 Hey, Psych2Goers! What is happiness? And how do we obtain it? It's a question many writers and philosophers have attempted to answer. Everyone wants to be happy. But the meaning of happiness is simultaneously personal based on what we've learned, both from others and from our own experiences. But finding it is difficult. So instead of trying to find happiness, let's create it. Here are six ways to live a happier life. Acknowledge, understand, accept, and let go of negative emotions. When we say let go of negative emotions, we don't mean pushing them away or repressing them. The first step to living a joyous life is to acknowledge, understand, accept, and let go of negative emotions. Anger, sadness, and fear are all examples. Having these negative emotions doesn't have to be a bad thing, though. For example, anger alerts you of a boundary being crossed while fear tells you that there is some kind of danger present. But when you ignore, suppress, or dwell on these negative emotions for too long, they can cause you to feel worse about yourself. These negative emotions can fester inside and create deeply rooted resentments which can alter your perspective on life, making you a prisoner to your emotions. It takes a lot of maturity and self-awareness to analyze and break down your negative emotions. Elizabeth Scott, PhD, suggests a method called tears, which stands for teach, express, accept, reframe, and social support. This distills down to learning and listening to how your body responds to negative emotions and using them to learn about yourself and to grow into a wiser and happier person. Practice gratitude If you're stuck in the toxic hustle culture, you won't be able to find long-term happiness. It doesn't matter how many achievements you have, you won't be enough to satisfy your desire, which is why it's important to celebrate the little things. Make your heart happy. Allow yourself to appreciate the little things, the things that you already have in your life. There's plenty of research linking gratitude to happiness. An article by Harvard Health states that practicing gratitude helps you acknowledge the good things in your life and can help you feel connected to something greater than yourself. Practicing gratitude forces you to look past your worries and perceived losses and to focus on the things that are before you now. If you look closely, you will find so many things to be grateful for. Gratitude instills in you a sense of contentment for the things you have and an acceptance for the things to come. One way to practice gratitude is to keep track of the things you are grateful for in a journal, starting with writing three things you're grateful for each day. Try new experiences Is there something you'd like to try out? Making new experiences is another way to live a joyous life. It gives you confidence and a reason to be proud of yourself. Having new experiences can also help you replace bad experiences. Going on vacations, traveling to exotic countries are not the only things you can do. You can simply try something new like going to a new restaurant to eat. Stay committed to what you're passionate about, no matter what. What truly makes you feel fulfilled in life? Think about what you enjoy doing and find a method to create time for it. Whether it's dancing, painting, cooking, yoga, volunteering at a pet shelter, or reading. Seeking fulfillment boosts your self-esteem and helps you realize that your happiness does not depend on other people's perceptions, or even your own. It helps you trust your strength and overcome your fears. A way to seek self-fulfillment is to work towards your goals and ambitions and try to accomplish them. It doesn't matter if they're small. Accomplishing small goals can also give you a reason to be proud of yourself. Make a conscious effort to build meaningful relationships with people who add value to your life. It's easy to lose touch with the people you care about, especially when you're too occupied with your personal and professional life. However, when people are on their deathbeds, many agree that the most important thing in life is to have meaningful relationships with others. Even if it takes time and effort, it's important that you make an attempt to keep in touch with the people you care about and don't take them for granted. 6. Share the Happiness Emotions are contagious. They trickle down through our interpersonal relationships and affect those around us. Nicholas Christakis, professor of medical sociology and medicine at Harvard Medical School, found that happiness is a collective phenomenon. One of his studies suggests that the closer whether in distance or relation you are with someone who is happy, the happier you will become. The theory sounds a bit strange, but think about the last time you hung out with a friend and how you felt after. How you both felt during or prior to hanging out are transmitted unconsciously in conversation, which then affects how you feel. The great thing about this is that happiness and other positive emotions can be transmitted and come back to you. So the more you spread happiness, the better you will feel. Have you tried to do any of these things? And how did it make you feel? Let us know in the comments below. The references and studies used are added in the description below. Until next time, take care and thanks for watching.