Amidst the chaos that is contemporary living, uncovering pockets of joy becomes a potent catalyst for elevating both happiness and well-being. Micro-acts of joy, small yet impactful gestures, have the potential to transform our daily experiences. This article explores the fascinating connection between these micro-acts and the enhancement of overall well-being. How Happiness Affects Health Happiness is not just a fleeting emotion; it serves as a cornerstone for overall well-being, profoundly impacting both mental and physical health. The link between happiness and health is a subject of extensive research, revealing a symbiotic relationship that goes beyond mere positivity. From a psychological standpoint, a happy and content mind contributes to reduced stress levels. The release of endorphins, often termed 'feel-good' hormones, acts as a natural stress reliever,    promoting a sense of calm and tranquility. This emotional equilibrium, in turn, fosters resilience in facing life's challenges.  Read more: How to raise happy, confident, strong girls On a physiological level, the benefits are equally significant. Studies show that individuals with a positive outlook tend to have lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of cardiovascular issues. The immune system also receives a boost, making the body more resilient to illnesses. Furthermore, the connection between happiness and longevity is a compelling aspect. Studies indicate that those with an optimistic outlook on life are likely to enjoy a longer lifespan. It emphasizes the vital role of emotional well-being in determining one's overall health and lifespan. In essence, happiness becomes a powerful elixir for a healthy life, influencing the mind and body in intricate ways. Cultivating joy not only adds vibrancy to our existence but also acts as a fundamental building block for a resilient and thriving state of health. Read more: Happiness Hormone: Ways to Boost Dopamine

Weekends are like a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of daily life. This period offers a precious window for rejuvenation and self-expression. However, avoiding the pitfalls of idleness and monotony during these treasured days is pivotal. It is the time to shun procrastination and embrace creativity, ensuring these moments are not squandered in lethargy. Engaging in diverse entertaining and stimulating activities can transform weekends into an enriching experience, igniting a sense of fulfilment. 10 Creative Ways to Spend Your Weekends Reading You may immerse yourself in a captivating book during the weekend to explore new worlds, gain knowledge, and engage your mind. Reading goes beyond mere entertainment; it expands horizons, fosters empathy, and acquires knowledge.  Read more: Benefits of Reading Habit for Mind and Body Traversing the lines of a well-crafted story or delving into informative texts engages your mind in discovery and enrichment. Relaxation blends with mental stimulation as reading deepens your understanding of the world. Altogether it is a perfect choice for a fulfilling weekend activity.

Loneliness, a pervasive emotion, can cast a shadow on one's life. The ache of isolation often pushes individuals to seek solace in social interactions. Yet, embracing one's solitude is fulfilling. Learning to savor our own company is a transformative journey. It empowers us to turn loneliness into a liberating experience.  10 Tips to Love Yourself and Stay Happy Alone Avoid Comparison When one consistently measures their worth against another person's life or accomplishments, they disregard their unique journey. They should embrace individuality, appreciate the path taken, and recognize that each person's journey is distinctive.  It is important to focus on personal progress and growth. It fosters a sense of contentment and happiness in one's own narrative. So, it is best to celebrate uniqueness without seeking validation from external sources. Read more: 15 Japanese Concepts for Personal and Professional Development Disconnect from Social Media Taking a step back from social media allows individuals to reclaim their authentic selves. In this digital age, social platforms often perpetuate a distorted sense of reality. It contributes to feelings of inadequacy and loneliness.  By unplugging and refocusing on real-life connections and experiences, one can break free from the comparison trap. Try to rediscover genuine human interaction and find solace in the present moment without the pressure of online portrayals. Embrace a Peaceful Past Letting go of past burdens is a pivotal step toward finding contentment in solitude. Harboring resentment, regret, or grievances from yesterday can cloud one's present and impede personal growth.  Read more: Personal Grooming Tips and Tricks for Better Life and Career Accepting and making peace with the past, understanding that it shaped the broken person they are today, enables a lighter heart and a clearer mind. By forgiving themselves and others, they can liberate their spirit, allowing space for joy and serenity in the present. Rediscover Passions Rekindling hobbies and interests is a pathway to self-discovery and fulfillment. Often, in the hustle of daily life, personal passions take a backseat. By reigniting these flames of enthusiasm, individuals can reconnect with their true selves. Whether it is painting, writing, gardening, or playing an instrument, engaging in what once brought them joy can provide a sense of purpose and contentment in their own company.

