Greater Good - The Science of a Meaningful Life

Playdates are not just for kids! When I’m feeling down and looking for a happiness pick-me-up, this is my go-to feel-better solution (maybe because my friends make me laugh).

Although I seek my friends out when I need to talk about a problem I’m having, sometimes we need to turn away from our difficulties for a little while and just play. In this case, seek out friends not to tell them all the reasons why you’ve been feeling badly, but rather to have some fun. The idea is to goof around a little.

© 2011 Christine Carter, Ph.D.

Become a fan of Raising Happiness on Facebook.
Follow Christine Carter on Twitter
Sign up for the Raising Happiness monthly newsletter.

My grandmother always told me that getting outside for a little walk could clear our heads and lift our spirits; now we have plenty of neuroscience to show that she was, of course, correct!

When we’ve been feeling angry or had a “fight or flight” response, physical activity can help us feel better by clearing the adrenaline out of our system. Like happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky says: Exercise—even just a little walk around the block with the dog or the baby—may just be the best short-term happiness booster we know of.

© 2011 Christine Carter, Ph.D.

Become a fan of Raising Happiness on Facebook.
Follow Christine Carter on Twitter
Sign up for the Raising Happiness monthly newsletter.

Laughter lowers stress hormones (even the expectation of laughter can do this) and elevates feel-good beta-endorphins. For this reason, find something that reliably makes you laugh, and keep it handy.

For me, it’s watching my kids laugh (especially my daughter Molly, who is tiny but has a belly laugh as big as the Buddah’s). All I do when I need a laugh is let them watch a few funny animal videos on YouTube or Animal Planet. They immediately dissolve in laughter, which then lifts my spirits when I laugh at them laughing!

What will you do to laugh today?

© 2011 Christine Carter, Ph.D.

Become a fan of Raising Happiness on Facebook.
Follow Christine Carter on Twitter
Sign up for the Raising Happiness monthly newsletter.