Here’s a fun fact. Did you know that happiness is contagious? You may not have realized that this is true, but I’m sure you have experienced it. Think back on a time when you were with a person that was experiencing pure joy. Kids are wonderful not only at being completely happy, but also sharing and expressing that exuberant joy. If you’re around a small child that’s laughing, giggling, and having a grand time, you can’t help but smile along. Their happiness is making us happier because it is contagious – sort of like a yawn.
Since happiness can spread from person to person, we can use it to share our joy and excitement. Use it to make a difference in how happy you feel on any given day and don’t be afraid to spread it around.
Soak Up The Happy
When you’re having a rough day, cheering yourself up may be as simple as finding a happy person. Surround yourself with positive people who are good at sharing the joy. Find your own personal cheerleaders that you can call on when you need a little boost. While watching a comedy or happy movie may help, experiencing happiness in person seems to have a much bigger impact on how you feel. Go out there and soak up the happy.
Spread Happiness Around
Not only can you feed off the happiness of others, you can also start to spread it around. We talked in a previous post about how giving makes us happier than receiving. Along those same lines, sharing your happiness will benefit both you and those around you. If you are out there intentionally sharing your joy and excitement with those around you, you’ll create a positive energy that is contagious. You’ll start to notice your family and friends smile more, laugh with you, and have a good time.
Then something interesting happens. You start to feed off their positive vibes and happiness, increasing your own joy. Keep it going and you’ll create a spiral of happiness that keeps spreading far and wide. A simple smile or a shared laugh can change the mood of an entire group of people. That’s pretty powerful stuff.
As you interact with people, start to pay attention to the mood and be aware that feelings of both happiness and sadness can be contagious. Use what we’ve talked about in this post to your advantage and where appropriate, change the mood in the room by sharing happiness. You don’t have to be exploding with joy to make a difference. Instead, take a moment to focus on a happy memory, or think on what you’re grateful for. Then show and share the happiness you’ve created and watch it travel around the room. Smile, have an encouraging conversation, become a cheerleader and work towards making the world a happier place.
