One study found that people who live in cities with more green space feel better than those surrounded by man-made materials. How much better? The happiness jump associated with green space is equal to about one-third the boost in well-being that people get from being married. In a similar vein, another study found that a five-minute dose of nature improves self-esteem; green areas with water were found to be the most beneficial.
2. They live in Scandinavian countries
Okay, so your place of residence may not be a habit so much as a circumstance, but this is interesting. According to the United Nations General Assembly's second World Happiness Report, Denmark is the happiest country, followed by Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Canada. Note that all of these are generally northern countries, what's the deal? See number 3
3. They practice 'hygge'
Huh? Pronounced HYU-gah, Danes make it through their long dark winters with a healthy dose of this to maintain their position as the happiest place in the world. With no real equivalent in the English language, hygge is a cultural concept that revolves around intimacy, gratitude and family; it's a kind of emotional coziness. As described by one Dane, "It's like a feeling, and it's big at Christmastime. The candles, the food, being with your family." But it lasts all year.
4. They have satisfying jobs -- and if not, they quit
It's no surprise that workers who are happy with their work are happy with their lives. And in fact, a Gallup poll found that workers who were happily engaged and enthusiastic about work were happiest in life, with 71 percent of them describing themselves as “thriving." And it's probably not that surprising that only 42 percent of poll respondents who said they were disconnected from their work described themselves as thriving. What's surprising is that 48 percent of those unemployed6 see themselves as thriving; that's 6 percent more than those with jobs; for many, being unemployed is happier than having a crummy job.
5. They smell the flowers
No, this isn't an homage to the “stop and smell the roses” cliché; it's not about taking time for the delights in your life (although stopping and smelling the roses is a grand thing to do). It's about floral scents and the effect they have on mood. Much research has been conducted on how floral scents can influence behaviors. In one set of experiments, researchers found that a floral-scented room led to increased happiness and friendliness. One researcher noted that the floral smell is an emotion manipulator and improves the mood. "The floral odors can make you happy; floral odors promote social interaction, social approach kinds of behaviors," said Jeannette Haviland-Jones, of Rutgers University.
6. They get dirty
Commence making mud pies. Medical researchers in the U.K. found evidence that “friendly” bacteria found in soil may activate the immune system, boost the brain compound serotonin and help ward off depression.
7. They exercise
We know you didn't want to hear that, but fret not. The good news is that middle-aged women don't have to run marathons or go all-out for the emotional benefits of physical activity to kick in. And in fact, a study found that moderate intensity exercise — as opposed to intense exercise — caused more women to report later that they were in a better mood and to have greater feelings of energy, psychological well-being and "self-efficacy."
8. They don't try to be … happy?
Oops. Now that we've told you the secrets for happiness, we're here to dash your dreams. A prominent study shows that making happiness a personal goal will actually stand in the way of your achieving it. The researchers found that women who valued happiness more reported being less happy and more depressed than women who didn't place much importance on the goal.
"Wanting to be happy can make you less happy," said study researcher Iris Mauss. "If you explicitly and purposely focus on happiness, that appears to have a self-defeating quality."
So if you really want to be happy, try forgetting about it.
一项研究发现，居住在绿地较多的城市里的人比那些被人造材料包围的人感觉更好。好多了？绿色空间带来的幸福感跃升相当于人们结婚后幸福感提升的三分之一。同样，另一项研究发现，5分钟的自然疗法可以提高自尊；而在绿地上浇水是最有益的。
2，他们住在斯堪的纳维亚国家
好吧，所以你的居住地可能不是一种习惯，而是一种环境，但这很有趣。根据联合国大会第二次世界幸福报告，丹麦是最幸福的国家，其次是挪威、瑞士、荷兰、瑞典和加拿大。注意，所有这些国家都是北方国家，怎么办？见3号
3，他们练习“湿度”
呵呵？丹麦人在漫长而黑暗的冬天里，为了保持他们作为世界上最幸福的地方的地位，用一剂健康的安眠药度过了这段漫长而黑暗的冬天。在英语中没有真正的对等词，hygge是一个围绕亲密、感恩和家庭的文化概念；它是一种情感上的舒适。正如一个丹麦人所描述的，“这就像是一种感觉，在圣诞节的时候它是很大的。蜡烛，食物，和你的家人在一起。”但它持续了一年。
4，他们有令人满意的工作——如果没有，他们就会辞职
对工作满意的员工对生活也满意，这并不奇怪。事实上，盖洛普的一项民意调查发现，快乐地投入工作、对工作充满热情的员工是生活中最幸福的，其中71%的人认为自己“蒸蒸日上”，而只有42%的受访者认为自己与工作脱节，这或许并不奇怪。令人惊讶的是，48%的失业者认为自己很兴旺；这比有工作的人多6%；对许多人来说，失业比有一份差劲的工作更快乐。
5，他们闻到了花香
不，这不是对“停下来闻闻玫瑰”陈词滥调的敬意；这不是花时间享受生活中的乐趣（尽管停下来闻闻玫瑰是一件大事）。这是关于花香和它们对情绪的影响。关于花香如何影响行为的研究已经进行了很多。在一组实验中，研究人员发现有花香的房间能增加快乐和友好。一位研究人员指出，花香是一种情绪操纵器，可以改善情绪。”罗格斯大学的珍妮特·哈维兰·琼斯说：“花香能让你快乐；花香能促进社会交往，促进社交行为。”。
6，他们变脏了
开始做泥馅饼。医学研究人员英国发现土壤中的“友好”细菌可能激活免疫系统，增强大脑复合血清素，并有助于抵御抑郁。
7，他们锻炼身体
我们知道你不想听，但别担心。好消息是，中年妇女不必跑马拉松或全力以赴，以身体活动的情感利益踢。而事实上，一项研究发现，与剧烈运动相比，中等强度的运动使更多的女性在晚些时候报告说，她们心情更好，更有活力、心理健康和“自我效能感”
8，他们不想…开心吗？
哎呀。既然我们已经告诉了你幸福的秘密，我们就在这里冲破你的梦想。一项著名的研究表明，让幸福成为个人目标实际上会阻碍你实现它。研究人员发现，比起那些不太重视幸福的女性，那些更看重幸福的女性更不快乐，更抑郁。
“想要快乐会让你不那么快乐，”研究人员艾里斯·莫斯说如果你明确而有目的地关注幸福，那似乎有一种自欺欺人的品质。”
所以如果你真的想快乐，试着忘掉它。
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