The 8 Habits of Happy People

I've read so much about what makes happy people happy—and the things they do on a daily basis that makes them so joyful. What I know is this: being cheerful is contagious—for you and for everyone else around you. (It's hard not to smile when someone else smiles at you!)

It also brings a natural radiance and beauty to your face that can't be mimicked by skin creams or treatments. Happy people are beautiful people. This is what I call truly natural beauty.

Here, then, are the habits of happy people. Try them; they're contagious!

√ Smile. Smiling makes you happy on the inside. It lights up your face—and makes others happy to be around you.

√ Appreciate the simple things in the every day. Big victories and events shouldn't be the focus in life. It's the small victories and pleasures that we also should be finding joy in.

√ See the glass as half full. As hard as it is to look at life from the bright side, doing so will make you happier. In fact, being positive has been linked to a healthier heart, too.

√ Take time to relax. The happiest people are those who take regular breaks from daily stress. Whether it be regular meditation, yoga, exercise, daily walks, or even just taking time for yourself to do something you enjoy, taking a break from the grind will make you happier.

√ Be resilient. Knowing how to get back on track when life doesn't go according to plans is key to happy people's cheerfulness.

√ Do good—for others and for the world. The sense of helping others and the world at large gives happy people what's been called a "helper's high" — and seems to help protect them against depression.

√ Cultivate your spiritual side. Spirituality gives you a sense that there's something greater in the world than just you. This is a humbling way to think—and seems to help happy people shrug off the not-so-great things that happen in life.

√ Spend time with other people. Happy people are those who have strong social ties and close family and friends. Very simply, the more social you are, the happier you'll be. Pets help make people happy, too, because they provide meaningful social support. They add so much daily pleasure and love to life.

Also, just making it a habit to count your blessings on a daily basis can help make you happier: make a list if you have to, every day, of the 5 to 10 things that bring you happiness. You might just find your outlook shifting—for the better.

Be happy, be healthy,