In a 2014 study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, Dunn and her colleague asked participants to pick up a beverage from a local coffee shop-half would get in and get out, and half would make friendly small talk with the barista. While close friends might be the most obvious source of social connections, even seemingly trivial encounters with the random guy at your dog park or the cashier at your grocery store can boost your mood. (Need some help expanding your social circle? Here's some great advice for how to make new friends as an adult.)

That's especially true if you surround yourself with happy people: Researchers behind a longitudinal analysis published in the BMJ found that a person is 15% more likely to be happy if a friend is happy-and that a person’s happiness can also influence-and be influenced by-their friends’ friends and even friends’ friends’ friends. In fact, one Harvard study, which followed the same group of men for more than 80 years, found that having strong personal connections with other people was most directly correlated to overall happiness, better health, and more contentment.

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“Social interaction is the thing that most reliably increases people’s positive emotions, whether you're introverted or extroverted” says Elizabeth Dunn, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. Just in case you needed another excuse to invite your girlfriends over for wine and cheese (even if it's via a virtual happy hour) experts agree that we tend to be happier when we connect with other people. Strike up a conversation with friends, family members, even strangers. Here are the best expert-approved strategies for how to find more joy-in your work and your job, in your home, and in your ordinary life-starting today. The second is the experience of frequent positive emotions, which include pride, curiosity, enthusiasm, tranquility, and joy.”

“The first is life satisfaction, which is that sense that your life is going well.

“Happiness has two components,” Lyubomirsky says. 'If you constantly remind yourself to do little things, like look at the bright side of life, eventually those habits will become engrained.'Įven better: By adding more joy to your daily routine, you may also enhance your overall well-being. 'You can absolutely improve your happiness level-as long as you’re willing to put the effort into it,' she says. The good news? While, yes, a good chunk of happiness is influenced by genetics and whether or not your basic needs are being met (like safety, shelter, and food), there’s also a lot you can do to get your joy back, even during hard, difficult times, says Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside.

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