Maybe you’re feeling down because of the financial crisis. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed by holiday tasks. Maybe you’re rushing around to try to get things done before you leave for vacation. Or maybe you’re just having a lousy day.

If so, you can make yourself happier – right now. In the next thirty minutes, check off as many of the following items as possible. Each one will lift your mood, as will the mere fact that you’ve tackled and achieved some concrete goals; by doing so, you boost your feelings of self-efficacy, which can boost happiness.

1. Boost your energy.Stand up and pace while you talk on the phone or, even better, take a brisk ten-minute walk outside. Research shows that when people move faster, their metabolism speeds up, and the activity and sunlight are good for your focus, your mood, and the retention of information. Plus, because of “emotional contagion,” if you act energetic, you’ll help the people around you feel energetic, too.

2. Count your blessings. Taketen minutes to think about all the things in your life that are going right, about all the things that other people do to help you, about all the things that you’re thankful for. In the tumult of everyday life, it’s very easy to focus on the negative and to lose sight of what really matters.

3. Reach out to friends.Make a lunch date or send an email to a friend you haven’t seen in a while. Having warm, close bonds with other people is the KEY to happiness, so take the time to stay in touch. Somewhat surprisingly, socializing boosts the moods not only of extroverts, but also of introverts.

4. Perform an action that reflects your values.Do you think organ donation is a good idea? Sign up online to be one yourself; it takes less than a minute. Worried about climate change? Refill your water bottle from the tap instead of buying a couple of bottles throughout the day. The First Splendid Truth holds that to work on happiness, we should think about feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling right, in an atmosphere of growth. Living up to your values will help you “feel right.”

5. Rid yourself of a nagging task.Answer a difficult email, do an errand you’ve been putting off, or call to make that dentist’s appointment. Crossing an irksome chore off your to-do list will give you a big rush of energy and relief.

6. Create a calmer environment.Clear some physical and mental space around yourself by sorting papers, pitching junk, cleaning a closet, answering a few emails, filing, or even just making your piles neater. A large stack of little tasks can feel overwhelming, but often just a few minutes of work can make a sizeable dent. Try to get in the habit of using the “one minute rule” — i.e., never postpone any task that can be completed in less than one minute. And always make your bed in the morning!

7. Lay the groundwork for some future fun.Order a book you’ve been wanting to read (not something you think you should read) or plan an excursion to a museum, hiking trail, sporting event, gardening store, movie theater—whatever sounds like fun. Studies show that having fun on a regular basis is a pillar of happiness, and anticipation is an important part of that pleasure. Try to involve friends or family, as well; people enjoy almost all activities more when they’re with other people than when they’re alone.

8. Do a good deed.Make an email introduction of two people who could help each other, or set up a blind date, or shoot someone a piece of useful information or gratifying praise. Do good, feel good—this really works. Also, although we often believe that we act because of the way we feel, in fact, we often feel because of the way we act. When you act in a friendly way, you’ll strengthen your feelings of friendliness for other people.

9. Act happy.Put a smile on your face right now. Research shows that even a fake smile has a positive influence on your emotions—turns out that just going through the motion of happiness brightens your mood. And if you’re smiling, other people will perceive you as being friendlier and more approachable.

Some people worry that wanting to be happier is a selfish goal. To the contrary. Studies show that happier people are more sociable, likeable, healthy, and productive—and they’re more inclined to help other people. So in working to boost your own happiness, you’re benefiting others as well.

What other strategies have you tried to give yourself a happiness boost?

你(ni)也(ye)許(xu)正(zheng)因(yin)為(wei)金(jin)融(rong)危(wei)機(ji)而(er)感(gan)到(dao)沮(ju)喪(sang)，也(ye)許(xu)正(zheng)被(bei)假(jia)期(qi)任(ren)務(wu)壓(ya)得(de)喘(chuan)不(bu)過(guo)氣(qi)來(lai)，也(ye)許(xu)正(zheng)忙(mang)前(qian)忙(mang)後(hou)

，想(xiang)把(ba)該(gai)做(zuo)的(de)做(zuo)完(wan)好(hao)去(qu)度(du)假(jia)，又(you)或(huo)者(zhe)，正(zheng)經(jing)曆(li)著(zhe)對(dui)你(ni)來(lai)說(shuo)諸(zhu)事(shi)不(bu)順(shun)的(de)一(yi)天(tian)。

果真如此的話，你可以讓自己快樂起來——馬上。在接下來的三十分鍾時間裏，盡可能多地清點下列幾項。每一項會讓你的心情好一點
，就象真的解決了具體問題、完成了具體目標一樣。這種做法可以提升你的自我效能感，而自我效能感可以給人帶來快樂。

1. daqijingshen。dadianhuashizhanqilaizoudongzoudong，nengdaohuwaiqingkuaidisanshifenzhongbuzegenghao。yanjiuzhengming，dangrenkuaisuhuodongshi
，xinchendaixiehuijiakuai。erqie，huwaihuodongheyangguangyouzhuyunijinglijizhong，xinqingbianhao，jiyilizengqiang。haiyou
，youyuyou“情緒感染”
，如果你表現得精力充沛，那麼你周圍的人也會感到精力充沛。

