2025, Hate Less to Be Happier

American happiness expert Jessica Weiss suggests some ways to make 2025 smoother and more peaceful.

Năm 2025, bớt ghét bỏ để hạnh phúc hơn - Ảnh 1. — What can you do to have a happier life in 2025? - Photo: AI

The New Year is a time when most people think about ways they want to change for the better. About 21% of Americans want to save more money by 2025, according to Statista, 19% want to eat healthier, and 17% want to exercise more. What can you do to live a happier life?

Hate Less to Be Happier

Over the years, you may have held on to unpleasant memories. Every time you think about the past and the person who made you unhappy, you feel angry - even if you haven't spoken to them in years.

Science has shown that letting go of grudges has positive effects, reducing anger, especially anxiety and stress, and boosting the immune system, according to the Mayo Clinic. And the great thing is, "you can let go of grudges on your own," Weiss says.

One way to do this is to write a letter to the person you're angry with, but you don't have to send it. "The act of putting pen to paper releases the anger, anxiety, thoughts, or whatever feelings you're feeling," says Weiss.

Listen fully

In conversations, we often listen only for the purpose of answering and responding, to the point of not paying full attention to the content of the story.

This is pretty common, according to Weiss. But there's a benefit to focusing more on what the other person is saying, rather than thinking about how you're going to respond. People like feeling heard, and "when people feel heard, they naturally like you more."

To improve your listening skills, Weiss recommends asking more questions and reducing the tendency to listen just to get the floor. Let the other person talk, and learn to listen with your heart.

Read more books

“Reading actually has a lot of the same benefits as meditation,” says Weiss, “reading calms the mind in the same way that meditation does.”

Weiss recommends reading for 20 minutes a day. “No phone, no TV, just reading for 20 minutes,” she says. It’s not a long time, but it will yield big benefits.

It's easy to set goals at the beginning of the year and then lose motivation to stick to them. If you've made some New Year's resolutions, "create small milestones and celebrate your progress," says Weiss.

Set small monthly or weekly goals to support your larger goals, as the feeling of accomplishment will help keep you motivated.