“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
One of the best ways to create a happier life for yourself is to make other people happier.
Why?
- You see it. You'll feel happier as someone’s face lights up with joy.
- You did a good thing. You'll feel happier because you feel you have done a good thing. And so your self-esteem shoots up too.
- You get what you give. In the long run you tend to be treated by others as you treat them. Plus, the way you treat and think about others also tends to be the way you treat and think about yourself.
So how can you make someone happier?
Here are 24 quite quick things you can start doing today. Pick one and see how it can affect someone in your life.
1. Give a sincere compliment. Many positive things tend to go unsaid. So give someone a sincere compliment today. It can mean especially much if it's for something that is close to the other person’s heart. Or something he or she has been putting in a good effort with like getting into better shape for the last few months.
2. Let someone into your lane while you're driving. It can unstress his or her day quite a bit.
3. Hold the door open for a few extra seconds. It doesn’t take much of an effort but it can put a smile on someone’s face.
4. Express your gratitude for what is too often taken for granted. We may sometimes take what others do a bit too much for granted. Like the food they cook, how they keep doing their job consistently each and every day or how to they are there to listen when we need it.
5. Share some of your tasty homemade cookies. Or bread, ice cream or jerky.
6. Give away a piece of your hobby. Like a bracelet or a drawing you have made for instance.
7. Share some of your fall harvest. For example some jam, canned vegetables or dried delicious mushrooms or fruit.
8. Encourage. The world can be a tough and discouraging place at times. So encourage someone who is in a negative situation at the moment. Add your own perhaps more grounded and optimistic perspective on the situation to lessen his or her worries and perhaps exaggerated fears.
9. Tell a good – or terrible – joke. Or a funny story about something that happened to you last week.
10. Share something funny you found online. Play one of your favorite clips from a stand-up show you love if you are out of jokes and good stories at the moment.
11. Share a Spotify-playlist with the most inspiring and uplifting songs you know. Send it to a friend that needs it right now. Or share it with family, friends or co-workers on social media.
12. Give a stranger a compliment. Few things can brighten a day like getting a kind and unexpected compliment from someone you pass by or you have just met. So take a few seconds and give that to someone you encounter today and tell her how nice her shoes, hat or hairstyle looks. Or ask him where he where he got that cool t-shirt or umbrella.
13. Help out practically with advice. If a friend needs some help then ask someone you know who has been in that situation for advice. Or do a bit of online research to find what he she might be looking for.
14. Pick some flowers. It only takes few minutes but the joy lasts for days.
15. Give a hug. It unstresses and it can disrupt negative thoughts and change someone’s mood surprisingly quickly. Use when appropriate though.
16. Cook their favorite food if they have had a bad day. I know from my own life that it can really cheer me up on such days.
17. Get their favorite takeout food. If you want a quicker option than cooking a meal when they are having a crummy day. A variation on this idea is to get just a small piece of their favorite chocolate or other treat.
18. Bring something nice for the coffee break at work.Maybe some sweet fruit, like clementines. Or some fancy and really tasty tea. Or maybe something from the local bakery. This can be big cheer up especially during this often dark and cold time of the year.
19. Smile. Even if you're only spending 30 seconds on talking to the cashier in the supermarket checkout line.
20. Run an errand or do one chore for that person. It can be big stress reducer if he or she is having a hectic day.
21. Just listen. It's sometimes all that's needed to help someone out of a negative headspace.
22. Bring a cup of tea or coffee the way that person likes it. It only takes a minute while you are already up and getting a hot beverage for yourself.
23. Hide a secret note for him or her to find. A note of thankfulness. Or a note with a compliment. Or simply a note of love. Hide it in their tea container, lunch box or hat for example.
24. Bring the positivity. If you bring positivity and an open, happy and good energy into a conversation for example then that tends to spread and the two of you or more will have happier lunch break, evening down at the pub or coffee date in the crisp autumn sunshine.
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