32 things all happy (and rich) people have in common

Time to add them to your repertoire

If you've ever wondered where the happiest place to live in the UK is in a bid to try to be happier, don't worry, you don't need to relocate, you can try these handy tips by Dr. Randall Bell PhD, author of Me, We, Do, Be: The Four Cornerstones of Success.

Habits of happy people

Get the Big Picture

Creating time for solitude not only clears your head and brings a higher degree of focus, but it also has tangible benefits. Solitude correlates with education. Those who seek daily solitude are up to 92.3% more likely to have an advanced university degree.

Keep the Faith

In a word frequency analysis on goals, the top responses centre on family, career, health and money. 'Me' goals were infrequent, but the #1 'me' goal was to get closer to God.

Be Honest

Of the 'me' habits that people are most proud of, honesty is ranked at #1

Don’t Sweat It

In a word frequency analysis, when asked about bad habits, 'worrying too much' ranked #1 worst 'me' habit.

Chill Out

There are many so-called bad habits that actually do not reconcile with negative outcomes. When the brain is actively working, it generates more beta brain waves which are associated with active learning; however, watching TV generates more alpha brain waves, which is a more relaxed state. Both alpha and beta brain waves have benefits.

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Get Inspired

Those who regularly read inspirational works are up to 14.1% more likely to be happy.

Get Smart

In a word frequency analysis, having an advanced education ranked as the #1 'me' accomplishment. On the other hand, the lack of an advanced education ranked as the all-time top regret as well as not travelling.

Read

Reading dramatically adds to overall happiness. For example, those who read seven or more books per year dominate in all categories of income and net worth. Those who read seven or more books per year are over 122.0% more likely to be millionaires over those who never read or only read one to three.

Just Let It Go

An angry temperament was studied as a function of those who tend to yell at bad drivers. Those who just 'let it go' tend to be happier and wealthier as compared to those who don’t.

Be Kind

Those who tend to smile and speak positively are 43.5% more likely to be happy. If that doesn’t cut it, they are also up to 46.0% more likely to be millionaires.

Spice It Up!

Putting an effort into romance has benefits. Those who are in satisfying romantic relationships are far more likely to be happy overall and make more money. Those who are in very satisfying romantic relationships are 626.1% more likely to be very happy overall. They are also 38.7% more likely to earn over £100,000 per year.

Get the Word Out

Positive communication skills add value. Those who tend to be sarcastic tend to be 20.0% less happy.

Don’t Gossip

Gossip is a buzz kill. Those who never or rarely gossip are 111.1% more likely to be happy as compared to those who dish out the dirt.

Enjoy Dinner as a Family

Those who have sit-down dinners with their families are 40.7% more likely to be happy, over those who do not and 60.8% more likely to be satisfied with their romantic life. They are also 43.6% more likely to earn over £70,000 annually.

Keep It Clean

Those who respect their communities and pick up other people’s trash are 30.2% more likely to earn over £70,000.

Enjoy sport

Those who regularly attend sporting events have a 45.6% better romantic life than those who do not. They also have a whopping 209.5% better chance of being 'very happy.'

Catch the Wave

Those who wave to their neighbours are up to 69.8% more likely to be very happy compared to those who do not.

Remember Birthdays

Those who remember other’s birthdays tend to be 14.1% happier.

Need or Greed

Money brings happiness only to those whose basic needs are not being met. Statistically, the only income level where there was a correlation between income and happiness was for incomes under £18,000 per year. People who earn less than that tend to be less happy. This may be explained when it is more difficult to be happy when basic needs are not being met. However, for all categories of income of £20,000-£40,000 a year or more, there is no statistical correlation between annual income and happiness.

Make Your Bed

Those who keep their living space more tidy tend to also make more money. For example, those who make their bed in the morning are up to 206.8% more likely to be millionaires, as compared to those who make their beds and have a negative net worth.

Find a Job You Like

Of all 'do' habits, '“poor career choices' ranked as the worst regret. On the other hand, of all 'do' habits, having a fulfilling career ranked as the #1 goal, even ahead of having good health or making money.

Exercise

Taking care of one’s health ranked as the #1 'do' habit that people were most proud of. Of those who have good health, “exercise” was ranked as the #1 best habit, while “exercise” is not even amongst the top ten habits of those in poor health. To sum it all up, if you exercise, you are far more likely to earn more money, have a higher net worth, be better educated, and have better romance. Plus, those who exercise are 23.2% more likely to be happy overall.

Work tidy

Keeping personal and work space clean and organised is a great habit. Those who have an organised work space have a 2.77 times higher chance of having a very satisfying romantic life and a 3.4 times higher chance of being very happy.

Keep In Control

Those who drink heavily are 53.9% more likely to be in debt and 235% more likely to be very unhappy.

Save

Saving money is romantic. Those who save just 1% to 5% of their income have 35.0% better romantic relationships over those who are in debt or just break even.

Get Some Sleep

Getting enough sleep is strongly correlated to wealth, happiness, romance and education.

Brush Your Teeth

Pride in personal hygiene was measured by comparing those who brushed their teeth with net worth. Millionaires are just 5.2% more likely to brush their teeth, as compared with those with a negative net worth. Those who floss are only 7.0% more likely to floss, as compared to those who are not in a relationship. This suggests the good news that basic hygiene is good across the board.

Use Time Wisely

'Being on time' ranked #1 of all 'be' habits people are most proud of, while the #1 regret of all 'be' habits, was wasting time.

Pick at Target

Goal setting has a range of benefits. Those who have clear, written goals are 74.9% more likely to have a very satisfying romantic life over those who have no clear goals. Those with a clear sense of direction are simply more appealing.

Teach

When asked about their greatest accomplishments, a predictable trio of family-education-health emerged; however, 'teaching' was the only vocation that made the list. Even if your profession is not as a 'teacher', helping and teaching others is richly satisfying.

Check the Time

Those who maintain both a calendar and 'to do' list are 289.3% more likely to be millionaires, as compared with those who have no real set schedule.

Build a Legacy

Those who maintain a history of their ancestors are up to three times more likely to be happy.

'The statistical evidence is clear. The greatest joy comes from relationships with family and close friends,' Dr. Randall explains. 'The elevated realm does not frantically chase money, social status or an image, but they naturally attract a balanced level of prosperity. They function best in a clean and organised environment and they treasure their health and their time. They play, laugh a lot and count their blessings. They honour the legacy of those who came before, and they do something to contribute and build upon what they have been given.'