7 habits of happy people

Common consensus is that happiness is elusive and hard to attain. Unpopular opinion? That is not true. The only difference found among people who are searching for happiness and those that are truly happy is that happy individuals don't go looking for pleasure in their next purchase or expensive meal. Rather, happiness for them depends on lifestyle habits and self-care.

Here are about 7 habits, rooted in simplicity, that they say could be the key to lasting happiness.

Set Boundaries

A lot of people have trouble evaluating their bandwidth, or how many people they can actually let into their inner circle without getting overwhelmed. Setting boundaries is important and saying no is a good practice to learn so that people can take those limits seriously.

Take Breaks

It is important to take frequent breaks in-between spurts of productivity. This does not mean that one should take a month off after working for a week, just that one must know how much mental and physical load they can take without getting burned out. Scheduling regular downtime is important to stay productive, interested and happy.

Create Realistic Goals

A common cause of frustration is often our own inability to set realistic goals for ourselves. We either get too ambitious and feel unproductive when we fall short, or schedule too little and get bored. Setting small, realistic goals which are challenging, yet achievable, can make us feel motivated and happy.

Music Therapy

Science has proven that music has a way of making us feel better. Even if one does not get up and dance to it (which is even better for overall happiness), music can help calm us down or pull us up, depending on what type of songs we go for. It works as a great stress buster during work breaks.

Volunteer Work

Regular volunteer work or acts of generosity can lift the spirits and make one feel satisfied and happier. It helps ground us and generate feelings of love and generosity towards fellow men. According to a Stanford study, giving can make a person feel much better than receiving.

Spend Time Outdoors

The sun is not just good for Vitamin D, it also helps increase serotonin, a hormone that is a natural mood enhancer. Fresh air can have the same effect on the body. Spending time outdoors can therefore reduce stress and anxiety and have you feeling happier in no time.

Good Friends

Humans are social creatures and spending time with good friends can increase happiness by a lot. It fosters feelings of belonging and security and helps one unwind after a long day. Going out and meeting people, as opposed to chatting on social media can be a relaxing way to end the day.