C’mon, Get Happy!

Real talk: The past year and a half has been rough. After 5 zillion (yes, that’s the official number) hours of Zoom school and wearing masks so long we’ve forgotten what our chins look like, we could all use a major pick-me-up.

The good news is that experts who study the science of happiness say increasing your joy is simpler than you might think. While it’s easy to assume that it takes a massive life change to seriously improve your mood, adopting even small happiness-boosting habits can actually pay off big-time.

Sound too good to be true? To put this idea to the test, we recruited two teens who said they’d love a little more joy in their lives and challenged them to try five expert-recommended happiness habits daily for two weeks. What were these habits, and did they make our subjects happier? Read on to find out!

Why It Works: “The way you start your day really matters,” says Marline Francois-Madden, a therapist who works with teenagers. “If you get up and make your bed first thing, you’ve helped organize your space.” 

Making your bed not only tidies up your room, it can also help give you a feeling of productivity, all in about the same amount of time it takes you to brush your teeth (which, we might add, is another very important thing to remember to do each morning!).

How They Did: 
Emmanuella made her bed every day of the challenge. “I didn’t think this habit would have a big impact on my mood. But now I don’t feel complete unless my bed is made.”

Daniel successfully made his bed 12 out of 14 days. “At first it felt really weird to make my bed in . . . I can’t remember how long. But it felt great crossing something off my list first thing each morning.”

How to Do It: Smooth your bottom sheet. Pull up your top sheet. Lay your comforter over both. Fluff your pillow. You’re done!

Why It Works: “Expressing gratitude creates what I call an upward spiral,” says Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., who has studied gratitude in high school students for a book about happiness. Teens who express gratitude eat more healthily, feel more motivated at school, and experience more happiness. And, in turn, all of that gives them even more things to be grateful for, she explains. 

How They Did:
Emmanuella found 37 reasons to feel gratitude during the challenge, including “my family, vanilla-scented perfume, my glasses, pizza, clean water, a pretty tree, soft pillows, virtual movie night with friends, a bite of food after being hungry. I never knew I had so much to be grateful for each day.”

Daniel came up with 21 reasons to be grateful, including “Zoom, my calculator, my parents, my learner’s permit, my soccer team, Covid vaccines, good weather, an internet connection, sunsets, and my friends.” He reports that he’s “learning to appreciate basic things like health and sunshine!”

How to Do It: Grab some paper or open the Notes app on your phone. Did you just eat something delicious? Did someone do you a favor? Did you see or do something that made you smile? If so, jot it down! And don’t forget to review your gratitude list before you go to bed every night.  

Why It Works: Praising others makes them feel good and strengthens your bond. Plus, research shows giving compliments triggers a release of oxytocin, a hormone that makes you feel good. 

How They Did:
Emmanuella gave 14 compliments. “I’m normally shy, so it was hard at first. But I complimented my friend on his dog, my teacher on her hat, and my mother on a dress she made. They all appreciated the compliments. Then I gave myself a compliment. I appreciated it!”

Daniel gave 14 compliments. “I complimented my mom’s lasagna. She was really happy, even though she already knew it was amazing. Even when people know they’ve done a good job, they’re always happy when you point it out.”

How to Do It: Be sincere and specific, so the person knows you mean it. Instead of telling your dad he looks nice, say his haircut looks sharp. Better yet, compliment something other than appearances—your best friend’s laugh or your mom’s singing.

Why It Works: When you move your body, your brain produces endorphins, chemicals that can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Exercise also helps you sleep at night, experts say, so you wake up feeling rested instead of groggy and grouchy. 

How They Did:
Emmanuella’s favorite activity was dancing. “I haven’t had the chance to be active lately—mostly, I’m sitting in front of a screen. But I danced most days for the challenge! Some days I danced for longer than the 10 minutes just because it brought me so much joy.”

Daniel added new activities to his routine. “I’m already really active because I’m on the track team and two soccer teams. But I went for a bike ride with a friend, which was a nice way to hang out after months of only seeing each other on Zoom.”

How to do it: “Even if it’s just going for a walk or bike ride, being active should be a part of your daily life,” says Stephanie Savo, a therapist who specializes in anxiety disorders. Other great options include doing yoga in your room (check out TikTok for poses), shooting hoops, or jumping rope.

Why It Works: Studies have shown that when people are immersed in activities with no payoff other than the pleasure that they provide—in other words, hobbies—their heart rates go down and their stress levels decrease. That makes them feel calmer and, yes, happier.

How They Did:
Emmanuella watched movies, styled her hair, and wrote poetry. “I wrote some poetry, and it felt so good to channel my creativity. I also love to do my hair. Even though it’s time-consuming, it feels really good to take care of myself.” 

Daniel worked on his art, practiced driving, and baked. “I baked some blueberry muffins for my family. Baking makes me feel relaxed—and also hungry! I was desperate for the muffins to come out of the oven. Luckily, they were delicious.”

How to Do It: This one should be a no-brainer, but it can actually be hard to take the time to do something with no goal beyond bringing some joy into your life. Schedule a date with yourself each day to do something fun: doodle, skate, read a comic book, snuggle with your dog. It all counts!