10 Tips from Happy People - Part 1

Who does not want to happy. Everyone wants, but most of don't know how to be. True, is it not? You can buy all the luxuries in life, but not happiness. You have ask this to sages, Gurus, Sadhus. But still the search is on.

Here is a simple list of some ideas how to be happy, please read and do write back

10. Live in a Happy Country

Many different studies have examined happiness in various countries. These studies generally rely on extensive surveys of inhabitants and their stated level of happiness. One, the Happy Planet Index, considers happiness in tandem with a country's environmental impact and carbon footprint.

9. Solve Problems

Keep Happy People Around Studies have shown that happiness is contagious. When someone's friends or neighbors experience happiness or good fortune, those positive feelings are often imparted to the people around them. Happy people also cluster together in social groups.

Gretchen Rubin, who runs happiness-project.com and is writing a book about happiness, lists as one of her "twelve commandments" the mantra "Identify the problem." It may seem like a basic idea, but often our frustrations can be traced to problems we haven't fully grappled with. Identifying a problem can often lead to a clear solution, perhaps one so mind-numbingly obvious that you'll wonder why you hadn't addressed the situation earlier.

Understanding a problem also allows people to keep things in perspective, to understand whether something is really worth getting upset about. It prevents giving in to self-pity and instead represents a more proactive approach that allows for finding a solution and moving on to other concerns. And if you're feeling overwhelmed with concerns, singling out a problem and addressing it can lessen stress and make once daunting challenges seem surmountable.

8. Simplify Your Life

There's a tendency, especially in the United States, to try to do as much as possible. We multitask incessantly, as evidenced by the BlackBerry and iPhone crazes.

But a good day can also mean making a trade-off between doing many things and a few meaningful ones. Think about what's important and what you can do away with. You may be able to get rid of some possessions, or you may be able to eliminate certain stressors.

Another term for simplifying your life may be -- and this idea arises in several tips in this article -- mindfulness. Mindfulness -- slowing down, appreciating and observing what is around you -- is a form of simplification. It allows you not to worry so much about the future and to remain more involved in the present. It encourages not overscheduling yourself, completing tasks at an appropriate pace and spacing out tasks so that you can better reflect and decrease stress in your life. Following these ideas, it's possible to recognize what concerns are truly important and what have instead been impressed upon us as important but may not be.

One happiness-oriented Web site recommends focusing on doing one thing at a time. For example, if you decide to watch a classic film and spend the first hour of the film writing some e-mails to your colleagues, by the end you may have gotten several things done, but did you fully commit yourself to either? Is it possible to enjoy and understand and even feel a connection with the movie if your attention was divided for much of the time?

7. Exercise

The mind-body connection is often cited as an integral component of happiness. Keeping the body fit through exercise has measurable effects on the mind, too. People who exercise generally have lower levels of anxiety and depression. But studies have also shown that the same genetic factors that motivate people to exercise might also make them less predisposed to being depressed, eliminating a causal connection.

Boosting happiness through exercise doesn't require a diehard devotion to fitness. Embarking on a less ambitious fitness regimen can help to keep your goals realistic while also producing tangible results. (No need to feel guilty about not reaching your exercise goals, which would only contribute to unhappiness.)

Exercising lowers the body's levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. Depending on your stress level, you may need to alter your workout accordingly. If you're more stressed, it might take a longer, more rigorous workout to burn off cortisol and walk away feeling relaxed and refreshed.

You may have heard of endorphins. Exercise causes the pituitary gland to release these powerful, mood-boosting chemicals. As with cortisol, the release of endorphins from exercise varies depending on the person and situation. Intense aerobic activities, such as running, are more likely to release endorphins than light weight lifting. Experts also recommend varying workout routines and activities. Like bacteria that become resistant to antibiotics, the body builds up a resistance to the strenuous activities you put it through. Listen to music while working out, try a new activity, play a new sport, and above all, work hard, and that endorphin-produced "high" should come, along with many health benefits.

6. Accept Emotions, Positive or Negative

Accepting emotions of all types, including frustration, sadness and disappointment, helps to create a more realistic worldview. By accepting these feelings as normal, it's easier to respond to them constructively. It also allows you to keep your expectations in check and to gain perspective about life.

Pay more attention to your feelings and how the outside world affects them. Do basic needs, like hunger, override your desire to be happy? Making a small improvement in your happiness may be as simple as being sure that you eat regularly and have snacks available.

It's also important to acknowledge the feelings of others. Maybe you're feeling good, but someone's sour mood is bringing you down. Recognizing these feelings as legitimate, or at the very least as a reality worth dealing with, can help to prevent you from becoming frustrated. Often someone who's upset just wants a companionable listener to turn to, and the result may be that you both are happier and more contented, having found understanding in one another.

Acknowledging feelings and emotions doesn't mean you should always act on them. Most of us are familiar with the advice to count to 10 or take a minute to cool down when angry. Similarly, trying to refashion negative emotions as positive ones can lead to real changes in mood. There's a kind of self-actualizing in play here: Tell yourself that you are patient and understanding, and eventually you will be. Embracing this kind of more optimistic viewpoint allows you to more easily let go of anger and to be more resilient in the face of adversity [source: Rubin].