Thanks to Rob Deitz and Dan O’Neill’s book Enough is Enough for alerting me to the research from The New Economics Foundation. They’ve summarized the evidence and described five proven ways to increase well-being:
1. Connect – maintain close relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues.
2. Be active – take part in enjoyable physical activities.
3. Take notice – be curious, savor the moment, and be aware of what’s happening in the world.
4. Keep learning – try new things and set challenges that would be enjoyable to achieve.
5. Give – express gratitude and do helpful things for others.
My experience has been that they are all true … and the great thing is they can all be done for free.