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Put Some Happiness in Your Home

Happiness begins at home, they say. In fact, the more we feel that our home—our precious personal space—is a peaceful refuge from the world that truly represents who we are, the better we are likely to feel. Below are 7 easy ways to add some extra happiness to your home.1. Make your bed to start the day rightSo simple, yet so effective. When you make your bed every morning, you start the day with a sense of accomplishment and order. “It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed,” said Naval Admiral William H. McRaven, Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, in a recent commencement speech.2. Blue doesn’t cause the blues“All around the world, among every age, gender and income bracket, blue is people’s favorite color,” writes Bruce Feiler in his book, The Secrets of Happy Families. If you want calm, go for blue tones. “Blue reminds people of the ocean and the sky and is considered limitless, calm and serene.”3. Shop your own houseWe all have a tendency to think we need to buy something to make us happier. We often forget we already have what we need. Maybe you love new books, purple pens, a bright winter scarf or a comfy pair of jeans. Have you shopped your own house yet? Dig around in those closets and drawers, and you’ll get a happiness boost when you realize you already possess many of the treasures you seek.4. Dim the lightsInstalling dimmers for some lights in your house is another small change that can make a big difference. Dim lights—like those you’d see in a spa or wine bar—give your home a relaxing glow. Dim lights are the ideal backdrop for a date night, movie watching or intimate conversation. Even scientific research shows that dimming the lights in the evening puts us in a better mood.5. Have an inner sanctuaryYou need a place that makes you exhale with calm release as soon as you step into it. Maybe it’s just a corner with the perfect chair for reading or your dream garden in your yard. It could be a sunroom, a room with a view, or an incredibly comfy bed. Maybe it’s a decluttered desk or the world’s most organized garage that enhances your creativity. Make sure you have a some personal space in your home that feels like an inner sanctuary, and immediately puts a smile on your face.6. Create a memory wallSavoring positive experiences makes us happier. One thing you can do to make positive moments or events last a little longer is to create a memory wall. Hang family pictures, school banners and memorabilia, framed scrap-book pages from a favorite trip … anything you’d like to look at and think about again and again, every time you walk by.7. Fill your house with happyLast but not least, fill your home with people you care about. University of Hawaii professor of psychology Elaine Hatfield coined the term “emotional contagion,” which means we catch the mood of those around us. Create a happy home environment by choosing to surround yourself with OPP (only positive people).How do you add happiness to your home? We would love to hear your ideas! Share below!

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33 Ideas to Help You Thrive!

1. “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” – Maya Angelou2. Read Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna Huffington.3. Listen to “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson.4. Watch Selma.5. Follow your dreams.6. Download the iThrive app.7. “When I sit down to write a song, I really want the message of healing to thrive and transcend all ages.” – Jason Mraz8. Read Think Forward to Thrive: How to Use the Mind's Power of Anticipation to Transcend Your Past and Transform Your Life by Jennice Vilhauer, Ph.D.9. Listen to “Learn to Fly” by the Foo Fighters.10. Watch Unbroken.11. Get your yearly checkup!12. Download the Lumosity app.13. “I decided to fly through the air and live in the sunlight and enjoy life as much as I could.” – Evel Knievel14. Read The Power of One: A Novel by Bryce Courtenay.15. Listen to “Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)” by The Icicle Works.16. Watch Woman in Gold.17. Go for a hike with your family or pet.18. Download the Breathe meditation app.19. “A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.” – Liberty Hyde Bailey20. Read The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership by Richard Branson.21. Listen to “Wavin’ Flag” by K’naan.22. Watch McFarland, USA.23. Sing in the car—or the shower.24. “If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problems, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather than dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities.” – Barbara Bush25. Read The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer.26. Listen to “Yellow” by Coldplay.27. Watch Little Miss Sunshine.28. Bounce back.29. “If you go around being afraid, you're never going to enjoy life. You have only one chance, so you've got to have fun.” – Lindsey Vonn30. Read The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living by Amit Sood.31. Listen to “Firework” by Katy Perry.32. Locate the nearest roller coaster and go ride it.33. Read My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor.

