Today marks the start of our large-scale happiness experiment.
If you haven’t done so already, please do join in and let’s see if we can make the world a happier place. It takes less than a minute each day, and we need people from all over the world to participate.
There has already been a large amount of media attention, with pieces in The Times, The Daily Mail, The Guardian, The Sun and Sky. However, nothing beats word of mouth, so feel free to tell your friends and colleagues about the project.
Entire organisations are also welcome to join in the fun, and I will be on the radio in the UK for large chunks of the day talking about the project.
Let the happiness begin…..
August 3, 2009 at 7:44 am |
I started my smiling exercise today and I’ve being smiling non-stop. So far so good! Hopefully my little contribution all the way from the southern hemisphere is helpful!
August 3, 2009 at 8:03 am |
i think i am naturaly unhappy(not depression) think this is reversable? 45 and generaly unhappy but do have good times.
August 3, 2009 at 8:06 am |
trying experiment never feel really happy (not depressed) think i can reverse this?
August 3, 2009 at 8:34 am |
I’m having a go – have blogged and tweeted, so hopefully a couple of others will follow my example!
August 3, 2009 at 9:10 am |
Say cheese and keep smiling!
I’m taking antidepressants and have been for years. Does this void my participation? Just curious.
August 3, 2009 at 11:10 am |
That Special song for you
Hello….. ( lionel Richie)
I’ve been alone with you inside my mind
And in my dreams I’ve kissed your lips a thousand times
I sometimes see you pass outside my door
Hello, is it me you’re looking for?
I can see it in your eyes
I can see it in your smile
You’re all I’ve ever wanted, (and) my arms are open wide
‘Cause you know just what to say
And you know just what to do
And I want to tell you so much, I love you …
I long to see the sunlight in your hair
And tell you time and time again how much I care
Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow
Hello, I’ve just got to let you know
‘Cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely, or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart
For I haven’t got a clue
But let me start by saying, I love you …
Hello, is it me you’re looking for?
‘Cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart
For I haven’t got a clue
But let me start by saying … I love you
Are you like…?Thanks
August 3, 2009 at 11:19 am |
I’ve been sending out some happiness every day just by posting friends, colleagues and acquantances a greetings card with a personal happiness message. I have very recently started a Blog and joined Twitter to promote doing this and my ‘extra’ happiness has already begun.
August 3, 2009 at 11:23 am |
I signed up for the experiment but cannot view the video. Am I doing something wrong??
August 3, 2009 at 11:27 am |
PS As long as you keep smiling….everything will be ok! Look at yourself in the mirrow and make funny faces! You will instantly start smiling or laughing at yourself. Are you crazy enough to give this a try??
A smile carries across phone lines…..that has aided my success over the years. You can make a friends from someone you have never met. And when you do meet them…..the connection is there.
Trust me and try it!
August 3, 2009 at 11:43 am |
I love that I found this site. I’ve been working on overcoming my past and becoming a happier person through the Law of Attraction. And it is working, my life has been changing in so many positive ways. I started a blog about it http://hittingtheresetbutton.wordpress.com And participating in an experiment like this only helps pass on the joy that I have found. Lets make the world a hapiier place. God knows at this point anything could help!
August 3, 2009 at 11:45 am |
[...] Am adaugat o noua categorie – Activism – Pentru ca visele necesita si actiune. By dansarmasan http://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/let-the-happiness-begin/ [...]
August 3, 2009 at 11:50 am |
it doesn’t exist – happiness, i mean. pleasure exists, but i think that the broader idea of happiness is nothing more than an absence of suffering.
August 3, 2009 at 12:00 pm |
Tychy, that seems a very sad way of thinking. I see pleasure and happiness as two distinct things. Happiness is more like concentrated contentment, in my mind (i.e. a state of mind), whereas pleasure is more focussed on a particular thing, place, person etc.
August 3, 2009 at 12:26 pm |
Does smiling with clenched teeth count?
August 3, 2009 at 12:31 pm |
What happens if you’re so unhappy and your life is so screwed up you simply can’t think of anything to be grateful for???
What happens to the smiling everyday factor then???
August 4, 2009 at 9:59 am
I think a persons emotional state is important. I wont take part as my emotions are all over the place and nothing on earth would make me feel happy at the moment (mother passed away last week).
If all was well my response to the experiment would have been totally different.
In the case of someone who feels that life is not worth much then the experiment would be a good thing.Worth a try.
