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Advice / Succeeding at Work / Break Room

Watch the Super Short Video That'll Teach You How to Be Happy

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A few years ago, a friend said to me, “I’ll be happy when I’m making at least $90,000.” This made me feel really, well, bleh. I felt sad that he felt a certain amount of money could make him feel better about life, especially because that desired salary was not guaranteed.

He’s not the only one that ties specific events or achievements to happiness—it’s fairly common. But even so, if you have this mindset, you need to try to change it. Because as cliché as it may be, happiness isn’t just about certain points in time, but how you get there, too.

At work, for example, you shouldn’t feel joyful solely when you get a promotion or a raise. You should be enjoying the time in between those moments, as well (at least for the most part). And you have more control over this than you think. Erin Greenawald, Senior Editor of Branded Content for The Muse, says happiness isn’t just a mood. “Turns out, [it’s] a skill as well, and it requires practice and upkeep in order for us to keep feeling it day to day.”

This video provides you with three extremely simple things you can do on a regular basis to hone this skill and increase your happy to unhappy ratio. Go on—give them a try!