9 Go-To Happy Tricks that Work Every Time

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Amy Spencer, author of the new book, The Happy Life Checklist: 654 Simple Ways to Find Your Bliss, shares 9 things you can do--for free, and in five minutes or less--to feel instantly happier right now. REDBOOK.

1. Bring greenery inside. I wish I could display a fresh, beautiful bouquet of flowers in my home very day, but let's get real: who has the money or the time to keep that up? So I turn to this faster and more frugal idea: Clip some greenery from the outdoors and bring that in. Sure, peonies are nice, but so are small branches of an evergreen. Studies have found that gazing at greenery can help hospital patients heal faster, can lower crime and can enhance creativity, as it symbolizes abundance and calm. Yet another way to "go green" and get happy at the same time.

2. Freshen up what's on your fridge. Overhaul the hub of your house by switching up what's on that one simple surface. Clean off what's been there for years, then pin it full of different postcards, photographs, drawings, lists, or memories-or clear it full of any stuff at all!

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3. Play the most joyful song you can think of. It's good for your soul and heart. Researchers at the University of Maryland found that when participants listened to a joyful song, their blood vessels dilated by 26 percent, increasing cardiovascular health. And it may want to make you get up and dance, too. It's a happiness tool you probably have at your fingertips right now (on your computer or your phone), so use it! Find an upbeat Hawaiian tune, a dance track, a gospel song like "Oh Happy Day" or whatever else gets you going. Bring joy to your heart, literally.

4. Play "closet roulette." Reach back into the depths of your closet and pull out something you haven't worn in ages, then work it into an outfit. You'll either find you forgot how much you loved it (score!) or you'll realize there's no reason to waste precious closet space with it a single day more.

5. Kiss someone on a spot you love about them, and tell them why. A dimple you see when they naturally smile; a wrinkle that speaks of the ages you've known each other; hands that cook you dinners of sustenance; an arm that embraces you in love. Showing gratitude has one of the greatest impacts on our happiness. So actively appreciate someone you love today.

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6. Open up your body language. Just as our happy thoughts affect our body language, we can employ "embodied cognition" so our body language can affect our thoughts. So uncross your arms to show the world you're open to it, and when you walk, look up and set your sights on the world ahead of you and above you, where hopeful things happen.

7. Send a random text of kindness. Think of a friend who inspires you or someone you haven't seen in a year or a family member who is just all-around awesome. And send them a kind text, pronto. Like, "just thinking of you, and it's making me smile." Or, "feeling inspired by your go-get-'em attitude right now." Or "You're awesome, I miss you." Imagine how good you'd feel if you got that message? We are stronger and happier for the healthy relationships that surround us, so nourish one right now!

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8. Flip a coin to make the next decision. Research shows that with too many options to choose from, we can get overwhelmed and find it difficult to choose at all. This can lead to either "choice paralysis"--where we freeze and make no decision--or to a lingering regret over the options we left behind. Lighten the pressure on your to do list of decisions, and make the choice fun for a minute. Plus, if you're torn enough between two things, they must both be pretty darn good.

9. Live in your beautiful mess. That's right, a day full of mess can be beautiful, too, because it's your mess: dishes dirtied with a good meal, comforters crumpled from a long sleep, and sneakers in the hall after a day of family fun. Just once, don't stress about cleaning up and see the mess as a passing snapshot of a life that will be so much different a decade from now. Take in this moment, right now, and love your as-is mess for being all yours.


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