This approach allowed them to be exposed to several techniques instead of relying on their initial impressions of what may or may not be helpful for them, and then having tried them select what they prefer to engage in. Similar approach was taken by Parks (2012) whose subjects tried a variety of exercises first and then chosen one or two to continue practicing. “A joyful life is an individual creation that cannot be copied from a recipe.” Preference proved to be an important consideration in Schueller (2010) study where a participants’ self-reported inclinations toward a technique determined the number of days they engaged in the assignment over a week period. Happiness activities work better if they align with our interests, goals, values and personality according to Sheldon and Lyubomirsky (2006) who propose the idea of “fit” when implementing exercises to boost life satisfaction. To help guide you in choosing interventions, we begin every section by reminding you of the importance of fit and by briefly introducing a proven happiness theory that outlines the components necessary for enhancing wellbeing effectively. Well established research in positive psychology (Parks, Schueller and Tasimi, 2013) shows that a lasting change in levels of life satisfaction depends on combining activities from at least 3 key areas of wellbeing that include enjoyment, engagement and meaning and can be sustained by picking techniques that encourage motivation, or simply put those that you will enjoy and persevere in. “Happiness is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated and defended privately by each person.”Īs those who have fallen in love or won a lottery can attest to, over time we all return home to that familiar level of contentment and our old self that fits all too well.Īs Parks, Schueller and Tasimi suggest in The Oxford Handbook of Happiness, what we need instead is a field of empirically supported self-help (ESS-H) rooted in research-based materials accessible to the wider public searching for proven techniques to increase happiness (2013).ġ7 Activities for Building Happiness in Life (PDF) Thanks to professor Mihaly Csikszenmihalyi, one of the founding fathers in the field of positive psychology who devoted his life to answering this question, we know today that: Science shows that many of us revert back to a set point of life satisfaction. Perhaps you even made yourself miserable chasing after happiness in all the wrong places (Gruber et al, 2011). Maybe you tried to change everything all at once and became overwhelmed and discouraged. So you attempted some random happiness boosting activities and they didn’t stick. 26 Activities for Adults to Create more Happiness in Life.28 Exercises for Finding and Building Upon Happiness.32 Proven Techniques that Increase Happiness.17 Activities for Building Happiness in Life (PDF).

List of positive moods