![]() In addition to pausing to “identify and embrace” her emotions, she asks herself if the bad day was within or outside of her control. She also reminds herself to stay curious and be gentle on herself. When she’s feeling down, Jenn Lim, author of Beyond Happiness, does things she knows will make her smile, like surprising a loved one with a gift. Some described asking a friend for a hug or letting it all out with a good cry. Other experts overcome unhelpful thoughts, anxieties, and stressors by revisiting favorite books, listening to upbeat songs, or journaling. She also counts breathing exercises, reading poetry, and watching stand-up comedy among her go-to coping strategies on bad days. Still, many of the most reliable ways to increase happiness levels are free, like meditating and practicing compassion, gratitude, and altruism. Spending money on others is also linked to happiness. As author and podcaster Gretchen Rubin put it, “Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy many things that contribute mightily,” such as exciting experiences. ![]() “And the part that is a choice is the choice to work hard at it.”Įxperts were divided on whether happiness can be bought. ![]() “Part of it is a choice, part of it is innate,” says Tal Ben-Shahar, co-founder of the online Happiness Studies Academy. Most experts landed somewhere in the middle, especially since countless external variables influence mood. Other questions we asked-like “is happiness a choice?”-sparked disagreement. “The more you notice how happy or how grateful you are, the more it grows,” Grizont says. And they largely agreed that happiness can be measured, strengthened, and taught. But nearly every expert we surveyed emphasized the same cocktail of ingredients: a sense of control and autonomy over one’s life, being guided by meaning and purpose, and connecting with others. The meaning of happiness is, to an extent, subjective.
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