5 tips: Ways to happiness: How to live a more satisfied life

It is a question to which many people respond rather hesitantly: “Tell me, are you actually happy in your life?” The answer is often a drawn-out “Well…”, as the Berlin psychotherapist Wolfgang Krüger says. Some people are simply not happy, others are partly happy. And others do not regularly look within themselves and assess their state of being, so they cannot even spontaneously say whether they are happy or not.

But what does it actually mean to be happy? And doesn’t that mean something different for everyone?

The parameters are at least the same for all people. Dorothee B. Salchow from the German Society for Positive Psychology refers to the so-called PERMA model of the American psychologist Martin Seligman. “The five letters PERMA stand for the five areas in our lives that determine whether we are happy and satisfied,” says Salchow.

The five happiness factors according to the PERMA model

The first letter in the model, P, stands for positive emotions such as gratitude, hope, confidence and awe. “E for commitment means that you have an activity that fulfills you and in which you can be completely absorbed,” explains Salchow. The letter R stands for relationships; this does not just mean partnerships, but also the interaction with other people beyond one partner.

M stands for meaning: “If someone feels that their own actions have meaning, this can make a decisive contribution to a feeling of happiness,” says Salchow. The A in the PERMA model stands for achievement: This is about setting goals for yourself and rewarding yourself when you have achieved them.

Opening up to yourself

How do you manage to feel and experience all of this? If you want to find the path to happiness or more happiness, you should look to yourself. “You can achieve this by being more mindful of yourself in everyday life,” says psychotherapist Wolfgang Krüger. Simply perceive things more consciously, let them affect you and draw the right conclusions from them.

“The PERMA model can also provide guidance when reflecting on your own life,” says Dorothee Salchow. For example: Am I grateful for what I have? Or for anyone who is doing a job that doesn’t fulfill them: What can I do to turn things around for the better – change departments, change employers or pursue a completely different job?

And: How can I improve my relationships, how can I set realistic goals for myself? If you are stuck with this self-reflection, you can turn to a coach and get methodical and professional support.

Basically, there are a few things we can do for ourselves and our happiness.

5 expert tips for more satisfaction and happiness in everyday life:

Tip 1: Slow down life

The professional calendar is full to the brim, the free time is more or less completely planned – many people live, figuratively speaking, permanently in the fast lane. “In the long run, this wears out and clouds the view of the really important things,” says psychotherapist Wolfgang Krüger. His advice: slow down life in order to be able to recognize and enjoy beautiful moments.

Tip 2: Do something good for others

Volunteering in a club, bringing a homemade cake to an elderly neighbor or giving a smile to a homeless person on the street: “Those who do something good for others often experience a lot of gratitude, in looks and words,” says Dorothee Salchow. This can also give you or increase moments of happiness.

Tip 3: Pursue a favorite activity

“Regularly doing sports or singing can release happiness hormones in a person,” says Wolfgang Krüger. The same applies to playing games or reading. Provided that you enjoy the activity in question. “You may just have to try out which activity gives you the most joy and then do it regularly.”

Tip 4: Extract happiness from small moments

Sometimes it is the small moments that bring a lot of happiness, says Krüger. For example, it could be a cup of coffee that you drink in good company on a cozy terrace. A spontaneous laugh also makes you happy. The same applies when you sit back and remember something nice. If you keep a happiness diary, you can always recall nice moments when you need to.

Tip 5: “Fill up” on happiness

“It is also possible to ‘fill up’ with happiness in a targeted way,” says Dorothee Salchow. A short break in nature is often enough for this. For example, consciously breathe in the aromatic air on a walk in the forest, let the calming sounds of nature have an effect on you or hug a tree – and take the memories of these beautiful moments with you into everyday life.

dpa