How to increase your happiness

Dig into the benefits of practicing gratitude in your everyday life, and discover how being thankful can impact your happiness.
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Many people would say the connection between happiness and gratefulness is very simple: when you are happy, you are grateful. But think again. Is it really the happy people that are grateful? Quite a number of people have everything that it would take to be happy, and they are not happy. So, how does gratefulness work? Explore the key components to living gratefully.
Directed by Avi Ofer.
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Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Conder Shou, ntiger, Noname, Hansan Hu, David D, Mac Hyney, Keith Ellison, robin valero walters, Lynne Truesdale, Gatsby Dkdc, Matthew Neal, Denis Chon, Julian Oberhofer, Monte Carroll, Eddy, Jay M, Constantino Victor Delgado, Andrea Galvagni, Andrew Tweddle, Laurel-Ann Rice, Fernando A. Endo, Helen Lee, pam morgan, sarim haq, Gerardo Castro, Michel-Ange Hortegat, Enes Kirimi, Amaury BISIAUX, ND, Samyogita Hardikar, Vanessa Graulich, Vandana Gunwani, Abdulmohsin Almadi, AJ Lyon, Geoffrey Bultitude, Mi Mi, Thomas Rothert, Brian Elieson, Oge O, Weronika Falkowska, Nevin Spoljaric, Sid Chanpuriya, Anoop Varghese, David Yastremski, Noah Webb, Roberto Chena, Oliver Koo, Luke Pisano, Andrea Gordon and Aleksandar Donev.

[@TEDEd]

Explore the potential of small acts of generosity to ripple out and change the world with Chris Anderson's book "Infectious Generosity.” Grab a copy here: bit.ly/TEDEdInfectiousGenerosity And thanks! A portion of the proceeds will go to support TED-Ed’s non-profit mission.

[@dgonthehill]

read scriptures then tons of happiness

[@zodiacfml]

this is equivalent to a person to telling us to be grateful. but it is meaningless, or it is easier said than done. I think I've found a way for gratefulness to arise from within, it is to refrain from chasing comfort and fun all the time. If you are person who goes to all available parties and events, then the rest of your lifestyle or simple things will feel dull and become ungrateful. Instead of a very comfortable set temperature for a room or house why not adjust it a tiny bit warmer or colder or not use HVAC during days/seasons where it is possible. I have downgraded or simplified my life for almost 7 years that I don't need the average employment. I am happiest and minimized stress in my life I've ever been. The risk of breaking this peace is looking at or spending too much time on social media, where i feel like I'm doing my life wrong.

[@dgonthehill]

@@zodiacfml just READ the scriptures, health wealth & abundance ALL paid by our Savior, & then be blessed as you ask & WATCH HIM work.

[@iamyourtom2289]

I am feeling happier seeing this. Amazing work as always Ted ed

[@LetsTakeWalk]

“If you look for the light, you will often find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will see” - Uncle Iroh

[@Gaius_Julius_Caesar_Augustus]

L

[@johnny_boi5456]

Yes

[@BabyIshii]

U mean old man from Avatar

[@user-fz4ow8jm5h]

More people need to watch Avatar the Last Airbender animated series! It's funny then serious and shows self-sacrifice, character development...a masterpiece!

[@honor9lite1337]

"Wake up to reality! Nothing ever goes as planned in this accursed world. The longer you live, the more you realize that the only things that truly exist in this reality are merely pain, suffering and futility. Listen, everywhere you look in this world, wherever there is light, there will always be shadows to be found as well. As long as there is a concept of victors, the vanquished will also exist. The selfish intent of wanting to preserve peace, initiates war and hatred is born in order to protect love. There are nexuses causal relationships that cannot be separated." -MADARA UCHIHA

[@Andy_Hendrix_9842]

"Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it, the more it will evade you, but if you notice the other things around you, it will gently come and sit on your shoulder." -Henry David Thoreau

[@user-pu4ro7hm6p]

Similiar quote in the cgp grey video

[@_papercrane]

oh is that where lana del rey’s song name comes from? i love that song

[@woafie]

@@_papercranei was just gonna comment this!

[@zodiacfml]

exactly. making someone to be grateful or happy just by saying it is absurd. telling someone to appreciate one's surroundings or small things does not happen. It is to stop chasing happiness or entertainment or comfort all the time is when gratefulness arises.

[@knightlon]

No one has quoted this before me so I will: "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

[@cynot71]

Sadly, all I see around me is people wasting their life away on their cellphones.

