With the relatively new rise of positive psychology, more and more knowledge is gathered with the specific goal of finding out what makes people live a happy and meaningful life. The result is an uptick in knowing which healthy habits and activities improve our mental wellbeing. A really cool and low-threshold example is the ‘Big JOY Project’. The project consists of seven micro-actions that boost your happiness in one way or another.

Every day you receive a small activity that urges you to either do something kind, prioritize what matters in life, practice gratitude, elicit awe, celebrate another’s joy, shift your perspective or become a force of good. After seven days people reported a:

• 26% increase in emotional well-being
• 23% increase in positive emotions
• Increase in happiness agency (for example, 27% more likely to agree with this statement: “I have felt able to impact, influence, or play an active role in how happy I generally feel.”)
• Increase in relationship satisfaction (30% more people agreed with the statement: “I have felt content with my friendships and relationships.”)
• 12% increase in overall sleep quality

Check the results of the study here, or try the challenge yourself here.