The self-help industry is a billion-dollar industry gaining increased popularity in the past few years. Whether it’s relationships, money, work, or health, so many people around the globe are seeking more personal development books, seminars/conferences, and coaches. One underlying theme among these self-help seekers is that many of them are seeking happiness. They are looking for ways to feel happy.

However, many times these seekers become so engrossed in trying to find solutions that they become stuck or these solutions don’t actually work. This is because many people in the self-help industry often give advice based on their own experience or the experience of others. But some of that advice is not backed by strong scientific research. So in this post, I bring to you 4 simple and scientifically-backed ways to increase your happiness levels.

Although pursuing happiness for the sake of being happy is not helpful, there are many other ways that we can be happy. The positive activity model (Lyubormiskry et al., 2005) suggests that by performing certain intentional activities, we can boost our happiness. So what are these activities?

1. Gratitude

Now I’m sure you must have heard at one point or another that you should practice gratitude because gratitude boosts our happiness. But let’s see the scientific evidence. Gratitude definitely increases one’s happiness or well-being however, only short-term. Even though there is much about gratitude in self-help books, surprisingly, in the scientific literature, the studies on gratitude are still in their infancy.

A few studies that looked at gratitude only found a short-term increase in happiness. In the study by Seligman et al. (2005), researchers told participants to write a letter to someone who had been especially kind to them but hadn’t been thanked properly. Participants had to do this for one week. Researchers found that those who wrote the letter daily for a week had increased happiness levels immediately after this activity compared to those who hadn’t written the letter.

Surprisingly, this effect lasted three months later as well. However, after six months, their happiness levels returned to baseline (original levels). In another study, they had participants recall 3 blessings in their life or 3 things they were grateful for and found that those who practiced this exercise had an immediate boost in happiness and this effect lasted for 5 weeks before it returned to baseline.

How to practice gratitude

This evidence tells us that by practicing gratitude, one can instantly boost their happiness. However, the participants in these studies only practiced gratitude once a day for a week only yet its effects were quite powerful. If you’ve ever read a self-help book, I’m sure you’ve been advised to practice gratitude because of its long-lasting effects. So are these self-help experts wrong?

Maybe not. The studies only looked at participants who performed this activity for one week not after that or on a daily basis. Perhaps if one were to practice gratitude every day, one can observe long-term increases in happiness.

Additionally, it’s important to note how to actually practice gratitude. Gratitude or counting one’s blessings refers to being thankful for nice things or good things you have in your life due to other people. In a way, it is being thankful for other people rather than being thankful for any random thing in your life. Though we’ll get to that later as well.

So, how do you practice gratitude? Grab a piece of paper and pen and either write a letter to someone thanking them for their kind act or write down at least three blessings you have in your life due to other people and make sure to be grateful for their presence and kindness as you write these blessings down. Do this daily for at least one week. For long-term gains, experiment. Do this activity on a regular basis, at least a few times a week, or continue to do it daily and see what helps keep your happiness levels high.

Why gratitude?

Okay so here comes the fun part! Why does gratitude improve our happiness? Why does acknowledging the efforts of others lead to higher levels of well-being?

1. Gratitude prevents hedonic adaptation

Generally, our happiness levels return to baseline after we achieve our goal or get that thing which we desired but we never really habituate to gratitude! How cool is that? In fact, gratitude actually prevents hedonic adaptation. How? Let’s say you get a new car for your birthday! A few hours after you receive that car for your birthday, your happiness levels may return to baseline. However, by being thankful for receiving that car from your parents, you can boost your happiness levels again even a few days later!

2. Build stronger relationships

Now, this may seem self-explanatory. If you’re grateful for others and express this gratitude to them, you are likely to strengthen your existing bonds. After all, who doesn’t like to be appreciated?

3. Fights against depression

Yes! Gratitude actually fights against depression by producing a positive memory bias. Depression leads one to ruminate a lot and interpret situations in negative ways. However, by practicing gratitude, one learns to see the positivity in their life creating a positive memory bias thereby countering those negative thoughts.

