There are plenty of spots around the web to turn to if you need a mood boost. Here are a few of our favorite websites that deal with happiness and how to find it.
Remember the pure, unadulterated joy of eating an ice cream sundae oozing with hot fudge, chopped nuts, and fluffy clouds of whipped cream, with not one, but two Maraschino cherries on top?
Kids have such simple pleasures: Ice cream. A pony ride. The bumper cars at Six Flags. But as you get older, it takes a lot more to make you happy, and you start to wonder how to slip back into those innocent days before you’d ever heard of root canals or mortgages, and the most pressing matters on your mind were winning the Little League game and learning the multiplication table up to 10.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a time machine for you – but if happiness is what you’re after, there are plenty of spots around the Internet to find tips on getting the most out of life.
Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention ourselves here – after all, what could make you happier than receiving good news in your mailbox every morning? – but if you still want more, we’ll fill you in on a few great sites that specialize in positive thinking. Here are a few of our favorites.
The Happiness Project
If you read our article, “Come On, Get Happy!” a couple of months ago, you already know what writer Gretchen Rubin’s been up to – but if not, you’ll want to check out her blog, The Happiness Project. Rubin has dedicated a full year of her life to following every last piece of advice on happiness that she can find, and recording her successes and failures alike. A book about her Happiness Project will be published in 2010, but in the meantime, you can find new happiness-related life tips, quotes, and other bon mots on her site every day. Don’t miss her tip sheet on ways to boost your energy in just ten minutes, or this beautiful quote on happiness from the Dalai Lama.
Zen Habits
Another star of the blogosphere, Zen Habits is chock-full of great articles on happiness, health, productivity, and simplifying your life. In the blog, Leo Baubauta, a married man with six children who lives in Guam, shares his insights into human behavior and self-improvement with well-written articles on topics such as “Unproductivity: 8 Ways to Make the Most of Your Laziest Days,” or “75 Simple Pleasures to Brighten Your Day.” Be sure to stop in every Thursday, for the blog’s special Happiness-themed articles – but it’s well worth making this valuable blog an every day stop during your time online.
The Chief Happiness Officer
For some of us, it’s easy to be happy when we’re hanging out at home. But the horrors of work are another story. Fortunately, Alexander Kjerulf is here to change all that: Kjerulf is a master consultant in the field of bringing joy to the workplace, and has a blog called The Chief Happiness Officer, where he shares his wisdom on getting comfortable in the cubicle on a near-daily basis. For a few great tips on feeling good, check out Kjerulf’s advice on using teamwork to beat stress, or his tips on how to find a job you’ll love. Follow his advice, and who knows? Soon you may find yourself looking forward to your morning commute.
A few more great sites on happiness:
The University of Pennsylvania offers the world’s only Master of Applied Positive Psychology program, focusing on the science of feeling good. Check out the happiness questionnaires and other great resources on the program’s site.
If you’re in your middle years, you won’t want to miss all the great articles and resources at LifeTwo, a site that can help you avoid the dreaded mid-life crisis and transition gracefully through the ages.
The blog may be called Dumb Little Man, but the advice is some of the wisest you’ll find. For tips on organization, productivity, and self-improvement of all varieties, this is the place to look.