Happy Hours, Happy Days

No matter our age, being happy creates more happiness--making a better world for all of us.

无论青春与否，让我们用快乐创造幸福，创造一个我们更好的世界。

Sunshine. Hugs. Good coffee. The things that make us happy are as unique as our souls. But as difficult as happiness may be to describe, its effects are quite tangible.

阳光，拥抱，和一杯咖啡,这些让我们的幸福和灵魂一样的独特。幸福是这样的难以描述，但它的作用却是显而易见的。

Positively healthy

积极和健康

For example, a Psychological Bulletin review of 200 studies linked happiness with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Marriage and family therapist Dr. Jane Greer agrees. “Discontent can result in diseases,” she warns. “Your positive keeps your immune system strong and healthy.”

例如，有一个关于200项心理学研究公告表明，幸福和心血管疾病的风险是有关联的，婚姻和家庭治疗师格雷博士比较认可：不满或许能导致疾病，但是你的积极心态或许能增强你的免疫系统

However, happiness could have bigger ramifications beyond just our own health. Happy people “affect others in such a positive manner,” says yogi Cameron Alborzian, who argues that happy people create more happy people—thus shaping a better world for us all.

然而，幸福更大的影响甚至超越了我们的健康。

Unsurprisingly, we experience happiness differently depending on our life stage. “As we age, we must evolve,” says human behavior expert Patrick Wanis. “Our needs change and so does our perspective in life.”

Babies

Ah, the simple life. For babies, happiness is rooted in the basics. “Babies are happiest when their needs arebeing met,” says Esther Adler, a licensed mental health counsellor. “This includes physical needs and emotionalneeds, [such as] interacting and playing with your baby.”

For parents and caregivers, building a nurturing environment is key to raising happy infants. But also be aware ofyour own emotions. “Our brains are social organs—mirror neurons are at play, and we carry the emotions ofothers,” says Don MacMannis, child psychologist and music director for an award-winning children’s televisionshow. “The emotional state and … levels of happiness in caregivers tie right into the same of a young child.”

Children

“A child’s happiness in the early years is largely affected by levels of stress and happiness in the home,” continues MacMannis. “Kids are happiest in families where there is love and warmth, but also firmness andstructure.”

Similarly, Adler says that young children are happy when they’re given the freedom to explore, are providedunconditional love, and have people around them who build their self-esteem.

Teenagers

As kids grow up, MacMannis reports that happiness levels are “increasingly defined by success and failure atlearning new tasks—academically, socially, and emotionally—and by their relationships with other kids.”

Attempts to impress peers, get into university, or land a good job can really weigh on an adolescent’s happiness. Having the support of family and friends, and being encouraged to exercise and eat well, can help during thesestressful times, suggests the Canadian Mental Health Association.

“No child can be happy all the time,” says MacMannis, “but kids can become happier with improved character, social, and emotional skills.” He recommends that parents teach teens the emotional tools for living well, such ashow to handle anger or manage stress.

Adults

“When we are younger, what brings us happiness is forging ahead,” says psychotherapist Christina Steinorth-Powell. For many young adults, she notes that some of their greatest joys come from reaching goals, such asbuying their first home.

This shifts when we get older. “As we age, we realize that ‘stuff’ won’t make us happy,” says psychologistSamantha Madhosingh. “I think this is why many people go through a ‘midlife’ crisis. They realize that thingsdon’t make you happy and begin to search for more meaning in their life.”

By this life stage, it’s also not uncommon for us to have experienced loss or a serious illness. “By the time middleage rolls around,” says Steinorth-Powell, “most of us have a better understanding of how fragile life really is, sowhat tends to bring us the most happiness is holding on to and appreciating what we have.”

This becomes even truer as we enter our golden years. “As seniors, we tend to be happy when we have goodhealth, a close friend, a good relationship with our spouse, and a secure living environment,” says Steinorth-Powell. “Mention these types of things to a younger person and ask them if they would be happy with just thesefew things, and most would say yes, but they would want more—a bigger home, a better career, and to be morepopular.

As we get older, we slowly learn to appreciate more of what we already have, and that in itself brings feelings ofhappiness.”

The secret to happiness

“No matter where you’re starting from, you can go to your next level of happiness,” says psychotherapist JenniferHoward. According to Howard, it starts with recognizing that happiness comes from within, not from gettingeverything you want. “Having everything we want in any given moment is closer to addiction than it is tohappiness,” she warns. “Remember, happiness is more than momentary gratification.”

Secrets to happiness

Creating more abundant, genuine happiness can be as simple as doing the following.

Give thanks

Multiple studies have shown that expressing gratitude increases happiness. “Taking a minute or two to say silentthank-yous from your heart is a wonderful and rapid way to boost your level of happiness,” says psychotherapistJonathan Robinson.

Let go of what you can’t control

Research shows we have a greater sense of well-being when we accept what can’t be changed. “Practiseacceptance of situations and people,” says Alborzian. “What is it that takes our joy away that leads tounhappiness? It is mainly our expectations that things should be different instead of accepting that they are theway they are for a reason.”

Be kind

“It’s been shown that a small act of kindness toward a stranger is a powerful way to boost your sense of well-being,” says Robinson.

Volunteer or give to a good cause

Research has linked charitable giving with happiness in adults, as did a similar study with children. “Giving backhelps us think outside of ourselves,” says Steinorth-Powell. “Rather than dwelling on all of our problems, we arereminded how good we actually have it.”

Be aware of life’s little joys

“The smaller elements of life cumulatively contribute to an overall feeling of happiness,” says Greer. A kiss fromyour child or a good heart-to-heart with a friend can do more for your happiness than you realize.

Happy Hours, Happy Days

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