This is an excellent article.

For a spectacular life, remember SOCC:

• Sappy means happy: Hugs, puppies, and helping. Corny? Maybe. But quite effective.
• Optimism: It leads to a longer, happier life and more support from loved ones. Brighten up, Eeyore.
• Control: Be concrete about your plans and feel in control to be stress-proof and gritty.
• Communication: Talk more for a happier relationship. They remember how you made them feel.

And what’s holding you back from earth-shattering joy right now? Oh, that one’s easy…

You’re on the internet. Spending too much time on the information superhighway kills happiness as much as being stuck in traffic on a not-so-super highway.

From The Simple Secrets for Becoming Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise:

Recurring long periods of personal Internet use were associated with 28 percent lower life satisfaction. (Green et al. 2005)

Okay, internet time is over. Let the hugging begin…