relationships
  • meaning
  • accomplishment
  • vitality

Find alignment
 

We feel and do better when all the elements of happiness are expressed in our lives.

If you're feeling off-balance, do a quick self-test. Is one area lacking in your life? How can you bring it back into alignment?

What meaningful goals can you set based on PERMA-V?

How do you want to feel? (Support that.)
 

Take a few minutes to think about what happiness means to you. Does it mean contentment? Personal freedom? Feeling connected to important friends?

Choose a few feelings that resonate with you and make a point of doing things to support those feelings every day. 

Use PERMA-V to make them meaningful. Use SMART to make them stick.

Feel more engaged, motivated, and successful with SMART goals: 
 

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Actionable
  • Reasonable
  • Time-Limited

Use the PERMA worksheet to make meaningful SMART

additional resources