5 Facts about your happiness

“That’s life!” says my grandma whilst she is watching sad or upsetting movies. “That’s life!!” she says when she is watching TV programs where everyone is shouting at each other whilst trying to work out who is the father of the newbo baby. Yes, this might be ‘Life’ for many people, but your life doesn’trnhave to involve as much drama as you see in those movies and TV programs. Generally the way that most things happen in your day to day life is of your own making. Life can be like this, you might feel happy one day and then upset the next day, and this is totally normal. If you like to read books about self-improvement (as I do) then you might try to make most ofrnyour days positive and happy no matter what happens. But even if you do this, nobody can guarantee you each day to be a happy day. However, in this article I suggest you to have a look at the following facts about happiness. Try to remember them and follow the advice that goes with each fact and your life can become happier and more joyful! 1. Researchers have found that when you hug a person you love, whether it is a member of your family, your dearest partner or a close friend, your brain tells your body to produce hormones ofrnpositive emotions (e.g. oxytocin). So, go on, hug them, what are you waiting for? 2. Your overall feeling of happiness can increase by as much as 20% if you devote 20 min (2-3rntimes a week) to a sport activity, dance or even if you listen to pleasant music (whatever that might be for you!) 3. When you play with your pet you feel better, not only do you feel happier whilst doing so, but your blood pressure goes down and your immune system becomes stronger. Did you want tornget a cat or dog for ages? Well maybe now is the time! 4. Researchers have also found that if you have a person that you love deeply in your life (e.g. partner, husband/wife), then you would feel happier than those who are single. This applies even to those who argue with each other from time to time. 5. People who can live ‘in present’ (or ‘in the now’ as they New Age gurus say), feel overall much happier than those who worry about their future or haunted by the troubled past. Learn how tornlive “in the now”. There are many good books on the subject, for example, ‘The Power of Now’ by Ekchart Tolle. What is happiness? Psychologists also add that when you help others, you feel happier. When you feel that others are in need of your help and service, you then better understand the meaning of your own life, and you get energized with positive emotions. So follow the advice above: make time for exercisern(or dance), listen to good music as often as you can, play with your pets, hug your loved ones whenever you can, volunteer to help your neighbor or the charity you like, and live “in the present”, and your life with simply flourish! Reference: Lisa (Russian Magazine), Feb, 2012.