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Ultimate Happiness Hot List

According to Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, 50 percent of your happiness set point is genetically determined. The other half of your happiness is in your hands. Use your actions and behavior to make your life happier with this roundup of happiness tips, quotes, insights, resources and gifts. 1. Wake Up Happy. “The main key to being happy is self-acceptance. It puts a smile on your face.” – Stacy Kaiser 2. Scale down and simplify. Downsizing can be liberating. Go through your possessions and make sure everything you keep has purpose or gives you joy. 3. Let go of perfection. Do you beat yourself up? Practice self-kindness especially when things don’t go the way you hoped. 4. Let your emotions happen. Allow yourself to experience a full-range of emotions, and don’t label happiness as good and sadness as bad. In the long run, you will be happier. 4. Forgive for you. Forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciliation with the person who hurt you, or condoning of his or her action. What you’re looking for is a sense of peace and closure. 5. Invest in your health. Make vegetables the center of your meal. 6. “A key to happiness is strong, intimate bonds with other people.” – Gretchen Rubin 7. Take the couple’s quiz. Being happy in a relationship is crucial to your wellbeing. 8. Get adequate sleep. A lack of sleep can result in foggy thinking and can contribute to obesity, heart disease and a host of other health ailments. 9. Create Monday momentum. It’s the blank slate of your week. Set the tone right on Monday by accomplishing something big and enjoy a happier week. 10. Connect face-to-face. Research shows that positive social interaction makes a huge difference in our wellbeing. Swap out Facebook for a real conversation in person with someone you care about. 11. Get grit to succeed at work. Have a growth-mindset and believe that things can improve, failure is not permanent and there is reason to persist. 12. Hug and hold hands. The power of touch can lower stress-induced spikes in blood pressure and raise levels of oxytocin, the famous “love” hormone. 13. “When we broadcast a happier and positive mindset, it unlocks the brain’s higher potential.” – Michelle Gielan 14. Hone your skill. Take charge of your professional development at work and invest in yourself with a book, webinar or class. 15. Surround yourself with love. Who you are around impacts your mood and outlook. Choose people who give freely with their compliments. 16. Color yourself happy. Think about the hues that give you a good feeling and use them in your wardrobe, home and workspace. 17. Model positive education. Show your children how to master challenges and overcome frustrations with an optimistic and not a defeatist approach. 18. “An act of kindness is the fastest way out of a negative spiral.” – Dan Tomasulo 19. Take a walk outdoors. This simple activity can lift your mood and you can spread your positive mood with others. 20. Plan vacations carefully. Poorly planned vacations can result in stress and defeat the purpose of your getaway. 21. Make your life extraordinary. Movie director Ron Howard says, “Happiness is about love—loving what you do and loving who you do it with.” 22. “Journal about your intention for the day.” – Michelle McQuaid 23. Go for contentment. The good is better than the perfect. Strive for a state of inner calm. 24. Discover if your job is “the one.” If it doesn’t feel like work, you might be on to something. 25. Brighten your mood. Gratitude is fuel for the soul, and it’s the ultimate emotional tonic for sustained wellbeing. Make a list of your blessings. 26. Don’t take your sense of touch for granted. When we use our hands, we activate large parts of our brains. Cook or bake something and dive in fingertips first. 27. Share your goals to be accountable. Have a support system to cheer you on or lift you up as you work toward positive change. 28. “You ensure your happiness when you give to others.” – Bubba Paris 29. Let your child make mistakes. Learn to love the words “trial” and “error.” 30. Use money as a happiness tool. After a modest level of income is reached, more money doesn’t necessarily equate to more happiness. Use money to create a life you desire. 31. Find your purpose. Your purpose is the intersection between what you are good at and care about with value and need in the marketplace. 32. Spread your happiness. Get some Live Happy notes to leave around town. 33. Skip the brooding. Excessive thinking about what you should have done differently can negatively impact the present moment. Tell yourself: I did the best I could with what I knew at the time. 34. “Happiness is the belief that we can change.” – Shawn Achor 35. Fill your mind with happy. Follow Live Happy on Pinterest. 36. Replicate your success. Study the areas of your life that are going well, and see if you can recreate that success in other areas of your life. 37. Join a community group. Belonging to something bigger than yourself can boost your happiness. 38. Plan a friendship date. Have a Friends marathon, walk and talk, or have a game night. 39. “Let go of junk from your past. If you don’t forgive, it gets in the way of your happiness.” – Dr. Fred Luskin 40. Appreciate random acts of kindness. Share the love by creating a happy moment for someone else. 41. Reflect on happy memories. Any time we like, we can boost our mood by focusing on a happy memory. Make it better by engaging more of your senses. 42. Become a dynamic communicator. Care more about the long-term outcome than the immediate gratification of being heard, being louder, winning, getting that last word, or being right. 43. Be lighthearted. It could protect your health and prevent a heart attack. 44. Find your passion. Look at your actions. Where your flow goes, so goes your energy. If time flies by while you are doing it, you are in true flow and you will create magic. 45. Send an appreciative email. When you open your inbox each day, take two minutes to send an appreciative email to someone in your social support network (family member, friend, teacher, coach, or coworker) thanking that person. 46. “Get out of your head and into your life.” – Todd Kashdan 47. Get involved. People who join a spiritual or religious community and people who volunteer regularly are shown to live longer than those who don’t. 48. Try this To-Do List trick. Break overwhelming projects into smaller tasks until your list becomes a “gladly do” list. 49. Take your kids downtown. If you live in the suburbs, drive or take public transit downtown to the nearest big city to check out the amenities and culture. 50. Take a nap. A well-timed nap can boost productivity. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes max. 51. Live in the moment. And this is just one lesson your dog can teach you about joy. 52. Don’t surrender to adversity. Figure out what you have control over and what you don’t and come up with a plan. 53. Model optimism. Create a positive environment for your kids and shape their reality. 54. Give a happy gift. Find a great gift for a coworker, friend or love. Sandra Bienkowski worked as the national columns editor for SUCCESS magazine for three years, and is widely published in print and on the web. See more about Sandra at The Media Concierge.

