Courtesy of Good News Network
Editor’s note: Everyone could use a little more happiness, right? I will be sharing “good news” stories with our readers. This was originally printed by Good News Network, the #1 website for positive news at GNN.org.
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A poll of 2,000 adults revealed the top 20 things that make us feel good — with a good night’s sleep and a sunny blue sky coming in at number one and two.
45% said a nice compliment is guaranteed to boost their mood, while laughing until tears flowed also scored high.
The average respondent experiences these uplifting moments three times a day and claims that, in a typical week, they feel good about their day four times out of seven.
But, some are finding it increasingly hard to be happy. In fact, 83% said they proactively avoid negative stories on social media and TV due to it leaving them feeling ‘emotionally drained.’
The survey, commissioned by the cheese company Babybel, also found that nearly half of Londoners would welcome a pick me up.
In response, the brand has created ‘the Goodness Bench’ inside King’s Cross train station in London, as part of its ‘Join the Goodness’ campaign.
It’s designed to spread feel-good vibes by sharing a few positive news stories from the week while donating to its longstanding charity partner, Comic Relief, every time someone sits on the bench.
Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz
A spokesperson for the brand said: “We all need a boost from time-to-time and feeling good goes hand in hand with doing good, which is why we wanted to spread positivity through this activation.”
68% of the Brits polled believe happiness is infectious, and as a result, over a third say they often or always go out of their way to spread a bit of positivity.
But, oddly, according to the OnePoll results, just 24% actively set aside time on a regular basis to do things that make themselves happy.
“Doing things to make others happy also has the benefit of making us happy as well, making it a really positive circle of behavior,” the Babybel spokesperson added. “And many of the things on our top 20 list of happiness-makers come at absolutely no cost at all.”
“We all need a boost from time-to-time and feeling good goes hand in hand with doing good, which is why we wanted to spread positivity through this activation.”
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Top 20 Things That Make Us Feel Good
- A good night’s sleep
- A sunny blue sky
- Summer
- Receiving a compliment or praise
- Booking a holiday
- Crying with laughter
- Getting a quiet moment to yourself
- Eating your favorite snack
- Pets being happy to see you
- Looking back at old photographs
- Finishing a great book
- Helping an elderly person with something
- Finishing a workout
- Hearing children really belly-laughing
- Finding a parking space when it’s busy
- A newly-cleaned car
- When your football or other sports team wins
- A heart-to-heart with a loved one
- Volunteering or helping others
- Finding out your children have done well at school