4. Makes us more resilient

By being grateful, one can become more resilient to negative events and situations. Remember that gratitude allows us to focus on the good and creates that positive memory bias. This allows us to buffer against negative thoughts and even if we do have negative thoughts or encounter negative situations, gratitude will make it less impactful. Another reason is that gratitude can teach us to be grateful for even the tiniest things in life such as food on the table or water provided to us by others. So, even when life doesn’t go your way, gratitude buffers against the negative impact by reminding you of what you have.

2. Focusing on one’s best self

Feeling down? Need a quick boost to feel better? Try thinking about a time when you were at your best. The study by Seligman et al (2005) asked people to write about a time when they were at their best and reflect on the personal strengths they displayed. Right after doing this activity, participants’ happiness levels went up. Interestingly, depressive symptoms also decreased right after doing this exercise.

How to practice focusing on one’s best self

If you need a quick boost of happiness or just want something to quickly cheer you up, try focusing on a time when you were at your best and think about the personal strengths you displayed. Though there may not be a long-term benefit, if performed repetitively, there may be significant long-term gains. Experiment for yourself!

3. Focusing on 3 good things

If you don’t exactly feel grateful for anyone or can’t think of a time when you were at your best, try focusing on three good things that happened today and why. In the same study by Seligman et al.(2005), researchers also asked people to focus on 3 good things that happened each day and why it was good. In the study, they found that those who focused on 3 good things experienced long-term benefits in changes to their happiness levels. Although, there was no improvement in happiness levels initially, 3 and 6 months later, participants experienced a large increase in happiness and a large decrease in depressive symptoms.

Now you may wonder why this is different than gratitude. Remember that gratitude was about specifically being thankful for someone else’s kindness. It involved another person. However, focusing on 3 good things is general. You could have just felt joyful for the sun was shining. Maybe you completed all your goals for the day. Maybe that amazon package finally arrived.

How to practice focusing on 3 good things

If immediate gratification is not your cup of tea, try focusing on three good things that happened to you and why it was good. Though you might not see a sudden increase in happiness, after 3 months you’ll be glad you decided to try this activity.

4. Focusing on character strengths

Last but not least, you can focus on incorporating your character strengths more into your daily life. Dr. Seligman identifies 24 character strengths classified under 6 virtues (Seligman et al., 2005).

These virtues are:

1. Wisdom and knowledge
2. Courage
3. Humanity
4. Justice
5. Temperance
6. Transcendence

If you want to learn more about these virtues, check out the article referenced below. Learn about your top character strengths. It only takes about 5-7 minutes.

Researchers performed two experiments. In the first experiment, they asked participants to take a survey to determine their top 5 strengths, and then they were asked to use these strengths more often during a period of one week. Those who did this experienced an immediate boost in their happiness but no long-term benefits (Seligman et al., 2005).

However, in a second experiment, participants took the same survey but this time they were asked to use their top character strength in new ways each day for one week. Interestingly, while there wasn’t a sudden increase in happiness, there was a long-term benefit especially noticeable after one month (Seligman et al., 2005).

How to practice focusing on character strengths

First, take the survey here.

Decide whether you want a quick boost or long-term benefits.

If you want a quick boost, use your top five strengths as much as you can throughout the week. If you want long-term benefits, use your top strength in unique ways every day for one week and continue to use it even after one week.

Measure your progress and notice the difference in your happiness levels!

Summary

Things to try for a quick boost in happiness

1. Gratitude! Practice being thankful to someone who did something nice for you.
2. Think of a time when you were at your best and reflect on some of the personal strengths you displayed.
3. Take the survey to find your top 5 character strengths and use them frequently for one week.

Things to try for long-term gain in happiness

1. Take the survey and use your top character strength in unique ways every day for one week.
2. Focus on 3 good things and why they were good for at least one week.

References

Seligman, Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. The American Psychologist, 60(5), 410–421. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.5.410

Walker, S. (2021, November 30). Well-being interventions. [PowerPoint slides]. University of Toronto Mississauga. https://q.utoronto.ca/courses/231759/pages/november-30-well-being-interventions?module_item_id=2891626