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The Simple Pleasures of Downsizing

"Are you suddenly single?" a friend cautiously asks me. I've just announced that we moved from our 4,200-square-foot house to a 1,450-square-foot apartment. The question made me laugh a little. In Texas, where we live, everything bigger is better. Downsizing is considered almost countercultural. Moving on down? Over the past few months, my news has been met with much confusion and sometimes suspicion. Why would anyone move from a big house to live in a shoebox? The simple answer is that we wanted to live with what we needed. Every year, our New Year’s resolution has been to ‘simplify,’ and this time, we followed through. My husband and I arrived in America from Australia 15 years ago with just four suitcases between us. We intended to have a two-year working vacation. Twelve moves and three kids later, we found ourselves settled in a large four-bedroom home in Dallas. Busy lives, busy house Our lives with three active boys (ages 9, 7 and 2 years) were as cluttered as our home. We love modern decor and fancied ourselves as minimalists. But you needed only peek at our cupboards and messy shelves to see we were far from minimalism as possible. Every nook and cranny was crammed with stuff: Books, toys, clothes, kids’ artwork, paperwork, cleaning products, kitchen gadgets—you name it, we had it, probably in multiples. It felt like we were drowning under all that stuff. There were formal rooms in the house that were never used. And even though we had a playroom, the kids preferred bringing out their toys to the living room or into the kitchen to play. We hardly used our mosquito-filled backyard, and summers were unbearably hot to be outside anyway. As we explored the idea of moving to a smaller place, we realized our home was mostly a place for us to sleep and a gigantic storage facility. The great de-cluttering We thought we needed a big house for our family, but it didn’t fit our lifestyle, and though beautiful, the house was not making us happier. We decided to move into an apartment with a pool, gym and outdoor entertaining area. The one catch: What to do with all our stuff. We arranged every item in our house into five categories: take with us, store, donate, sell or discard. The more we purged, the better we felt. There was less to trip over—less frustration telling the kids to pick up after themselves, less cleaning and more time hanging out as a family. The kids don’t even miss the stuff we got rid of. And more interestingly, they actually played more and longer with the toys they had left. Their play became more imaginative and deeper with fewer things to choose from. Making the most of a small space Less space also means smaller bills, and we’re not just talking about electricity. With a gym and pool on site, we got rid of our monthly gym membership and summer pool membership. Now all our purchases have to be intentional. That means buying less because we simply don’t have the fridge or pantry space. Our smaller space has forced us (willingly) to use every room efficiently. And because we’ve streamlined and carefully curated our possessions, everything we have kept has purpose and gives us joy. Though the simplification is still a work in progress, having a smaller carbon footprint has given us more freedom and less stress. Surprisingly, the simple mental task of asking “Do we really need this?” has filtered to other aspects of our lives and it has helped us sift through what is most important for our happiness. The phrase “less is more” couldn’t be truer. Cheryl Ng Collett is a freelance lifestyle journalist and creator of the blog ittybittyfoodies.com blog. Find her on Instagram @Ittybittyfoodies.