A joint study by two researchers from Princeton University and University of Pennsylvania seems to have answered one of the most asked timeless questions: can money buy happiness? The research conducted by Daniel Kahneman and Matthew Killingsworth, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reached a conclusion: happiness tends to rise with increase in income and earnings. The latest study on the correlation between money and happiness refutes the previously reached conclusion that happiness levels off for people when their income reaches $75,000, The Washington Post reports. In 2010, Nobel Prize-winning economist and psychologist Daniel Kahneman first proposed this threshold in a study that found that "emotional well-being [also] improves with log income, but there is no further growth beyond a yearly income of $75,000." Read More: Happiness Hormone: Ways to Boost Dopamine However, a research conducted by Matthew Killingsworth, a happiness researcher and senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, found that happiness does not level out after hitting $75,000, rather continues to rise with “income well beyond $200,000,” the report adds. In their latest study, both researchers came together and pitted their theories against each other with the help of an arbiter. The study was adjusted for inflation, they told The Washington Post. The two researchers surveyed 33,391 people in the US — aged between 18 and 65 — with a household income of at least $100,000 a year. Read More: From coffee to yoga to happiness: Offbeat ministries from around the world! Killingsworth developed a smartphone app called ‘Track Your Happiness’ to measure their happiness. The app required participants to report their feelings at random intervals throughout the day.  “The data came from repeatedly pinging people at randomly-timed moments during daily life, and asking about their happiness at that moment in real-time,” he told The Washington Post via email. They were specifically asked questions like “How do you feel right now?” on a scale ranging from “very bad” to “very good.” The study found that happiness continues to rise with “income even in the high range of incomes” for the majority of people, reaching a conclusion that for many, earning more can mean increased happiness. Read More: Eid for Introverts: Finding Happiness and Fulfillment on Your Own However, for about 20% of the respondents, the case is a bit different. For them, the unhappiness diminishes with rising income up to a certain threshold, the report says citing the research. These people usually experience “negative miseries” that can’t be alleviated by making more money, according to the study.  “In the simplest terms, the findings suggest that for most people larger incomes are associated with greater happiness,” Killingsworth said about the final conclusion of the study. However, he cautioned that money isn’t everything — “just one of the many determinants of happiness.”  Read More: Spending Money for Happiness: 10 Effective Ways “For instance, if you’re rich and miserable, more money won’t help,” The Washington Post quoted him as saying.

Happiness is an emotion that all people strive to experience. It's a feeling that can consume people’s minds and bodies, making them laugh, cry, and even infect others with positive vibes. However, the science behind this sensation is far from simple. Complex chemical reactions occur within human bodies to induce those moments of joy and elation, and it's not just the balance of different hormones that affect mental health. The role of 'happy hormones' is equally vital in shaping the emotional state. In this article, we'll unveil the secrets of boosting dopamine secretion in your body, so you can unlock a world of happiness and contentment. Dopamine: The Happiness Hormone Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is involved in the regulation of various cognitive and physiological processes, including movement, motivation, reward, and pleasure. It is produced in several parts of the brain, including the substantia nigra, the ventral tegmental area, and the hypothalamus, and is involved in complex interactions with other neurotransmitters, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine. Dopamine's role in human happiness is complex, as it is involved in both positive and negative emotional states. While dopamine is responsible for generating feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and reward, it can also be involved in negative emotions such as fear and anxiety. This is because dopamine is also involved in the processing of aversive stimuli, such as pain and punishment, and is thought to play a role in the motivation to avoid these unpleasant experiences. Read More: Spending Money for Happiness: 10 Effective Ways Low levels of dopamine have been linked to mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, and addiction. Conversely, high levels of dopamine have been associated with conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, which are characterized by mood swings and hyperactivity. However, the relationship between dopamine and these conditions is complex and still not fully understood. There are several ways to increase dopamine levels naturally, including engaging in activities that are pleasurable and rewarding, such as listening to music, exercising, and spending time with loved ones. A healthy diet that includes foods high in tyrosine, an amino acid that is a precursor to dopamine, can also help increase dopamine levels.

When governments get creative, countries get bizarre ministries – from coffee, toilet and yoga to happiness and loneliness. Some unique ministries from around the world at a glance Papua New Guinea’s Coffee Ministry:  Coffee is one of the crops most frequently farmed in Papua New Guinea. Some 27% of the country’s agricultural exports are coffee. Moreover, the industry contributes 6% of the nation’s total gross domestic product. Maybe that’s why Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape in August 2022 appointed Joe Kuli as the country’s first Minister for Coffee. “The Minister’s job is to focus on coffee, coffee and coffee,” local media quoted Marape as saying. Read:Stars Coffee, anyone? Starbucks successor opening in Russia Papua New Guinea is not the first nation to develop such unconventional portfolios – there are a few others, including the UAE, the UK, India and Japan. Japan’s Loneliness Ministry:  In February 2021, the Japanese government created a unique cabinet portfolio by appointing Tetsushi Sakamoto as its first-ever Minister for Loneliness. The aim was to tackle the rising suicide rates, particularly among women, in Japan for the first time in a decade due to Covid-19, Japanese media had reported, quoting Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Read Spending Money for Happiness: 10 Effective Ways “I hope to carry out activities to prevent social loneliness and isolation and to protect ties between people,” Sakamoto had said in his inaugural address. Japan probably took a cue from the UK, where the government created a new portfolio and appointed Tracey Crouch as the Minster of Loneliness in 2018 to help people with problems like social isolation. UAE’s Ministry of Happiness:  In February 2016, the UAE set up a Ministry of Happiness and appointed Ohood Al Roumi as its Minister entrusted with the job of raising the happiness of its citizens. Read: Pandemic Yoga: How to strengthen lungs, ease breathing problems with yoga In a slew of tweets, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum then expressed his desire to see more happy people. Roumi’s would supervise “plans, projects, programmes (and) indices” that raise the nation’s general mood, he wrote. It may also be mentioned here that in 2014, Japan appointed Haruko Arimura as the country’s first unofficial Minister of Toilets. India’s Yoga Ministry: The same year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi created a unique ministry to promote traditional Indian medicine and yoga. And Shirpad Naik was appointed the Minister of Yoga. A year later, the country celebrated Yoga Day for the first time. Read IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret to a Long Healthy Life