[@benardlawrence2869]

U can learn alot on cell phones ​@@cynot71

[@benardlawrence2869]

Most people are happy they just don't know it

[@marvinmcconoughey3547]

@@benardlawrence2869 You can see this when tragedy befalls a person. What they once took for granted is now seen as an impossible dream.

[@ricKter2099-Oficial]

-Gandalf the Grey- yeah

[@TomSmith-vi1yw]

Nothing makes us more happy than when all of us are happy..loved this line❤❤❤.. a sense of togetherness is very much needed in today's society

[@anabsolutetrashfire1312]

Been going through some of the worst lows I've ever experienced recently because I'm stressed out about the level of disconnection in our society. So often, people are being kept apart from others by their jobs, by social media, by a lack of safe and accessible spaces to socialise and I'm worried about us all. In some ways, our Covid isolation didn't seem to leave us.

[@silentj624]

It's impossible le for everybody to be happy. Don't be absurd

[@rico14]

We’re all one ☝️

[@kentas1087]

I was impressed by the same phrase too. I know the other word by a Japanese religious person "you should not build happiness on the misfortune of others."

[@Asuzara]

"If you are not fearful, you are not violent." That is so insanely true, you can even literally read the word fear (=phobia) in many violent and oppressive constructs of our society around the world.

[@Jeff-66]

Something is either true, or it isn't. Adding "insanely" to it doesn't make something more true.

[@iamyourtom2289]

Yes

[@iamyourtom2289]

Like Tom and Jerry's mutual fear of each other hahahaha

[@alyasuramzahwani]

I've been practicing exchanging list of 3 gratitudes daily with my best-friend for almost a year now and I can confidently say that it has helped us a lot!

[@user-fz4ow8jm5h]

That's an amazing idea! Good for you two! It's like a gratitude accountability partner😊

[@alyasuramzahwani]

@@user-fz4ow8jm5h yes! No matter how hard our days were, we were still reminded that we got small Ws too 😄

[@Mr-ej5qv]

The words "If you are not fearful, you are not violent" truly convinced me

[@thirdy3126]

I haven't been grateful to what I had accomplished given I had a very very hard life growing up. I'd been hard on myself until this video opens my mind and heart. For a second I pause, and think There's a lot of reasons to be grateful. Thanks for this video!

[@Beeros72272]

I shall only be happy when Ted truly reveals himself.

[@GhostOfRazgiz]

One thing I've learned lately is to avoid drama. News is the biggest source of drama in the world, and it's almost constant everywhere you go. Every day I'd read the news, watch clips and articles and keep up to date with everything going on. But it stressed me out terribly. Then I asked myself; how much of this do I really need to know? I'm Canadian, and while it might seem important to keep an eye on things happening in Eastern Europe, I came to the conclusion that it didn't really matter to me. My ability to effect it is basically zero, and its ability to effect me is 0. The news was just stressing me out. Same with everything going on in the USA. I can't change anything happening down there, but the constant barrage of negative news articles talking about the latest shooting, riots and w/e was stressing me out. But really, there is nothing I can do about it at all. Why should I spend any time, effort or stress on matters I literally can't do anything about? I'll listen to the local news, and that's it. I hear a little bit at work, but generally, I've shut down anything but the local news and I feel better. I'm not stressing or angry about things happening across the world.

[@havenless3551]

Ignorance really is bliss. Not necessarily a good thing for society to work like that, but that's just how it is when you're constantly flooded with information and conflict

[@simeonnewman4039]

ive been doing the same and it really helped stop majority of my problems as it gave me the time to actually deal with them lol.

[@YasminJFoster]

I've noticed this with my mother, who has recently retired. She has a news channel on constantly for most of the day, even if she is not watching it. And if she's not watching TV she's watching political things on KZbin and posts on Facebook. I have noticed how miserable and bitter she has become. Ironic, because she always acted like working makes her miserable, but I would say she was happier then, because at least she had hours focusing on something else. Would love to try and encourage her to try reading, because she used to read a lot when I was young, but she hasn't picked up a book in years, sacrificing all the time she claimed to craved from retirement into facebook scrolling.

[@axeavier]

I'm conflicted, I agree that news is stressful as is being involved in politics in general. However that apathy that people have is literally what causes more problems as is the case with parties that are regularly voted in by a small number of people that then wreak destruction, like the ford government for example. He is not unique. Very few people vote on the local level .

[@rohanrajput_9]

Agreed, I've been practicing to not care about what I can't change.

[@lostintranslation3789]

I tend to lose focus of gratitude and happiness but what help me get back to it is looking beyond our world into the universe and work my way back into the world and realizing how remarkable it truly is.

[@SirsasthNigam.]

