Raising Happiness

 

Tuesday Tip: Talk to Strangers

May 24, 2011 | Tuesday Tips | 0 comments

One thing you can do today to be happier.

Cultivate luck in your life.

Lucky people meet their perfect partners, achieve their lifelong ambitions, find fulfilling careers, and live happy and meaningful lives. Their success is not due to their working especially hard, being amazingly talented, or being exceptionally intelligent. Instead, they appear to have an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time and enjoy more than their fair share of lucky breaks.
–Dr. Richard Wiseman

Believe it or not, scientific research shows that luck can be cultivated. When we do the things that “lucky” people do, we become luckier (and happier) ourselves! Here’s a starter tip: Lucky people talk to strangers. They greet strangers in coffee shops, talk to people in lines, chat with fellow airline passengers.

This week, cultivate luck by greeting the people around you with a smile and a little conversation starter. (“Beautiful day, eh?” will work.) The bonus is that when we model lucky behavior, our kids pick it up.

© 2011 Christine Carter, Ph.D.

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