“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness didn’t know where to shop” – this witty line from Gertrude Steiner refers to all of us when we spend money on our favorite things. Some people might say money can’t buy happiness, and that's may be true up to some extent. In reality, it doesn’t have to buy you happiness; rather it can be an instrument for being happy. Let's discuss some of the best ways to spend money for happiness. What is Happiness? Many of us spend almost the whole life in pursuit of happiness. Happiness is something that can’t be defined easily. In simple words, happiness is a positive emotional state where you feel contented, satisfied, and joyful. From scientific the viewpoint, release of hormones, like dopamine and serotonin can make a person happy. These important neurotransmitters are primarily associated with the expression of happiness in a human body. More to say, these hormones can leave a positive impact on both body and mind. They can accelerate and motivate a person towards the state of mental serenity. Read: 3 Inspirational books to read in quarantine How to Spend Money for Happiness? Experience over Things Are you planning to buy a new furniture or gadget and thinking that it will bring you happiness? Well, think again. Even though a materialistic good may give you some pleasure initially, it will eventually turn into a decorative piece few days later. Research shows that people tend to derive more happiness from experiences; rather than spending money on material goods.  To buy experience, you can spend money on tours and fill your bucket list. The concept of gathering new experiences, may include visiting a new place, or meeting new people, or trying new cuisine. Such experiences may unleash possibilities of deriving delights and happiness that will exist in your memory for a long time. Read IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret to a Long Healthy life Spend On Goods That Alleviates the Experience This might sound contrary to our previous point. Spending money on certain goods can truly bring you happiness. Some material goods can help to alleviate your boredom. For instance, instead of buying an expensive showpiece or furniture; try to spend on something that can connect you to an experience. It can be a new pair of headphones or a musical instrument or a new phone that improves your online experience. Here, the key idea is to derive pleasure from the instrument; in lieu of making the instrument the mode of happiness. Read: Off Road Vs Road Cycling: Know the Difference Getting Gifts for Others You might be thinking how does that help your happiness? Well, the human mind works in surprising ways and one of them is deriving happiness from doing things for others. You don’t have to spend a lumpsum amount to gain pleasure. Some small acts of kindness or little gifts may help your brain to release dopamine to trigger happiness. So, the next time when you wish to give something to your friend or family, just go ahead and do it. Donating to Charity Philanthophic activities like charity work is another great way to find happiness. Donating to a charity or someone in need can leave a long-lasting impact in mind. This is in line with our previous point that a human mind is instinctively helpful. So doing things for others or helping people in need is bound to bring happiness. But a question may arise against that where to donate money? During the pandemic situation, numerous people have lost their jobs and shelters. You can do research and find some benevolent organizations who are working for the underprevileged people. The thought of doing good naturally triggers happiness and this feeling is perpetual. Read Best Sites to Sell Used Electronics in Bangladesh Find Small Pleasures Instead of spending or splurging on lavish items once in a full moon, get in the habit of finding small pleasures. What we mean is, find small expense sources that can give you pleasure rather than going after something that might break your bank. A fancy dinner night is sure to give you a lot of pleasure. Alternatively, you can frequently enjoy coffee or snacks with your favorite friends or family members. These moments can bring you more happiness. Read:Egg Diet For Weight Loss: Does It Work? The key here is the perpetual feeling. You should maintain a small and constant source of happiness rather than something that comes once in a while. Get yourself Time This point isn’t directly related to spending money; rather it focuses on the accumulation of money. In today's world most people spend time to earn money. Money can bring you happiness in many ways. However, sometimes, you need to sit back and relax a bit. Take some time off from your work to focus on your life and destress. Taking a short break from your regular life-routine, you can rejuvenate your soul and bring more happiness in your life. Read Arogga: The Bangladeshi Medicine Delivery Startup Which Raised $200k Avoid Financial Stress The gist of this article is all about spending money to get happiness. However, in pursuit of happiness, you should not spend too much. You need to balance your expenditure cycle considering the limit of your earnings. While searching for happiness, you sure don’t want to add up more stress in your life? You should spend as per your wish, just make sure you are spending sensibly. Travel There is nothing more exciting like making memories in a new place. Travel memories are something that you will cherish forever. They will be a constant source of happiness and remembrance. The tour experience can be as per your budget. It does not mean that you have to splurge and travel to an exotic location. You can also go somewhere close, or any nearby place that’s an escape from your everyday life. This is honestly one of the better ways to spend your money for happiness. Read Renowned online payment gateways in Bangladesh for domestic, international transactions Start a Garden Well, this will require some dedication besides money. Plantations can be a great source to induce happiness in your life. You can start a small garden on your terrace or your balcony. This can give you a new purpose to live a healthy and happy life. It can also serve as an escape from the stress of work or relations in everyday life. The joy of creating lives (plants) can take away the monotony from your routined life and cherish your soul. Share a Meal Sometimes the simple act of sharing food can give a person limitless happiness. This is something that you can feel instant. Human beings are naturally inclined to be sociable. A simple way to share happiness is sharing a meal. Try it next time with your friends or colleagues. During the pandemic situation many people can not afford food. You can also share food with a distressed person sitting beside your favorite food store. Such activities will not cost you huge money but you can feel immense happiness in return. Read:Thunderstorm Lightning Struck Safety Tips: Stay Prepared Bottom Line To sum things up, there are a lot of ways that you can get happiness by spending money. We truly encourage and appreciate you in the journey of deriving happiness. But, we also suggest that you should be a responsible spender in order to avoid financial stress. We hope that this article helps you to get some ideas about finding happiness. So which one are you going to try next?