"Stop, Look ,Go" even applies to crossing streets

[@rubinaart4066]

😂❤

[@sazu4238]

World's just like a big crosswalk

[@CortneyBaker-luvs2tendbar]

I feel like I am that way. I was born that way. No matter when bad things happen i always look to the positive and I live that way to help others

[@food8386]

This man just defined my life goals in 6 minutes

[@Sunflowersarepretty]

It's gratitude that makes me happy. That feeling of abundance after thinking about all the things I have makes me happy. 😊

[@rajdeepsinhji]

Desire for positive experience is itself a negative experience, Accepting negative experiences is itself a positive experience.

[@madhavsharma6076]

This was really good. My childhood teachers emphasised a lot on stopping and smelling the roses. After all these years i have found that the simpler advice is always the best.

[@RappingManualYT]

Creating stop signs is an awesome way of putting it! : ) : )

[@renzcruzmabalatan2225]

AND THIS VIDEO MY FRIEND SILENCED MY MIND, OPENED MY HEART AND CURED MY DEPRESSION EVEN FOR JUST 6 MINUTES AND 8 SECONDS.

[@lukesanders93]

This might be the best thing I’ve ever seen on KZbin!!!!!!!!!!

[@Mary-J-OK]

I really needed to hear this today. This was a reminder and from this moment on, I will keep looking for something to be grateful for in each moment. 💝

[@PatelArpitt]

This video brightened up my day Probably a following few days as well. Thanks for this TED!

[@kul.vedant]

"Gratefulness cannot be forced, but it can be found in sensitivity" - Kul Vedant

[@LamNguyen-ll6xf]

“Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.”

[@blueshadeseraphim6926]

I’m glad you guys made this video. In the current state of affairs the world over, so many people need a reason to believe things can get better. And though we have no real control over the various factors that govern our lives, that’s not to say we can’t still try and find meaning in it all. Belief may not seem like much on its own, but it can be a very powerful thing.

[@Solrostofu]

I have a great tip for gratitude that I do all the time without thinking about it! Talk abou stuff in a positive way. It's so easy to be negative and talk bad about stuff. But lets say our phones, talk about all the good things like were always in contact with our loved ones, we can google every question we like etc. Say good things about everything around you and you will become more positive 😊

[@muhammadderapurdiansyah9823]

thank you so much TED-Ed and team!

[@yachnikdaria1821]

Thank you! With you I improve my english. But also your content contains a lot of a nessesary information, which helps to learn the basic methods of an active life position.

[@BigBoss69420]

Thanks. I really needed this.

[@user-mu6lc3js2b]

Thanks to Ted Ed.It touched my heart.I hope it will make a big turnout in my life.Thank you so much.❤

[@helloworld13217]

I am grateful to the Ted Ed and team.

[@shwetasingh-mq6jc]

I really needed a video like this being a 10 year old

[@elvirak8846]

I wake up every morning with a great desire to live joyfully." - Anna Howard Shaw

[@Gaius_Julius_Caesar_Augustus]

Is this really a notable quote

[@87alock]

I'll be happy automatically once I get off work

[@normalsoundingname5533]

I'm grateful for every "given moment"... off of work...

[@DomininicN12BL]

I’m grateful for every single time happiness is a metaphor or a mindset, how to change the perception of the situation and present moment.

[@Gr8Incarnate]

It doesn't happen for me until I get home, smoke a joint and forget everything that happened in the day.

[@ilelle1981]

I'm grateful that Ted-ed made this video.

[@user-ob4ec4jf2p]

This video brightened my day Thanks Ted!

[@Merrybby]

I really needed this today omg

[@Lonatran89]

I feel this most deeply, the gratitude is wonderful❤❤❤

[@parlabaneisback]

For me avoiding the burdens of connections, commitments and responsibilities gives me the freedom to be happy. It runs counter to what society (and this video) wants, but it works for me.

[@disrael2101]

can you elaborate more? i feel connection to what you've just said but just need a few practical examples

[@parlabaneisback]

​@@disrael2101 I found that the the fewer significant interactions I have with others, the happier I am. The more frugal my lifestyle, the happier I am. The fewer commitments I have, the happier I am. The less I strive the happier I am, I don't need much. The best decisions I ever made were not to have a family, not to aim for a high-flying career, not to want a bigger house, faster car, newest phone etc. But that's just me, it's not going to work for everyone. Just as this video isn't going to work for everyone.

[@sriranjani8950]

Being early to yet another awesome video by ted ed!

[@peterdang1428]

”Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.“ ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

[@OHPIKACHUKACHU]

I was being sad whole day and now I am feeling a little better seeing this video. Thanks a lot for the insight...

