School sucks. Relationships suck. Movies suck. LIFE SUCKS.
^ Common things I hear from teenagers. These colloquialisms often find their way into my everyday word use. There’s the occasional upset with your friends, peers, teachers, parents, whoever. And of course, we fall into boredom, and stay trapped in its horrid claws.
Stress + Boredom + Everyday Disappointments = Unhappiness?
Here are some simple ways to cure the disease of unhappiness:
1. Soon…
Q: Why are kids at Christmas Eve so happy? A: Because they’re anticipating the arrival of a jolly fat man in a red suit. Not saying that we all have to believe in Santa, but it’s important to create something to always strive towards. Something as simple as going out with friends on a Friday night can significantly boost happiness.
2. Spend on others.
Every year, Christmas seems to come earlier. Corporations want you to spend spend spend, and giving you more time to spend will obviously increase your spending. Spending that spending money on others will spend your unhappiness away. In simpler terms: give to others selflessly. A study in the “Psychological Bulletin” found that “the happiest people were the biggest givers, no matter what they earned.”
3. Excitement in new things
Research shows that people who kick up their routines every once in a while are happier. Trying novel things and challenging yourself can keep motor function sharp, and it stimulates the brain. It doesn’t have to be “GO SKY-DIVING” extreme, either. New sports can provide the same happiness.
4. Girlfriend + Boyfriend?
The geniuses at Cornell say that people in relationships were generally happier than the forever-aloners. Also, married people are apparently more at ease than others, regardless of marital happiness. (Which I find hard to believe) The stronger the commitment, the happier the people in the relationship are.
5. Be neutral
Trying to defend your beliefs is tiring. It’s hard to always stand up for what you believe in. By saving your mental energy, you also feel happier.
6. Six hours and fifteen minutes.
The British company Yeo Valley commissioned a study that discovered this interesting fact: six hours and 15 minutes of continuous nightly sleep creates the happiest people. People from 18 to 65 years old rated their joy levels from 1 to 5, and the 6 + 15 individuals were the happiest.
7. Walk mindfully.
Exercise is great for relieving anxiety. But what’s walking mindfully? A study demonstrated that people who were mindful about their walks (counting one, two, one, two, to their footsteps, and visualizing those numbers in their heads) reduced stress even more so than tai chi. Calm…
8. Ten’s the charm!
Friendship makes for happier people. But, 10 good friends made one happier than 5 or less good friends, says research from Nottingham University. This doesn’t mean that everyone should have lots of friends. Quality over quantity, always.
9. Lower your expectations
Always aiming for the best will only lead to disappointment, especially when it comes to other people. Sometimes, it’s okay to let things slide. Letting yourself go a little bit decreases stress, which increases happiness. It’s really kind of a no-brainer.
10. LOL
Just anticipating a happy, funny event can raise endorphin levels, while lowering levels of stress hormones. Merely stimulating muscles involved in that “hahaha” action flips on the happy switch. So even if that jokes is pun-trocious, laugh away!
11. Sing Sing Sing!
Music soothes the soul, man. You don’t need fancy-schmancy studies or guys in white lab coats to tell you. Everyone’s had a relaxing experience with music. Personally, I find singing does the trick quite well.
11. Blue to kill your blues
The color blue is shown to boost confidence levels, increase happiness, and lower stress, for both genders. Apparently, when people are shown the color blue, their brain waves indicate high levels of joy, according to University of Sussex researchers. Those at The Daily Mail speculate that our blue love originates from our ancient forefathers “linking the color of the afternoon and evening sky to the feeling of a day well spent, and the prospect of a good night’s sleep.”
And since you read this far, here’s some blue.