Skip to content

Top Navigation

Food & Wine Food & Wine
  • Recipes & Cooking
  • Drinks
  • Travel
  • Holidays & Events
  • News
  • F&W Classic
  • Video
  • Kitchen & Home
  • F&W Pro

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Wine Club
  • Podcast
  • Food & Wine Books this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Food & Wine

Food & Wine Food & Wine
  • Explore

    Explore

    • F&W Cooks

      F&W Cooks

      Food and Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and delicious ideas online. Read More
    • Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes

      Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes

      Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. Read More
    • 50 Affordable Wines You Can Always Trust

      50 Affordable Wines You Can Always Trust

      We’ve assembled a list of 50 of the world’s most reliable, inexpensive wines – bottles that offer amazing quality for their price year in and year out. Read More
  • Recipes & Cooking

    Recipes & Cooking

    See All Recipes & Cooking
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Comfort Food Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Vegetable Recipes
    • Pasta & Noodle Recipes
    • Chefs
    • Meat & Poultry Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Fruit Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Special Diets
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Steal This Trick
  • Drinks

    Drinks

    See All Drinks
    • Wine
    • Cocktails & Spirits
    • Coffee Drinks & Recipes
    • Juices
    • Beer & Brews
    • Champagne & Sparkling Wine
    • Tea Recipes & Ideas
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    • Wine Regions
    • Restaurants
  • Holidays & Events

    Holidays & Events

    See All Holidays & Events
    • Valentine's Day
    • Halloween
    • Passover
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • Gifts
    • Super Bowl
    • Easter
    • Thanksgiving
    • New Year's Eve
    • Holiday Entertaining
  • News
  • F&W Classic
  • Video
  • Kitchen & Home
  • F&W Pro

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Wine Club
  • Podcast
  • Food & Wine Books this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

LIVE
  1. HomeChevron Right
  2. healthChevron Right
  3. The Best Advice From the Happiest People on the Planet

The Best Advice From the Happiest People on the Planet

By Food & Wine
Updated May 22, 2017
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
spicy sex
Credit: Getty Images
Looking to boost your mood for the rest of your days? Here's some feel-good advice from some of the happiest people on the planet.— Kate Rockwood, Health.com
Start Slideshow

1 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

How to be happy

happy advice
Credit: Getty Images

Psst! Here's a secret that could make even a pessimist smile: Minor shifts in your regular habits can add up to serious joy. We've collected tips and insights from sunny personalities (famous and not) to help you discover more moments of pleasure in your everyday life.

1 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Streamline your mornings

streamline morning
Credit: Getty Images

"The beginning of your day shapes how you feel the rest of the time. If you start out discombobulated, it's tough to clean your mental palate and begin again. So look at your morning patterns and think about what the snags are—the moments that make you scramble. Are you always struggling to find your keys? Commit to putting them in the same place. Are you always a little late to work? Time your commute for a week. If it really takes 27 minutes, giving yourself only 20 to get there will leave you feeling rushed."

—Gretchen Rubin, author of the best-selling Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits ($10, amazon.com)

2 of 16

3 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Love the skin you're in

love yourself
Credit: Getty Images

"When you're larger-bodied, you're taught to approach physical activity thinking, 'This is not for me.' But when you talk to yourself like that, you don't stand much of a chance.

The first time I did yoga, I was 16, and it felt so new and scary. I really got beaten down. It wasn't until years later that I realized how big a role I had played in my own miserable experience. It took me seven years to even try yoga again.

We're all so obsessed with how others see us. I've been asked, 'What if people stare at me?' They're going to. They just are. But you have to check yourself: 'Why am I here? To worry about all the body issues other people are projecting onto me? Or to do my own thing and exercise?' I just ignore the looks and focus on my practice. If you empower other people's judgment and negativity, it brings you into their mental space. I want to live my life so out loud that I don't give a f--k if anyone is staring."

—Jessamyn Stanley, the yoga teacher behind the inspiring Instagram account @mynameisjessamyn

3 of 16

Advertisement

4 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Don't save your good undies for date night

undies pretty
Credit: Getty Images

"Underwear is the first thing you put on in the morning and the last thing you take off, so it should be something you love to wear. I think of a pretty bra and panties as a way to take care of myself. They help you feel comfortable, sexy, and luxurious. If someone else is lucky enough to see them? That's even better!"

