--- title: Happiness: 10 Steps to a Happier Life, Backed By Research description: Don't just cheer people up—celebrate their good news canonical: https://time.com/3980705/happier-life-research/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-08-04T04:01:28.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-31T08:39:03.380Z article:section: Ideas og:title: 10 Steps to a Happier Life, Backed By Research og:description: Don't just cheer people up—celebrate their good news og:url: https://time.com/3980705/happier-life-research/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8497a91c0da525a6/69885d63e20a87082ca8c8b1/friends-hugging-celebrating.jpg?branch=production&width=509&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 509 og:image:height: 286 og:image:alt: friends-hugging-celebrating og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 10 Steps to a Happier Life, Backed By Research twitter:description: Don't just cheer people up—celebrate their good news twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8497a91c0da525a6/69885d63e20a87082ca8c8b1/friends-hugging-celebrating.jpg?branch=production&width=509&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 10 Steps to a Happier Life, Backed By Research > Sponsored content. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=4653d7bd-f244-4d38-9431-6dff6e94d999&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Aug 4, 2015 4:01 AM UTC  Group of friends holding sparklers in air, at party Group of friends holding sparklers in air, at party Getty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Aug 4, 2015 4:01 AM UTC I went through a number of great books on happiness and pulled together ten research-based tips that can help build a happier life: ## 1) Cut the small talk. Discuss what matters. Via [Pursuing the Good Life: 100 Reflections on Positive Psychology](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199916357/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0199916357&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- (For more on how to be someone people love to talk to, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/02/love-to-talk/).) ## 2) Have at least 5 friends you can discuss your problems with. Via [Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465024114/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0465024114&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- (For more on how to make friends and strengthen friendships, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/11/how-to-make-friends-easily/).) ## 3) Don’t just cheer people up. Celebrate their good news. Via [The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, but Doesn’t, What Shouldn’t Make You Happy, but Does](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594204373/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594204373&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- (For more on how to avoid the four most common relationship problems, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/12/relationship-problems/).) ## 4) Write down your hopes and dreams. Via [The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, but Doesn’t, What Shouldn’t Make You Happy, but Does](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594204373/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594204373&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- (For more on how writing can help you overcome anxiety, tragedy or heartache, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/11/how-to-deal-with-anxiety/).) ## 5) Live a month like it’s your last. Via [The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, but Doesn’t, What Shouldn’t Make You Happy, but Does](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594204373/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594204373&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- (For more on what you can learn about happiness from ancient wisdom, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/01/ancient-philosophers/).) ## 6) Know what makes everyone happy and everyone sad. Via [Engineering Happiness: A New Approach for Building a Joyful Life](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520268210/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520268210&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- (For more on what the happiest people in the world do every day, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/happiest-people/).) ## 7) Join a group. Via [Engineering Happiness: A New Approach for Building a Joyful Life](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520268210/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520268210&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- (For more on how to never be frustrated again, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/04/frustrated/).) ## 8) For a happier life, set goals. Via [Engineering Happiness: A New Approach for Building a Joyful Life](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520268210/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520268210&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- (For more on what the most productive people do every day, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/most-productive-people/).) ## 9) Optimism can save your life. Via [Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439190763/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1439190763&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- (For more on how to be optimistic, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/07/how-to-be-optimistic/).) ## 10) Anticipating happiness will double your happiness. Via [Stumbling on Happiness](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400077427/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1400077427&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- (For more on how to savor the good things and be happier, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/happiest-people-in-the-world/).) **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/05/happier-life/)**_._** **Join over 200,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD)**.** Related posts: [How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/) [How To Get People To Like You: 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior Expert](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/10/how-to-get-people-to-like-you/) [New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3980705/happier-life-research/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3980705/happier-life-research/"},"headline":"10 Steps to a Happier Life, Backed By Research","datePublished":"2015-08-04T04:01:28.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:39:03.380Z","description":"Don't just cheer people up—celebrate their good news","url":"https://time.com/3980705/happier-life-research/","keywords":["Psychology","Happiness"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8497a91c0da525a6/69885d63e20a87082ca8c8b1/friends-hugging-celebrating.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8497a91c0da525a6/69885d63e20a87082ca8c8b1/friends-hugging-celebrating.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"friends-hugging-celebrating","caption":"friends-hugging-celebrating","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/psychology/","name":"Psychology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3980705/happier-life-research/","name":"10 Steps to a Happier Life, Backed By Research"}}]}] ```