Well-Being

8 Simple Ways to Take Charge of Your Health

Americans today consume too much fast food and sugar, are under too much stress, don’t get enough sleep or exercise and are disconnected from others. These deficiencies can promote inflammation in your body. Inflammation increases the risk of chronic pain, being overweight or obese, and can disrupt healthy sleep patterns. These strategies will help you turn this trend around and take charge of your life. 1. Stress Management This doesn’t have to mean 30 minutes of meditation every morning and every evening (although wouldn’t that be great!). Managing stress may be simply taking five minutes out of every hour to sit quietly with eyes closed and just focusing on your breath. It could also mean getting outside for a five- or 10- minute walk around the block. You may prefer an hour-long yoga class, biofeedback or guided meditation. Whatever you prefer, make it happen. 2. Adequate Sleep There isn’t necessarily a magic number when it comes to how much sleep everyone needs, but experts generally agree that somewhere between seven and nine hours serves most adults very well. And this means uninterrupted sleep in a peaceful environment (as much as is possible). Keep your room at a comfortable temperature if possible; when your room becomes either too hot or too cold, it can disrupt your sleep. 3. Make Your Food When we cook our own food, we take greater responsibility for what we are eating and are more likely to make wiser choices. If you are someone who doesn't cook, it’s time to begin to turn that around. Even if you begin with crafting a simple salad with some store-bought roasted chicken, nuts and/or seeds with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice and a dash of salt and pepper, you’ll be off to a great start. If apathy and a true lack of motivation keeps you from cooking, then just start by preparing things you can handle. Hard boil a half dozen eggs on a day you’re not working. Wash and chop vegetables so they will be ready when you need them. Soak some steel cut oats overnight and they’ll cook up in no time the next morning. Keep plenty of raw nuts, seeds and fresh fruit on hand when you want a healthy snack and begin to act like a person who enjoys cooking. 4. Exercise Get your head in the game. No more excuses. You are no longer someone who “just doesn’t exercise.” Begin anytime, anywhere. Go for a walk. Take a swim. Hop on a bike. Give Stand Up Paddle (SUP) a try. If you fail to move your body regularly, your body will fail to thrive. Move daily, no excuses. 5. Community Involvement People who volunteer, people who attend spiritual community (church, synagogue) on a regular basis, are shown, on average, to live longer compared to those who do not get involved. Shared connections, selfless service and a sense of belonging extends our lives and our happiness. 6. Veggie Time Make vegetables the center of your meal. We prefer vegetables over fruit because vegetables tend to be lower in sugar and a bit higher in nutritional value (more antioxidants, fiber, minerals, for example). Aim for 7 servings daily. Write down throughout the day what you’ve had and you’ll be more likely to achieve your goal. 7. Sugar Needs to Go The average sugar consumption per person has increased by a ridiculous amount over the last fifty years. Today the average American consumes approximately 25 to 50 teaspoons (=100 to 200 grams) of sugar daily. The recommended consumption is no more than 6 teaspoons (about 25 grams daily). Increased sugar increases inflammation in the body. 8. Gratitude Gratitude and positivity encourage greater health and longevity. We recommend the practice of keeping a gratitude journal in which you record at least five things that you are grateful for every single day (we like to do it at night before going to bed). Dr. James Rouse is a naturopathic doctor, entrepreneur, certified yoga instructor, speaker, author, radio talk show host and Ironman triathlete. Dr. James is best known for his highly engaging "Optimum Wellness" TV segments that highlight all areas of a wellness lifestyle, balancing mind, body, and spirit. Dr. Debra Rouse is a naturopathic doctor with extensive clinical experience in nutrition, botanical medicine, women's and children's health, homeopathy, lifestyle medicine, and physical conditioning. Dr. Debra is dedicated to educating and inspiring others to take charge of their health through community outreach seminars, articles, retreats, radio, and creating healthy recipes.

