(Reader’s Digest) Gretchen Rubin, creator of The Happiness Project website and an upcoming book of the same name, spent a year testing “every principle, tip, and theory” she could find to help people cheer up, especially given the trying times. “When people feel like they’re worse off than they were last year, it’s a happiness challenge,” Rubin notes. Her advice? Try to think ahead five years when, chances are, you’ll have regained your footing (and your house will be worth more too)…

Sleep. Sounds boring, but a 2004 study showed fatigue is one of the top two reasons people are in a bad mood at work (the other is tight deadlines). Another way to boost happiness is to join or start a group. Philosophers and scientists agree that social bonds are the key to happiness. But it’s hard to connect deeply with people at a party; a purpose and an agenda really help. A third idea is to give something away. One principle of happiness is that you should always act the way you wish you felt. If you act generously, you’ll feel more secure.

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