Happiness
is contagious
When researchers show pictures of happy-faced
people to subjects, the subjects' brain waves go directly into a happier
mode.
So they suggest watching upbeat movies
or hanging out with positive people. Even just drawing smiles on paper
can help boost your happiness quotient.
Bad moods
r catching 2
Did you know that if you hang out with
negative, grumpy people you can end up sharing their bummer mood?
Researchers have discovered that if your
feelings about yourself or your life are taking a nosedive but nothing
in your life is going wrong, it might just be that you've inherited someone
else's bad day. Sometimes it's not so obvious when someone's feeling down,
but scientists say that a smile from the heart is usually accompanied by
crinkly eyes. Someone who's not really happy will usually just stretch
her mouth into a smile, and may even show teeth, but that's it. And try
not to sweat the small stuff. Science tells us that if a stranger like
a salesperson treats you negatively, it's not as bad as being snubbed by
a bud. You'll pop back to your old positive self sooner than when someone
you're close to rejects you or is angry and hard to be around.
Get on a
happiness path
Studies show that positive thinking
has incredible results when it comes to lifting your spirits.
If you catch yourself having all kinds
of negative thoughts, try this experiment for two weeks and see if you
don't find yourself smiling more.
Write down about five negative thoughts
that come into your head like "I'm not as pretty as she is," and turn them
into positive statements like, "I have a different kind of beauty than
hers." Then make a list of your positive thoughts like, "I have some great
friends," and make them stronger by adding more of your true feelings like,
" I really have a lot of great friends, and they really like me too." Look
at your list of positive thoughts three times a day. After two weeks, make
a new list of your personal affirmations.
Accept the
bad days
Sometimes there are loads of reasons
to feel sad, angry or lonely.
Lots of people try to ignore these emotions,
but scientists say it's better to be aware of them. Try telling yourself,
" I'd rather be happy, and right now I'm not, but I've still got things
to do and places to go."