Is Happiness an Emotion or a Decision?

Chemicals in your brain can make you happy: dopamine, seratonin, endorphins, etc. This article suggests ways to increase these happiness chemicals in your brain -- happiness hacks!

Try at least one a day for ten days and write in your journal how you feel after each activity. Latch on to the things that make you feel happiest.

Some of these suggestions might surprise you.

10 Hacks to Increase Happiness Brain Chemicals

1. Hug someone for 20 seconds or more. You don't have to count the seconds, but the longer the hug and the more you sink your consciousness into your heart (just pay close attention to how your heart feels, and let it expand and relax into the hug), then the greater the benefit to your happiness.

2. Exercise moderately for 20 minutes or more. A brisk walk or dancing in your living room to your favorite music that is upbeat and makes you feel exhilerated will increase seratonin in your brain and your gut. Dancing is also great for the health of your nervous system.

3. Take a high quality vitamin B complex. The B vitamins are the "brain vitamins" and help your body synthesize dopamine and seratonin. They also help your body deal with physiological stress -- less stress equals more happiness. Or, at least more equalibrium and peace which some equate to happiness.

4. Smiling leads to feelings of joy. You'll see that joy is at the very top of the Emotional Scale, and is similar to love and appreciation. These emotions vibrate on the God frequency. When you smile, pay attention to your heart. Smile into your heart and feel expansion, love, and joy.

5. Take your shoes off and go barefoot in dirt or in grass (or sand if you are near a beach). Grounding or "earthing" is a beautiful phenomenon of reconnecting to the energy of the earth. Many believe that our planet is a sentient being that gives healing energy to sustain us. Stand or sit in nature, bare skin of your hands and feet touching the soil, grass, rock, or sand. You will feel energized and calmer.

6. Eat tryptophan which is a precursor to seratonin, one of the pleasure chemical in your brain. Foods with tryptophan include chocolate, poultry (think Thanksgiving turkey), fish, beans, and eggs. Not all these foods make you sleepy.

7. Pet a dog or a cat. Animal lovers get a huge boost of happiness from petting and cuddling pets. If you do not own a pet, you should try this by visiting a friend with a pet or visiting the animal shelter. Not only does petting increase happiness brain chemicals, but it also lowers cortisol (the stress chemicals) in your body.

8. Eat healthy fats and carbohydrates. Comfort foods induce happiness both in the brain and in the gut. Have you heard the expression "food can change your mood?" The health of the microbiome in your gut has a lot to do with your mood, happiness, and happiness chemical production.

9. Breathing is something we take for granted, but if done mindfully it can increase your happiness. This is an often overlooked hack. Stop for a moment and focus on your breathing. You don't have to meditate for an hour. You just have to slow down and focus on your breathing -- even if it is while doing the dishes or taking your walk. Deeper breathing has been shown to downregulate the stress chemicals your body produces.

10. A healthy, moderate amount of sunlight activates the production of serotonin and makes a person feel happy. How do you feel when you are on a beach, swimming, walking, or biking in the sun? Sunshine has been scientifically proven to improve health, and it's so much more than just exposure to vitamin D.

Happiness is BOTH an Emotion and a Decision

Choose to try these happiness hacks and you will feel the emotions of joy, love, appreciation, and happiness. Choose these activities daily and notice the reduction of stress and increase of quality of life.

Isn't that why we strive for happiness? For a better quality of life, for longevity, for productivity, for a sense of purpose in life.

Please comment below which is your favorite happiness hack.