—Heidi Klum, creative director of Heidi Klum Intimates

4 of 16

5 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Flex your nostalgia

nostalgia
Credit: Getty Images

"When we study cultures from around the world, we find that the happiest people tend to have a connection to their ancestors and know where they come from. We humans get deep joy from feeling like we're part of a continuum. One surefire way to work in daily flashes of joy is to create what I call a 'pride shrine': Take pictures and memorabilia—a photo of your grandmother as a little girl, your kid's drawing, a seashell from the summer house you escape to with friends—and put them someplace you walk by every day. I have a pride shrine right outside my bedroom, and every day, I tend to linger on whatever catches my eye."

—Dan Buettner, National Geographic Fellow and author of The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest ($5, amazon.com)

5 of 16

6 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Invite people over

invite people
Credit: Getty Images

"I get such happiness from hosting friends, and I've learned that the parties I love most are the ones where you can take your shoes off, like a casual dinner party or a game night. I like having some sort of shared activity. We did a clambake recently, and it took the pressure off of making small talk."

—Lauren Conrad, fashion designer and author of Celebrate ($19, amazon.com)

6 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Make room for the not-so-happy feelings, too

sad feelings
Credit: Getty Images

"When someone asks how my day at the hospital was, I feel like I could either dump for 15 minutes and kill the conversation or keep it superficial and say, 'Fine.' It's easier to keep it superficial. But you can't be superficial with yourself. Sometimes at the end of one of those hard days, I'll want to work out or take my dogs to the park. Other times I'll shower and have a good cry. As sad as that sounds, it's a release of emotion. Allowing space for my sadness lets me move forward. After five years of taking care of sick kids, there are still more days that I come home feeling happy and deeply satisfied than not."

—Aileen Griffin, RN, a pediatric intensive care nurse at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago

7 of 16

8 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Halt a stress spiral

stress spiral driving
Credit: Getty Images

"The things that we fret about are often the things that are outside of our control: 'My plane is late, I'll miss my connection, I don't know what's going to happen next.' When I notice my thoughts starting to spin out of control, I say to myself, 'Something will happen.' It's a reminder that I can't figure out what that will be, exactly. But I'll still be OK. Something will happen. There's no sense in worrying that I'm going to evaporate in the meantime."

—Sharon Salzberg, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Mass

8 of 16

9 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Pencil in time for pleasure

plan pleasure
Credit: Getty Images

"Even if you work 60 hours a week, you probably still have time to do the things you love. The trouble is, most busy women assume they don't. So they make nebulous goals for some distant future, like 'Exercise more' or 'Catch up with friends.' That doesn't help.

But if you decide you want to grab coffee with your neighbor Beth, that's a very clear goal and you're more likely to do it. You'll call Beth and pick a date. When I studied the time logs of professional women, I realized that planning specific activities was key.

This Friday, take 10 minutes to set priorities for the next week. Then look at your calendar. You want to exercise more? How about a spin class on Tuesday at 7 p.m.?"

—Laura Vanderkam, author of I Know How She Does It ($19, amazon.com)

9 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Act like a big shot

act important
Credit: Getty Images

"If you have an extra $20 to burn, our research suggests that you can get even more joy from the money if you spend it on someone else. And, ideally, you'd spend it in a way that allows you to see the difference your generosity is making. Treat a co-worker to coffee, or take a friend who's in a rough patch out to a meal. You'll make them feel good—which will make you feel good."

—Elizabeth Dunn, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia and author of Happy Money ($8, amazon.com)

10 of 16

11 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Smile at a stranger

smile at stranger
Credit: Getty Images

"Children in preschool get so happy about the littlest things. When they're squeezing orange juice, they're excited about how much they've squeezed. When they're growing pumpkin seeds, they're amazed by every half inch. It's a constant 'aha!' reminder about the uplifting impact even small moments can have. So I make it a point to try to brighten someone else's day. I might compliment the store clerk's sweater or stop to chat with a homeless woman. I might offer a smile to a stranger—and wind up getting one back."

—Darla Pulliam, a preschool teacher at Culver City Unified School District's Center for Early Education in California

11 of 16

12 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Love a plant

love plant
Credit: Getty Images

"I find that having some greenery in my space gives me a little spirit boost. Try an autograph plant. They grow in sun or shade, in droughts or floods—and they're gorgeous. The real deal is awesome, but you can get the same lift from faux greenery. I have two dozen white tulips in a beautiful vase with water right now, and they make me smile every day. They're also fake as hell."

