Positive Psychology teaches us that we can find happiness in the small things: the small moments of connectedness, being at ease, discovering something new, being in awe with the beauty around us or just enjoying a moment of stillness.

Having spent the past two years studying the science of happiness, I have developed a new appreciation for the seemingly small moments. It is surprising how many there are when you start to pay attention to them.

I also learned a thing or two coaching wonderful people who are in pursuit of happiness, meaning and fulfilment. No matter how their life story looks like, or what walk of life they come from, they all have one thing in common:

They want to be happier.

And who doesn’t? But before we look at how to become happier, it is important to take a closer look at this thing called happiness.

The Science behind creating Happy Days

When people think about happiness, they often think about what scientists call hedonic wellbeing. Hedonic wellbeing is connected to activities that bring us pleasure and joy. You can measure it yourself: whenever something puts a smile on your face or you have a positive experience, that is hedonic wellbeing.

There is a catch though with that form of happiness: it doesn’t last long. It wanes of quickly. And we chase it again and again, because yes, it feels damn good!

And this is where the other form of wellbeing comes in: eudaimonic wellbeing. This flavour of happiness has a long-term orientation and a more lasting effect. Eudaimonic wellbeing is connected to meaningful and fulfilling activities. It is connected to self-actualisation, authenticity and purposefulness.

I believe you need both to lead a happy and fulfilled life. And sometimes you will seek out more hedonic happiness by doing more of these ad-hoc pleasure activities. Other times you are super absorbed in a meaningful project or cause and while that requires lots of work, you are deeply content and fulfilled by that work.

As with everything in life, it is about balance: finding the right balance for you between meaningful activities and happy-go-lucky experiences.

If you are searching for meaning and fulfilment, I recommend reaching out to a coach to help you find your authentic path in life.

Plan for your happiness like you plan every other project

If you are looking for more happy moments, I invite you to consider planning for your happiness like you plan your shopping, social events and projects at work. Happy moments don’t have to be chance encounters, they can be planned like any other activity in your life.

To get you started, I have created Happy Days - a calendar packed with ideas for you to plan and create 28 days full of little moments of happiness. Click to download your printable Happy Days Calendar:

Introducing the Happy Days Calendar

All happy moments are inspired by evidence-based interventions from the field of Positive Psychology. They are designed to boost your happiness and wellbeing by bringing you a greater sense of connectedness with yourself, others and nature.

So go ahead, print your copy and plan for your happiness!