Mind & Body
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They get plenty of rest. Waking up on the wrong side of the bed isn’t just a myth. When you’re exhausted, you are much more likely to be in a bad mood. A good night’s sleep can help decrease anxiety and improve mood.
12 They laugh frequently.
You’ve heard it before: Laughter is the best medicine. A good, old-fashioned belly laugh releases happy brain chemicals that make us better equipped to tolerate both pain and stress. The more you laugh, the happier you’ll be.
13 They treat themselves right.
The happiest people go out of their way to treat themselves right and they do something nice for themselves each day. They set appropriate boundaries and take care of themselves by saying no to things when they need to. They also accept themselves as they are and don’t engage in negative self-talk.
15 They actively pursue their goals.
Goals you don’t pursue aren’t goals, they’re dreams, and dreams only make you happy when you’re dreaming. People who could identify a goal they were pursuing were 19% more likely to feel satisfied with their lives and 26 percent more likely to feel positive about themselves.
14 They don’t chase stuff.
Money is important. Money does a lot of things, including create choices, but after a certain point, money doesn’t make people happier. After about $75,000 a year, money doesn’t buy more (or less) happiness, according to a study released earlier this year. Chasing possessions tends to make you less happy.
Louisiana Has Found the Secret to Happiness Louisiana residents must follow most of these 15 habits. According to a study released by professors from Harvard and the Vancouver School last month, Louisiana is the happiest state in the nation. The results were based on data from a CDC study and weighted based on demographics and income. Six of the top 10 cities with the happiest people in the country were in Louisiana, with Lake Charles landing at number 8. Here are those six and how they ranked:
56 www.thriveswla.com
Thrive Magazine for Better Living
1. Lafayette 2. Houma 3. Shreveport-Bossier City 4. Baton Rouge 5. Alexandria 8. Lake Charles
August 2014