2. Start meditating

Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) encourages you to sit quietly while you think warm, loving thoughts. People who practice LKM for an hour a week report that they feel more contentment and joy.

Likewise, mindful meditation — which helps you increase your awareness of the present moment and become more accepting of yourself — has been shown to enlarge the part of the brain that regulates emotions. That can help you maintain happy feelings even when faced with life's inevitable obstacles.