Other polls get similar results. In a 1998 survey, nearly half of 1,003 American adults judged themselves happier than Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, the pope and Chelsea Clinton. Myers and other psychologists have taken the study of happiness even further, identifying the traits that commonly mark happy lives and the changes people can make to be happier. Studies have found that happy people like themselves and believe themselves to be smarter, healthier, more sociable and generally better than the average person. They're also optimistic, extroverted and tend to keep bad things in perspective.
Happy people feel they're in control of their lives.
Myers advises taking control of your use of time by setting long-term goals and dividing them into daily aims. His research shows that achieving a state of mind in a task that engages and challenges your skills, without overwhelming them, increases quality of life. Study after study has found that religiously active people are happier. Last, says Myers, upping your happy ante is as easy as putting on a happy face. All rights reserved.