3 Ways To Become Better At Being Happy

Struggling to keep yourself in a good mood? Here's how you can train your brain to always look on the bright side.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | April 09, 2024

If you find yourself struggling to come up with a recent happy memory upon request, you might not be the only one.

The 2024 Gallup World Happiness Report highlights the worrying decline of happiness across multiple nations. The United States has dropped out of the top 20 happiest countries for the first time, with Americans now occupying the 23rd spot on the list.

The report sheds light on the factors contributing to the rising unhappiness across different age groups. Since 2010, increased loneliness, lack of social support and detrimental emotional states have bolstered the unhappiness trend.

Here are three ways you can re-cultivate happiness, according to research.

1. Redefine Loneliness

Nearly one in four people worldwide feel fairly lonely in their everyday lives. Loneliness can create a sensation of floating untethered in a void, feeling bereft of companionship and fulfillment.

However, it is not always possible to have wholesome company to satisfy one's companionship needs. In such cases, a study published in Innovation In Aging found that loneliness can be viewed in a positive light. The top five descriptors of the feeling of loneliness according to the participants of the study were: not having anyone to talk to, feeling disconnected, left out, sad and misunderstood. However, when asked if loneliness could be a positive thing, almost half of these participants suggested that loneliness can have positive connotations in the following ways:

• Loneliness can provide opportunities for growth. Moments of solitude provide us space to reflect, experiment, explore our creativity and be our most authentic selves. No matter how non-judgmental our company might be, being alone might be the sole opportunity for us to truly connect us with our innermost world.
• There is enjoyment in being alone. Social situations are almost always accompanied by certain implicit and explicit pressures. When we are released from social etiquette and pleasantries, we can get back in touch with our childish sense of fun, wonder and curiosity.
• Be aware that the feeling will pass. The opportunity to rely on no one but yourself builds resilience. When you go through something difficult alone, you also get the unique chance to show up for yourself and prove that alone does not mean abandoned.

2. Take Time To Maintain Fulfilling Bonds

No matter how comfortable one is with being alone, nothing combats loneliness like cultivating enriching bonds and seeking social support.

However, remember friendships do not maintain themselves. We have to take time and put in effort into our platonic relationships to ensure that they remain strong and healthy. Deliberately scheduling interactions with friends creates opportunities to experience happiness amidst one's fast-paced life. Partaking in positive activity scheduling can also help expand your happiness horizon. Making plans for lunch, window shopping, playing games online or simply hanging out together and buying groceries can be rejuvenating and leave you feeling happy long after the interaction has ended.

3. Train Your Brain To Handle Your Emotions Effectively

The World Happiness Report points to an increase in negative emotions and a decrease in positive emotions as a facilitator of prevailing unhappiness. It seems as though there is an inclination toward negative emotionality due to an uptick in cynicism as a response to the circumstances we are living in. Here are three ways to help you understand how to balance the good with the bad:

1. Practicing gratitude can elevate positive emotions. Counting your blessings and appreciating the positives in your daily life enhances contentment and joy. Moreover, taking time to engage in small acts of kindness can also boost your mood and make you happy through the happiness of others.
2. Savor the good moments. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology finds that savoring experiences in the moment heightens positive emotions. Consciously focusing on the happy experiences as they are going on and savoring the contentment can help counteract our default tendency of letting good things go unacknowledged.
3. Accept negative emotions. A study found that habitually accepting emotions lowered individuals' negative emotions in stressful situations. Suppressing or denying negative emotions, such as anger, inadequacy and frustration can exacerbate negativity and lead to an accumulation of unhelpful emotions that ultimately diminish your quality of life.

In a world where we grapple with the elusive nature of happiness, it's important to acknowledge its challenges and seek out strategies to cultivate it. This ongoing process requires intentional effort and a commitment to self-care. By implementing these strategies and finding harmony between life's demands and personal well-being, you can buck the trend and move toward fostering a happier life.

Do you have what it takes to create your own happiness despite the circumstances? Take the Brief Resilience Scale to learn more.

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.