Find Your Bliss

Reset your relationship with joy using expert-backed steps that can help you start your journey with energy and positivity.

It's an age-old question: What would make me happier? Maybe getting that dream job, finding love or winning the lottery will do it, right? The truth is, while those things might bring temporary happiness, evidence suggests that finding joy is deeper than just getting what you want in a given moment. Happiness comes from within, not from what happens to us.

"There are many factors that contribute to happiness," explains Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, and the author of The How of Happiness. "Happiness really is more internal than external, so it's how you feel about yourself, other people and the world around you. It's how you behave and think, how you behave on a daily basis, that influences happiness the most."

Happiness is an active process, something you must cultivate daily. Read on for some big and small suggestions that might just make you smile.

DAY 1 Practice self-care.

Nourishing our bodies and minds is key to being the best version of ourselves. "When we don't take care of ourselves, we're more likely to feel fatigued and I get physical symptoms, like stress-related headaches or pain," says. Helen L. Coons, Ph.D., a clinical health psychologist specializing in women's behavioral health and wellness at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Start down a path toward better self-care by adding small acts to your routine that make you feel happy, healthy, and rejuvenated. A few ideas:

Embrace relaxation. Take some "me time" with a luxurious bath complete with candles and Epsom salts. Go the extra mile with a do-it-yourself manicure or pedicure (see page 11 for tips and products).

Get moving. Try an impromptu dance party by cranking up your favorite tunes whenever the mood strikes.