Four Ways to be Happier This Summer

I recently dashed to the tent sale of a textile designer who produces gorgeous home goods. The richly-patterned items were a fraction of their usual (expensive) price, and I scooped up a bright duvet for my bedroom. Then I found colorful fabrics and pillows for every other bedroom in my house. The cheerful objects reminded me how little things can boost your happiness. As summer approaches, here are a few easy ideas to make yourself feel sunnier every day.

1. Brighten Up

When you see a bright color, your brain gets the information that something good is going on. Stopping to appreciate rich colors of spring and summer can immediately improve your mood. Evolutionary biologists say this might be a leftover response from the days when color kept us alive by signaling lush vegetation or ripe berries. Some people insist that certain colors make you calm, excited, or more attentive—but much of that research is unclear. If you want to add happiness and vitality to your house, simply look for saturated colors that exude brightness. Research out of the University of Vienna found that the connection between brightness and positivity is “strong…and universal.” Can’t get much better than that.

Bright summer colors and a good book!

2. See Something New

Any experience that’s fresh and different perks up your brain. When everything remains constant, your brain stops registering it. A change in the environment gets your brain to be active and release neurochemicals that keep life feeling vibrant. This is a great time of year to (literally) wander along a new path outside. Look around and see something different. You don’t have to be in the country to do that—take a walk in a part of the city you don’t usually visit. Unexpected sights or experiences help keep your thinking more flexible. Going to the tent sale for the first time probably kept my brain pathways active, so I got an even bigger advantage from the outing than nice throw pillows

3. Jump In a Lake (or sit next to one)

The chilly rain this past weekend didn’t keep the four children visiting our house from jumping happily in our pool. I’m more of a fair-weather swimmer so I waited for the sunshine to take my first swim of the season. After a few dozen laps, I had aching arms and a big smile. Being in or around water has been shown over and over again to increase your sense of well-being. The movements and reflections on water are interesting enough to hold your attention while still letting your mind wander—so it’s both soothing and engaging. If you’re not a swimmer, you can still get the positive effects of water. Research shows that walking or even just sitting by a pool, lake, or seaside will make you feel more upbeat.

4. Listen to the Birds

A friend visiting our house last winter brought a charming gift—a wooden box that plays two minutes of gentle birdsong when you walk by. The soothing forest sounds are supposed to help you relax and take your mind off other problems and it actually works. In several studies, people who listen to birdsong have lowered levels of depression and anxiety—and they show general improvements in well-being. Now that warmer weather is here, I like opening the windows and listening to the actual birds outside. We are always being told to stop and smell the roses, but for your health and happiness, it may be an even better idea to listen to the birds.

The paperback of my book WHAT YOUR BODY KNOWS ABOUT HAPPINESS comes out next week on June 2. Please pre-order a copy right now! Get extra copies for friends.

If you’re in the LA area, please come to the Diesel bookstore in Santa Monica on June 3 at 6:30. I’ll be talking about the book in conversation with the wonderful writer (and my dear friend) Robert Masello, so it’s guaranteed to be a fun evening!

Hope you enjoy this summer reading—and keep finding ways to feel sunny.

love, Janice