2. 數(shu)數(shu)你(ni)攤(tan)上(shang)的(de)好(hao)事(shi)。花(hua)十(shi)分(fen)鍾(zhong)想(xiang)想(xiang)生(sheng)活(huo)中(zhong)所(suo)有(you)順(shun)當(dang)的(de)事(shi)，想(xiang)想(xiang)別(bie)人(ren)對(dui)你(ni)的(de)所(suo)有(you)幫(bang)助(zhu)，想(xiang)想(xiang)所(suo)有(you)讓(rang)你(ni)心(xin)懷(huai)感(gan)恩(en)的(de)事(shi)情(qing)。在(zai)日(ri)常(chang)生(sheng)活(huo)的(de)紛(fen)擾(rao)中(zhong)，人(ren)很(hen)容(rong)易(yi)想(xiang)到(dao)消(xiao)極(ji)的(de)事(shi)情(qing)，卻(que)忽(hu)略(lve)掉(diao)真(zhen)正(zheng)重(zhong)要(yao)的(de)東(dong)西(xi)。

3. 聯絡朋友。如果有段日子沒見某個朋友，不妨約個飯局或發封電子郵件。與他人保持溫馨、親密的聯絡是幸福的關鍵
，所以，要花時間跟人聯係。奇怪的是，社交不僅能讓外向型人心情愉快，也能讓內向型人快樂起來。

4. 實施一件能體現自己價值觀的事。你支持器官捐獻嗎？那就在網上報名成為一名捐獻者吧，要不了一分鍾。 擔心氣候改變嗎？那就用直接喝自來水來代替一天買好幾瓶瓶裝水吧。人生第一真理是：為了幸福
，我們應該把感覺良好、感覺不好、感覺舒服都當成是成長過程中必不可少的組成部份。 按自己的價值觀生活會讓你“感覺舒服”。

5. 解決一件煩心事。回一封棘手的電子郵件
；處理一件你一直在拖延的事情；打電話給牙醫進行預約。解決掉很多煩心事中的一件會讓你突然渾身是勁，心情輕鬆。

6. chuangzaogengpingjingdehuanjing。bawenjianfenfenlei
，daodaolaji，qingliyixiabichu
，huijifengdianyou，zhenglizhenglidangan，shenzhizhishirangwenjianduifangdegengzhengjieyixie。zuozhexieshiqingkeyigeizijideshenxingengduodekongjian。henduofansuodeshiqingjiazaiyiqihuirangrenmeiletouxu，chuanbuguoqi。danshi，changchangzhixujifenzhong，jiukenengjiejuediaohendayibufen。yaonuliyangchengliyong“一分鍾規則”的習慣——即絕不把任何不到一分鍾就可以解決的事情押後。還有
，每天早上要整理床鋪！

7. 為未來的快樂做鋪墊。訂購一本自己想看的書（不是那種你認為自己該看的書）或者製定去博物館
、去遠足
、去看體育比賽、去園藝店、去電影院的計劃——隻要聽著有意思
，去哪兒都行。研究顯示：定ding期qi娛yu樂le一yi下xia是shi快kuai樂le的de基ji礎chu，而er期qi待dai是shi那na種zhong快kuai樂le感gan中zhong很hen重zhong要yao的de一yi部bu分fen。還hai有you，要yao盡jin量liang邀yao上shang朋peng友you或huo家jia人ren一yi起qi去qu。任ren何he的de活huo動dong，隻zhi要yao跟gen其qi他ta人ren在zai一yi起qi，感gan覺jiao都dou會hui比bi自zi己ji單dan獨du一yi人ren時shi更geng好hao。

8. 做好事。用電郵介紹倆個互相能幫上忙的人認識
；安排不相識男女首次約會；告訴某人一項有用的信息或誇誇他。做好事會讓人心情好——確que實shi如ru此ci。而er且qie，盡jin管guan我wo們men常chang常chang以yi為wei行xing為wei是shi隨sui著zhe感gan覺jiao走zou的de，但dan事shi實shi上shang，我wo們men的de感gan覺jiao常chang常chang是shi受shou行xing為wei影ying響xiang的de。當dang你ni表biao現xian出chu友you好hao時shi，你ni對dui別bie人ren的de友you善shan感gan就jiu會hui增zeng強qiang。

9. 表biao現xian出chu快kuai樂le。現xian在zai就jiu換huan上shang笑xiao臉lian。研yan究jiu顯xian示shi，即ji使shi是shi強qiang裝zhuang出chu來lai的de笑xiao容rong也ye會hui對dui人ren的de情qing感gan有you正zheng麵mian影ying響xiang。事shi實shi證zheng明ming，經jing曆li快kuai樂le可ke以yi讓rang人ren心xin情qing變bian靚liang。微wei笑xiao的de你ni會hui讓rang別bie人ren覺jiao得de你ni更geng友you好hao，更geng具ju親qin和he力li。

有人擔心，追求快樂會很自私，其實恰恰相反。研究顯示，快樂的人更隨和，人緣更好，更健康，更富有成就——而且更容易幫助別人。所以，你在使自己快樂的同時，也使別人收益。

你還做過其它讓自己快樂的嚐試嗎
？