—Alison Victoria, host of HGTV's Kitchen Crashers

12 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Enjoy your job, even if it's not your one true calling

enjoy job
Credit: Getty Images

"We hear all the time that we should follow our passions. But new research shows that people who believe that and aren't currently in their dream job are more likely to be depressed. The truth is, you can be happy in a lot of jobs. It's often perspective that separates happy co-workers from those who are constantly thinking that life sucks. And when people are in a job long enough to become an expert at it, they typically find that it becomes their passion.

To enjoy the job you're stuck in now, start by writing down three new things every day that you're thankful for at work. Sure, maybe you have a colleague you can't stand. But you got to work from home on Friday and your boss complimented your last report and someone left a box of doughnuts in the break room. We have a bias toward negativity that hard-wires us to focus on the bad stuff. But writing down a list of the good things can boost our resilience and our happiness."

—Emma Seppala, PhD, science director of Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education and author of The Happiness Track ($17, amazon.com)

13 of 16

14 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Prioritize movement

prioritize movement
Credit: Getty Images

"My calendar gets very busy really quickly, but I know that my days don't work unless I find at least some time to be active. I schedule it in like a meeting, and then I have a backup plan in my mind (and on some days a backup plan for the backup plan) just in case conflicts come up. I get this energy from being active that I don't get from anything else. My body craves movement, and it inspires me. Sometimes I even go to a fitness class in the middle of the day just to get my brain working better."

—Payal Kadakia, co-founder and CEO of ClassPass

14 of 16

15 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Replace a bad habit

replace habit
Credit: Getty Images

"With a negative habit, you've got a billion neurons that are used to heading in the same direction, encouraging you to eat the ice cream or gossip with your co-worker or view the glass as half empty. If you want to stop a certain tendency, you have to fill the gap with a new behavior.

Let's say you're a natural complainer with your running buddy. Try starting the run by talking about something positive instead. Research shows that the beginning of a conversation predicts the ending. So with that simple shift, you're off on a different path.

Another tip: Make the new habit as easy as you can. The biggest barrier to starting a new behavior is the energy needed at the outset, like digging your guitar out of the closet before you practice. But if you shave just 20 seconds off the time it requires, the habit is more likely to stick. So move that guitar to a stand right next to the sofa. When you stack the cards in your favor, you'll start defaulting to the habit you want."

—Shawn Achor, a happiness researcher and author of The Happiness Advantage ($15, amazon.com)

15 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 16

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Keep sex spicy

spicy sex
Credit: Getty Images

"In the beginning of a relationship, there is so much mystery and novelty that the newness provides the mental stimulation piece of sexual arousal. Once the neurochemical cocktail of early attraction wanes, people think, 'What now?'

Try to think of sex like food. When it comes to eating a balanced diet, you have a pyramid filled with variety. Sex also has some basic groups: sex that's about emotional intimacy, sex that's a quickie, sex that's really about fantasy, sex that's about the different senses. Consider what's on your personal sex menu—things you always like, but also things you only sometimes like and things you'd like to try. Just talking about it with your partner can heighten your arousal even before you get to the bedroom."

—Ian Kerner, PhD, a sex counselor in New York City and founder of the site Good In Bed

16 of 16

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Food & Wine

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 16 How to be happy
    2 of 16 Streamline your mornings
    3 of 16 Love the skin you're in
    4 of 16 Don't save your good undies for date night
    5 of 16 Flex your nostalgia
    6 of 16 Invite people over
    7 of 16 Make room for the not-so-happy feelings, too
    8 of 16 Halt a stress spiral
    9 of 16 Pencil in time for pleasure
    10 of 16 Act like a big shot
    11 of 16 Smile at a stranger
    12 of 16 Love a plant
    13 of 16 Enjoy your job, even if it's not your one true calling
    14 of 16 Prioritize movement
    15 of 16 Replace a bad habit
    16 of 16 Keep sex spicy

    Share options

    Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

    Login

    Food & Wine

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Food & Wine
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • Content Licensing

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Other Meredith Sites

    Other Meredith Sites

    • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
    • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
    • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
    • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
    • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
    • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
    • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
    • Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
    • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
    • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
    • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
    • More this link opens in a new tab
    • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
    • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
    • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
    • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
    • Parents this link opens in a new tab
    • People this link opens in a new tab
    • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
    • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
    • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
    • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
    • Shape this link opens in a new tab
    • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
    • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
    • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
    • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
    MeredithFood & Wine is part of the Meredith Corporation Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.foodandwine.com

    View image

    The Best Advice From the Happiest People on the Planet
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.