August 3, 2009 at 12:33 pm |
I love this project! It brings awareness to highlight the good versus the bad and puts things in perspective. I read something to randomly give a stranger a compliment and I started to do that month’s ago and it’s amazing how more nicer that stranger will be. Think about how it can change your mood when you have a friendly cashier versus a rude one? I hope it raises awareness on one can be happier with thoughts and actions.
August 3, 2009 at 12:36 pm |
Am smiling all the while reading this blog! And am trying to spread happiness through my blog -Positive Provocations as well. Wanna join in the funnn….
Happy Smiley People all the way…..Keep smiling.
August 3, 2009 at 12:39 pm |
Oh My Blog- Positive Provocations for Mind Body And Soul
http://zeenatsyal.wordpress.com
August 3, 2009 at 12:41 pm |
Be Happy ; )
Keep Happy ; )
Be Strong,
Be Determined,
Be determined to rid yourself
of Unhappiness
(Sometimes This includes
accepting the uncomfortable feelings,)
Be Patient, …
With Your self,
Be Patient with others,
too
Love Yourself!,…..
Find Happy friends,
(They do exist).
Don’t allow negative and destructive
forces to overpower your
existence… Realize that,
You are so much more
Than this body of yours,
- or mind,
And feel the Love..
the Heart power Within!. -
That’s the Power point of-
Happiness!
Share – I’ve always Thought that Sharing Doubles the Happiness/ Joy
Try it. You might like it…; )
Also, accept that others may have different opinions to our own, and hope that they do, so we can grow and learn, and .. appreciate the differences, for the growth and potential they provide.
August 3, 2009 at 1:07 pm |
[...] Richard Wiseman launched an ambitious project today which requires the participation of a large number of people who are [...]
August 3, 2009 at 1:08 pm |
These are all fantastic tips. Sharing, showing gratitude and building your confidence all make a huge difference in boosting one’s happiness. I’ve personally found that increasing your overall awareness will increase the efficacy of each of these individual activities as well.
One way to boost awareness, show gratitude, share, and building your confidence is to R.A.K someone, according to Harvard’s Sean Achor. Seeking out and performing daily Random Acts of Kindness (R.A.K.) for other beings (it doesn’t have to just be the two legged ones!) opens up the mind to opportunities in general and quickly boosts one’s level of personal contentment and satisfaction.
Of course, you could sum all of this up as taking daily steps towards being the best possible version of yourself. Self-mastery and personal development contribute over $19bn per year to the global economy for a good reason!
Be happy and make it a great day! You deserve it!
August 3, 2009 at 1:26 pm |
I’m assuming we aren’t supposed to notice that you get a different video (with different 59 sec. ‘happiness’ exercise) each time we go to the site? Darn those tricky psychologists making us think we are all doing the same thing and they are actually testing how happy we feel we’ve become after doing different things!
Of course there is an inherent bias problem in that in taking part we know we are supposed to be making ourselves feel happier by doing the assigned task and so when we fill in a survey later about how much we’ve improved we’ll be assuming that we must feel happier.
August 3, 2009 at 2:04 pm |
Day one of Obeying Richard Wiseman. Obedience makes me feel happy and fulfilled!
August 3, 2009 at 2:11 pm |
I’ve just started the experiment… let’s see what happens..
August 3, 2009 at 7:06 pm |
I joined the experiment but I coudnt see the video, there was no link in the page thanks…
August 3, 2009 at 11:32 pm |
i had it easy – a friend waxed lyrical about a girl he just fell in love with so i just listened and smiled!!!!!
))))
August 4, 2009 at 3:25 pm |
If you’re interested in a new approach to boost your happiness based on the latest positive psychology research, check out our iPhone app: Live Happy (there’s also a Free Trial version); it’s based on the work of Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of “The How of Happiness” and provides a unique method to create a personalized program to increase your happiness.
You can also learn more about the iPhone app on our Facebook page.
August 7, 2009 at 11:38 am |
[...] time to pick myself up, dust myself down and get on with it. One thing I will say though, that science of happiness experiment must have done something for me (or maybe I’m fooling myself!). I would usually be down in [...]
August 11, 2009 at 12:43 pm |
HAPPINESS EXPERIMENT –
Richard, I participated, but haven’t yet received the second e-mail with the “After” questionnaire. (I did receive and send in the “Before” at the experiment’s start.)
All other emails have come through fine, so the problem doesn’t seem to be at my end. Have any others fallen through a crack?