The Japanese have greatly impacted the world with their distinctive culture for many years. Their entertainment, food, history have gotten the attention of many neighbouring countries and even regions in the west. Despite having so many unique attributes to their heritage, few can compete with Ikigai in terms of depth and meaning. More of a concept than a discipline, Ikigai has been regarded by many as an ideology that has resulted in the nation’s long life expectancy. Let us see if Ikigai, the Japanese secret to a long healthy life, is truly a solution that the world has overlooked. What Is Ikigai? Ikigai is an ideology of sorts that prioritizes finding your purpose and value in life. It’s pretty existential but holds moral integrity in high regard. There are four main “pillars” that everything in the Ikigai is based on: - what are you good at; - what the world needs; - what you love; and - what you can be paid for. In Japanese culture, work and putting in long hours are some of the most important things one can do with his or her life. Therefore, Ikigai is a mental framework that gives the average person motivation to continue every day with an objective in mind. This could either mean applying the Ikigai in the context of work, or even as a wholesome frame of mind to centre one’s self outside of the working environment. Ikigai isn’t a framework that was created as far back as the feudal ages; in fact, the term was coined by Akihiro Hasegawa, a psychologist and professor at Toyo Eiwa University. “Iki” means life in Japanese and “Gai” means something that is deemed valuable. The ideology has seen a basic rendition of its framework in novels dating back to the 60s, but it is truly more relevant now than ever. Read Law of Attraction: Ways to Manifest Your Dreams Why Is Ikigai Popular? Ikigai may have a relatively simple structure, but it’s simplicity makes it easier to navigate around life when one is overloaded with stress, anxiety or purposelessness. Looking at what you love and what you are good at specifically, these two pillars are all about self-improvement and reflection in order to know which steps to take. It is a gateway to a more optimistic mindset that can take the form of exercise, being with nature, having gratitude, and being able to come to terms with the imperfections in life. Ikigai has been often correlated with the older generations in Japan and has often been correlated with the population’s long life span. As the nation has recently been faced with underwhelming retirement pensions, more have opted to prolong their employment period, which is where Ikigai comes in. What you can do for the world and what you can be paid for are the more practical of the two pillars that are less prone to subjective interpretation, where any citizen can decide where they would like their career to go and how they can find meaning to it. Although working life may not be the most common way to apply Ikigai, it is still useful to consider as many Japanese spend the majority of their lives working. Finding purpose within and without a career is where the true balance ultimately comes in as many who do eventually retire craft the will and even a sense of urgency to start a new chapter of their lives - whether that could be with a new profession or a hobby that involves loved ones. Many are at the mercy of their worries when approaching the late stages of their career and even retirement as the future is open-ended and unknown. Ikigai helps to visualise the future as a canvas that can be painted by your dreams and goals, without an end in mind. This does explain why many Japanese in their 80s are still achieving impressive goals while preserving an optimistic mindset. Read Types of Meditation: Which One is Right for You