by Tolani Moibi, Community Manager at Compare and Share
When we think about the great times we’ve had in our lives, it is truly the moments spent with others that make us smile and think of ways to duplicate that experience again. As stated by Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at the Cornell University who has been studying the question of happiness over the past two decades, it’s the experiences we share directly with other people that create who we are. Once those events have passed, they and the experience itself become part of the stories we share with others.
As sharing experts, at Compare and Share we know that 80% of us are happier when we share and how we choose to share that happiness can account for as much as 40% of our happiness levels. Knowing this, we decided we wanted to spread the love and this is how the #ShareYourselfHappy movement was created.
Celebrating all that makes us happy—from striking up a conversation with a stranger to enjoying a gut-wrenching laugh with friends on holiday—the #ShareYourselfHappy movement helps people make the most of this easy, and let’s not forget free, change of outlook to their lives. Here are some suggestions for how the energy of shared experiences can pump up your happiness factors to the max.
1. Holidays
Take some much-needed time away for all things sun, sea and sugar filled is one of the best ways to reignite your happiness levels. Sharing this time with friends, family or loved ones takes this to new heights with most of us saying we’re at our peak during the planning stages. Time to dig out the sunscreen!
2. Food
Whether a sandwich, Sunday dinner or some decadent drool-worthy dessert, the sharing of food goes right back to our early ancestors. So do like a sharer and split that dish in two to ramp up your inner feel-good levels. Keep the bigger piece to yourself though, we won’t judge.
3. Transport
Still rushing to take that packed train to work every morning? Silly, silly you! Car sharing is the way to go. Similar to car-pooling, car sharing lets you partner with others taking similar journeys to save not only money but also time. Heck, you might even find the perfect people to belt out those cheesy ‘80s classics in the morning.
4. Music
Found that song or even artist that has you throwing dance shapes you didn’t even know you could do? Share them with people around you or even exchange playlists to help put that extra bounce in your step.
5. Just being YOU
That’s right, you. Cheeky, funny, ol’ quirky you. Sharing your time with others, whether it’s talking to a stranger, hanging out with friends you haven’t seen in a while, or joining a new local group in your town, opens you up to some many exciting opportunities. Don’t forget to give yourself a big wink in the mirror before you go out there and share all your awesomeness with the world.
And this isn’t the half of it! There are so many ways that you can #ShareYourselfHappy to create amazing experiences because it is those shared moments that connect us more to others than anything else in our lives.
Since the #ShareYourselfHappy movement is all about sharing, we want to invite you to show us all the ways that you’re bringing as much shared experiences into your daily rituals as possible. This list is a great place to start, but how far can YOU can take it?
Join us on Twitter and Instagram to share photos of all your magical sharing moments using the #ShareYourselfHappy tag. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start creating those new experiences! We cannot WAIT to see all the fantastic images you’ll be sharing with us.