Lifestyle

Rosemary Sea Salt Shortbread Cookies

Rosemary Sea Salt Shortbread. Servings: 12 Ingredients 1 stick unsalted butter, softened ¼ cup sugar ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 cup all-purpose flour Pinch of sea salt, plus more for sprinkling on top Make the cookies Preheat your oven to 375 F. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar, rosemary and pinch of salt. Set the mixer to medium and slowly add the flour into the butter mixture until it comes together as a firm dough. Form the dough into a ball, and wrap loosely with plastic wrap. Use your hands to roll the ball into the shape of a log. Pop the dough into the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes or until it hardens enough to slice into ¼-inch rounds. Place the rounds on a sheet pan, and sprinkle each cookie with coarse sea salt. Bake until they become light-golden brown, about 20 minutes. Note: You can easily double or triple this recipe and freeze the dough until you're ready to bake. Simply defrost, slice and pop your cookies into the oven! For more on Chrissy Carter, see the article 5 Tips for Holiday Bliss. Follow Chrissy at chrissycarter.com.

Chrissy Carter finds peace during the holidays

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5 Tips for Holiday Bliss

The holiday season has always been my favorite time of year. When I reflect on my childhood, I remember the family traditions that made me feel at home within myself, such as decorating our house, helping my mother cook a special holiday meal and wrapping our homemade gifts. Even today, I love the holidays because they celebrate what matters most in life.Despite my healthy dose of holiday spirit, I’m often forced to face the (holiday) music: Rather than savoring the season, we can find ourselves slipping into survival mode as we try to keep our heads above water. In the midst of it all, our beloved rituals are thrown overboard to keep the life raft afloat.We may not be able to lighten our social calendar or shorten our to-do lists, but we can learn how to remain calm in the midst of the madness. So I want to share several of my favorite ways for keeping holiday stress at bay and staying connected to the magic of the season.1. Connect to the momentSome of my fondest memories from childhood involve helping my mother in the kitchen during the holidays. Cooking can be a therapeutic release, giving us mental space and clarity by getting us out of our heads, engaging our senses and helping us connect to the moment.Another way to engage in the holiday spirit is to create homemade decorations for your house, such as fragrant pomander balls.2. Sacred SpaceIt can be challenging for us to stay grounded when we’re feeling overwhelmed, so I encourage you to create a space in your home filled with photos and special objectsthat remind you of what’s most important in our lives.Each day, light a candle, and spend a few moments focusing on the significance of your display. Connect to each object, and contemplate how it makes you feel.3. Gift wrappingWrapping gifts can feel like a chaotic race to the finish of the holiday season, but with a little planning and some simple supplies, like craft paper, kitchen twine and a small bunch of wintergreens, this to-do can become an opportunity to connect with the creative process and create a natural, beautiful presentation for your gifts. Instead of a chore, think of wrapping as a hands-on craft project that can be fun and also rewarding when you see the faces of the recipients.4. Mindful meditationWherever our lives take us, we can reap the benefits of mindful meditation by following these simple steps:Close your eyes and take a few moments to observe your breathing.Scan your body and relax where you can.Visualize the special place you created in your home.See that space in your heart, and allow each photo and object to root you more deeply in what ís most important to you.Fill yourself with the positive emotions that arise from contemplating the things you love.5. Restorative yogaRestorative yoga invites the body to practice what it does naturally: renew. This type of yoga can initiate our relaxation response, redirecting our bodies’ energy to their housekeeping chores, such as digestion and elimination.The Floating Pose can help relieve our feelings of anxiety because when the front of the body faces the floor, it creates a feeling of safety and cues the nervous system to relax. When you’re overwhelmed, this pose will meet you where you are.A Restorative Twist stretches the muscles of the lateral torso and rib cage, encouraging a freer breath.And the Reclined Bound Angle opens the front of the body, inviting us to surrender to relaxation and inner calm. Each of these poses can be held for up to 10 minutes.Chrissy Carter is a yoga instructor and lifestyle expert. She teaches yoga and trains teachers at YogaWorks in New York City, as well as on GaiamTV.com and on two popular Gaiam DVD. Find our more about her work, life and inspirations at chrissycarter.com

