26 Ways to Be Happy (Backed by Science)

If you think about it, happiness is the ultimate goal in life. When you’re truly happy and fulfilled, what else do you need? Thankfully, science agrees on that point and shows us countless ways to improve our happiness. You can practice mindfulness, meditate, exercise, do an act of kindness for someone else, or simply hug someone – all these strategies haven been scientifically proven to make people happier.
The research also tells us that about 50% of our happiness is genetically determined. And another 10% of happiness is determined by our external circumstances (money, house, car, marriage, etc.). The remaining 40% of our happiness are determined by our daily actions and thoughts. In other words, by our behavior. So yes, happiness takes effort.
That’s where the previously stated strategies of exercising, meditating, or hugging people come in. Scientific research has unearthed well over 20 of these strategies, which have been summarized in the infographic below. If you just use some of these strategies on a somewhat regular basis, you will be significantly happier. So try them out… and become happier along the way.

Infographic source: http://www.njlifehacks.com/how-to-be-happy/