> Make commitments – and then practise keeping your word. The greatest dreams will not be accomplished without discipline and daily effort - and that process brings joy,” says the Reverend A.R. Bernard of NYC’s Christian Cultural Centre.
> End each day by recalling three moments that made you feel grateful – anything from a gorgeous sunrise to a loved one’s smile. Practise sitting in quiet contemplation or prayer, recommends Valorie Burton, life coach and author of Listen to Your Heart (WaterBrook Press).
> East nourishing food and get six to eight hours of sleep nightly. And exercise regularly – the endorphin boost adds to your feeling of well-being and may help prevent diabetes, heart disease and other illness. “Research shows that exercising three times a week for 30 minutes each session has the same effect as some of our most powerful drugs for alleviating depressions,” notes Harvard lecturer Dr. Tel Ben-Shahar, who also recommends that we give ourselves permission to be human. “When we accept emotions such as fear, sadness and anxiety as natural, we are more able to overcome them.”
> Be intentional in building strong bonds with other people. “Social relationships are a powerful predictor of happiness, much more so than money,” writes Daniel Gilbert in Stumbling on Happiness (Vintage). Indeed, a 2002 University of Illinois study shows that participants who reported the highest level of happiness also reported the strongest ties to friends and family.
> A 2006 Pew Research report revealed that those who attend weekly church services – or any faith-based events – indicate that they feel much happier than those who attend once a month or less.
> Experts agree that holding on to anger and resentment is an emotional weight that robs you of your joy. Let it go. “Happiness is spiritual peace – peace with God, with yourself and with others,” explains Reverend Bernard. In similar ways, generosity makes us feel as if we’re making a difference by creating an environment of connection and love.
> We need positive interactions for every negative, according to psychologist John Gottman, in order for us to consider a relationship a happy one. The point is: Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you, and give a wide berth to those who criticize and deplete you.

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