When I told my friends I was going to do something new every day for a year, some of them looked at me like I was nuts. Anecdotally, I knew I was happier as soon as I started this personal experiment, but I wasn’t sure why. When I started to write I Dare Me I put on my investigative reporter “hat” to try to figure it out.
I found one scientific study after another that supported what I learned intuitively during my year of “Firsts.” As a reporter, I always want proof. I want evidence. That’s why I included it in the book.
And here’s more: a good summary of the most recent science behind people who are happy. Click here to read the Huffington Post article.
Giving to others, appreciating and acknowledging small victories, being grateful for little pleasures are some of the things you get in the habit of doing when you start an I Dare Me adventure.
One study noted in this article says happy people DECIDE to be happy. There you go. So… decide.
Does it mean every day is going to be blissful and wonderful? Nope. It means overall, you can learn to be more optimistic, you can roll with the punches and you can learn to take some risks and get outside that box of a life that might be making you feel stuck and unhappy.
To life! To happiness! And may the Firsts be with you.