[@myladycasagrande863]

I hope your day gets better, dear internet stranger!

[@OHPIKACHUKACHU]

@@myladycasagrande863 thank you, dear stranger who think and wish well to another stranger. 🙏

[@tyassetyalika1126]

I wish you'll be much better ☺️☺️

[@trungduong4040]

I'm happy for you.

[@OHPIKACHUKACHU]

@@trungduong4040 thanks! 😇

[@user-hr8kk3zt2m]

I am a University student and live in Tokyo by myself. I can do what I want so I watch anime and use my smartphone freely. However, I can't feel super happy: something is missing and my heart doesn't feel satisfied. I haven't experienced this feeling but after I watched this movie, I realized why I feel unsatisfied: I have missed my family very much. Spending time with someone I like is the most worthy thing for me. This worthy feeling would be similar to the happiness and gratefulness introduced in the video.

[@yohanjeong8559]

I am also so happy to live my life and am always grateful for my life. I also learned more from the video how I can be happier by living every day given to me.

[@cosmiclaziness]

Thank you for the reminder, I needed it

[@rosettabasile2717]

Great video. Hard to explain how much it touches me. Gratitude is a great thing. Love to everybody and thanks for the video

[@bretdaley6869]

I don't know how to channel happiness but I can channel Gratitude and that brings me happiness

[@SUNGWOOMYHERO]

Good video about happiness. I am feeling happier after seeing this. 😊

[@trungduong4040]

The messages in this video help me a lot. Thank you.

[@Optimusprime809]

In Islam, God says something to the effect of "If you are grateful, I will increase you." It's a nice statement because of how broad it is, so it emphasises gratitude as an attitude to life. You can be grateful to God, your friends and family, people that you meet, and it'll all come back to you in a good way by increasing your happiness, your relationships, and your sustenance 😁

[@janbonnekessen5069]

Well, this really made my day! Tank you so much🙏🏼

[@shadabsaleem4005]

One of the best by Ted Ed❤

[@itsshivama]

We cant be grateful for everything, but we can be grateful in every given moment.

[@raxitsankhala9638]

Always satisfied ❤

[@RaxitSankhala-og9hj]

❤❤

[@raxitgamer3670]

❤❤

[@RaxitSankhala-og9hj]

❤❤

[@Raxitsankhala]

❤❤

[@thanktoraxitsankhala1258]

❤❤

[@jenniferbalogh4090]

I think many people underestimate how important is gratitude in our everyday life. We take so many things for granted. It worth having a gratitude journal, and everyday at the end of the day we can write at least 3 things for what we had been greatful during the day. No matter how small these things are, write it down. If you have at least 2-3 things a day for what you was grateful for, then you can be happy for sure.

[@oznoone6892]

And what if I genuinely don't ?

[@zdspider6778]

​@@oznoone6892 You can at least be grateful for your health, for the roof over your head, for your teeth (or the rest of your teeth), for your hair, for having the strength to work, for the education you received, for the moral values you have gotten from your parents, for the clothes you wear, for the gadget or computer you're reading this comment on, for the people who worked in sewage treatment so that you can wash using hot water, or have clean water, for the farmers who grew the food you bought, etc, etc. There are so many things to be grateful for. Just look around you. It can be as easy as being grateful you got a good night's sleep. Or grateful that you don't live in a war country. Grateful that you have the opportunity to use the internet to learn a new skill, or a new language, or to meet someone. Grateful that a loved one is healthy.

[@moskitchen5031]

Instructions unclear: i am now happy

[@cocolouisa5402]

Too bad I guess

[@RamCc-zp9px]

😁

[@xotwod3254]

Clear*

[@rajnishsubedi4265]

Haha me too❤

[@matthewwriter9539]

Congratulations, you have now won the game.

[@audreyosuagwu2625]

when you are grateful, you have faith that good things will come to you and even when it seems like it's the opposite that's happening to you, you have the strength to withstand those sad moments because it's the opportunity in the moment that matters not the happenings around you.

[@aaronsen6885]

Im so happy now tysm

[@a_bar8579]

Always try to appreciate the situation you are in now and make it positive and always try to make the people around you happy

[@christopherbiggs8716]

Thanks for sharing this it’s brilliant.

[@jacksonhogan110]

Now I just need this animation reworked for my office/cubicle environment

[@robkenner5456]

Living with an attitude of gratitude. Nice lesson.

[@bug_under]

I am grateful for this video

[@BasilNOTBayzil]

Love the RedBull ad animation style. ❤

[@takamatsu781]

I still don't understand at all about this but I can feel that the grateful heart is beautiful...