Well-Being

6 Tips for Beating the Holiday Blues

The holidays can be a time of great joy. Ideally, the end of the year is a time of reflection and fun with family and friends. But for some, instead of holiday bliss, the stresses and obligations of the season bring on the holiday blues. Why would people get depressed during such a “happy” time? There are plenty of reasons. While celebrating, we are also likely to reflect on loved ones who are no longer here. In addition, we might feel obligated to “make the rounds,” traveling miles to attend family functions. With so many parties and big meals, this is also a time when we tend to overindulge in food and drink. It might be fun in the moment, but can lead to regret and even a sense of guilt or shame. Others might go a little overboard with gifts—for themselves and others. We max out credit cards, which leads to its own kind of financial hangover. All of this can drain our happiness during the holidays and lead to feelings of being overwhelmed or out of balance. Here are some things you can do to keep the blues at bay and to thrive during this season. 1. Reach out The holidays are a time to lean on your support system and talk to folks about how you feel. Don’t let geographic isolation hinder you; be creative in ways to connect with family and friends. Technology has given us many tools to use to stay connected, but sometimes we can feel isolated even when we're online. Pick up the phone and actually call someone. Better yet, throw a casual event at home and invite over people you’ve been meaning to see. 2. Give back There are plenty in need during the holiday. Spend some time exploring ways you can give back and assist others through the holidays. Find something that involves the whole family; these opportunities can lead to a greater sense of gratitude for the blessings in our own lives. Be a blessing yourself; serving others takes your eyes off your own struggles and puts things in perspective. 3. Remember the great times This may be the first holiday you are celebrating without a loved one. Take this time to highlight and remember what was great about that person. Reminisce about the good times and talk to other family and friends that suffered the same or similar losses. The holidays are a great time to get with others to talk about joyful times from the past, as well as creating new memories in the moment. 4. Keep spending in check There is no shortage of opportunities to spend money during the holidays. Be careful to set a budget and do your best to stick within it. Plan accordingly and use your imagination to come up with ways to create awesome memories at a low cost. Get creative and make some of your gifts this year. The time spent in building and creating something will be appreciated by your family. For white elephant gift exchange parties, set dollar limits for the gifts so people don't feel like they need to out-do each other. 5. Kick the comparisons Many take to the holidays with an observant eye, constantly looking at what others are doing and comparing their lifestyles. Focus on the awesome things in your life and celebrate the successes of others. You are where you are for a reason. Don’t get overwhelmed by the fact that others may have or do more. Enjoy your family; really connect during conversation by listening to what others are saying and appreciating the people that are around you. 6. Take care of yourself During these dark and chilly months, make sure you get your fair share of sunlight and exercise. Get outdoors as much as possible and soak in the scenery. It's tempting to hibernate, but try to stay active. Get to the gym for some cardio at least three times a week. This will keep your spirits up—and you won’t feel as bad about the second serving of dressing! With all of the fun to be had over the holiday season, make sure you stay well-rested. A good night’s sleep helps improve your mood, and gives you more energy to engage and connect with others. Happy Holidays! Dr. Clarence Lee is an author, speaker, physician and entrepreneur. To learn more about Dr. Lee, visit www.cmleejr.com.

Well-Being

Wake Up Happy: Series 3

As a thank you for being part of our Wake Up Happy series we wanted to do something special for you.So we are providing you with immediate access to our inspiring Wake Up Happy Series 3 conversations--at no cost.Listen in on five powerful interviews with New York Times best-selling authors and experts in the fields of happiness and positive psychology. These insights and strategies to make your life better are now at your fingertips; no matter what time of day. Plus we're including transcripts and info-graphics of each session!We hope you'll find these interviews inspiring and helpful. Thank you again for being part of our Wake Up Happy series.Listen in as Debbie Gisonni, New York Times best-selling author of The Goddess of Happiness, healthy lifestyle advisor and corporate leader, talks about how Self-Love & Happiness. Tune in as Louisa Jewell, Founder and President of the Canadian Positive Psychology Association, a speaker and author who spreads the word about the science of happiness through her workshops, talks and webinars with audiences around the world, talks about Flourishing with Confidence. Catch Bubba Paris, three-time Super Bowl Championship winner, founder of Paris Enterprises and Friends of the Homeless, talks about how to Take Control of Your Happiness. Join in as Louis Alloro, a change-agent working with individuals and networks in systems to enable positive evolution, talks about Enabling Positive Evolution. Get excited as Dr. Fred Luskin, Director of the Stanford Forgiveness Projects, Senior Consultant in Health Promotion at Stanford University, and Professor at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, talks about Forgiveness & Happiness. body{ background-color:#FFFFFF; }

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7 Ways to Be Happier Now

Happiness is about the journey, not about destination; it’s about how you live your life each day. Some articles you may have missed with a few ideas for adding a little more gratitude, mindfulness and joy into your usual routine.1. Practice self-nurturingTake a yoga class, dance in your kitchen to favorite music, get a mani/pedi or go for a walk in nature. Actively investing in your physical well-being can make your thoughts about yourself more nurturing, too. Learn more ways to focus on being the best you.2. Have a values check-inDo you have a feeling of meaning and purpose in your life? This quiz will help you find out. If you don’t like your score, you might want work on nurturing your relationships, being compassionate and giving back to others—all of which have been shown to have an impact on our own wellbeing. Take the quiz now.3. Look at Mondays in a new wayWhat would your day look like if you felt fabulous at the end of it? What project can you tackle on Monday to start your week super-charged and set the tone for a wonderful week? Don’t dread Mondays, show ‘em some love instead. Put the fun back in your Monday now.4. Call in the superfoodsCertain foods like olive oil, nuts, sweet potatoes and kale have been shown to contain mood-boosting nutrients. Not to mention these ingredients are incredibly healthy for you, and taste delicious when cooked with a little finesse. Four easy-to-make recipes.5. Tap into hopeIn order to be truly happy, you need something to hope for. We have 31 ways you can rediscover a greater sense of hope in your life.6. Find a happy highlight of the dayTake a few minutes every day to write down one positive experience that occurred over the past 24 hours. Enjoy the positive emotions from reliving that event, and look for patterns you can repeat to bring about more happiness. Read more on achieving happiness despite everyday challenges.7. Wake up happyTune in to experts’ advice on how to start your day happy. Don’t get stuck ruminating on negative thoughts. Take responsibility for your own happiness by putting yourself in situations that bring you great joy and choosing love over fear. Try this positive mantra: “You are doing your best.” Sign-up for our free Wake Up Happy! series.

Put Some Happiness in Your Home

33 Ideas to Help You Thrive!

Ultimate Happiness Hot List

The Simple Pleasures of Downsizing

8 Simple Ways to Take Charge of Your Health

Rosemary Sea Salt Shortbread Cookies

5 Tips for Holiday Bliss

6 Tips for Beating the Holiday Blues

Wake Up Happy: Series 3

7 Ways to Be Happier Now

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