[@soareum]

It was one the best videos about happiness I have ever seen, the beauty of it's explanation really resonated with me and I believe to plenty of others other than me and more to come; I heard it right before going to sleep so it wil give me a wonderful meaning to wake up tomorrow and begin my day with gratefulness. Thank you 😊 It gave me the right purpose to start the life of my dreams. " Nothing in life can make you happy, just the way you look at it makes a difference."

[@marcelvarela3706]

And.. that was a valuable lesson! Thanks!

[@janycebrown4071]

Being in the moment is a 🎁 gift❤ That's why it's called the present ❤ Enjoy THE NOW❣❣❣

[@SenulD]

Happy is the best medicine in our life

[@user-pl6rc4im1j]

Im happy when i see my family safe and healthy everyday

[@sabaghandi7454]

Hi Ted Ed. I have been impressed by the wonderful animation and narration of your videos; enamored especially by your ancient history videos. You have already covered topics like the byzantine and ottoman empires, however I have not seen any videos on the Persian empire despite its deep and enriching history. If you have already covered the Persian empire I would love to see the video, and if not then I highly recommend covering at least one video on it. It is a fascinating topic.

[@tuongho3410]

Thank you for giving a useful video for everyone .Your video is really supperior indeed . I can ameliorate my listening skill thank to your video .I hope you can bring for me and everyone about many quality videos

[@user-md7ml7yz6l]

In usual I don't find any speech or topic touches , but this one does

[@XLTripleTriple]

The comment about us needing to connect in smaller groups is very interesting having read Sapiens where it states that humans operate effectively in groups of 150 or less

[@jaybird498]

Not watching this confusing conversation of a TED TALK made me happy and eventually grateful.

[@computerveis6388]

perfect method to be happy

[@pooranimadhi]

Why am I smiling rn??? This made me happy ◉⁠‿⁠◉

[@kathleenpolly2219]

If you are grateful you not fearful. This pretty much sums it up

[@Kasszer]

In another words to live happily by being grateful means recognizing and appreciating the good things in your life, no matter how big or small they may seem. It involves acknowledging the positive aspects of your life, such as your relationships, experiences, accomplishments, and even the simple pleasures that bring you joy. By cultivating a mindset of gratitude, you shift your focus from what you lack to what you have, which can lead to greater contentment, resilience, and overall well-being. Being grateful allows you to find happiness in the present moment and fosters a sense of abundance, even in challenging times.

[@8thdb]

I guess one of the keys of the happiness is keep working step by step on yourself and your loved ones, learning to see all the positive things around you and giving you a moment to enjoy them day by day or every week instead of being bitter, frustrated or annoyed about not being able to impose your desires.

[@nicolakerimov3049]

Thank you so much for interesting and useful content. Please, If possible turn on auto subtitles.

[@Explorer_0302]

This video made my day😊

[@simotalka3682]

This teaching brought me to tears

[@zaraghenglish]

Wonderful❤greatly enjoyed😊

[@Living._.cadaver._.]

Totally agree.

[@N-xn5sb]

"Nothing makes us happier than when ALL OF US are happy" The thing here is that we have diverging views about who "all of us" are. I believe he means by that all 'citizens' of planet earth.

[@Saffy1]

For me it was quitting job and skipping classes when at school, that easy.

[@mikepetresky6666]

If the key to happiness is simply "Stop, Look, and Go," why aren't we all happy? I would suggest that both our circumstances and our human nature are very complicated and daily in conflict with each other. We are often afraid and we want what we don't have. We see a world where people of wealth, beauty, fame, and power seem to be happy as they live a life which they largely choose to live. It is hard to be grateful when life feels unfair and broken.

[@kushalramakanth7922]

What?? Plenty of wealthy, beautiful, famous and powerful people have killed themselves tho! Its true that life is unfair, but just because you have the above doesn't automatically make you happy lol!

[@vlogwithPanh]

I need a transcript of this video in English because I’m practicing my Listening skill and I chose this presentation to listen and write immediately.

[@linyichuen]

Congratulations to these.

[@Multi_of_9]

My goal is to control my anger and ignore people so I’ll try my best to be happy ❤

[@topdiscover1309]

Good perspective.

[@tdman]

I feel happy when the person I love feel happy.

[@antsh3546]

Yeah, I took shrooms and it changed my life. I now try live gratefully everyday, from the experience I had

[@doomzday66]

Thankyou

[@SilentTrip]

Gratefulness creates happiness...

[@gmaneist]

such a lovely video ❤❤❤

[@0Yasaman0]

Very nice Thank you❤🥺

[@crazzzyakash]

Loved this❤❤❤❤❤