While self-help manuals offer countless complex strategies for boosting your mood, the most effective ways to become happy often require no effort at all. As simple as a walk on the beach, or two scoops of ice cream, here are five ways to instantly — and involuntarily — get happy.The scent of nostalgia
Whether it's the smell of freshly-baked cinnamon buns cooling on a windowsill, or a juicy steak charbroiling on a hot grill, a whiff of something delicious can instantly lift the spirits. And while your stomach may play a role, Dr. Alan Hirsch, a neurologist who specializes in smell and taste loss, says there's something a little more complex going on in the brain.
"Smell goes directly to the limbic system, which is the brain's emotional center. It's pure affect of our emotional sense," he says. "So more than any other sense, smell can draw up memories and invoke nostalgia from images of the past."
Five ways to become happy without trying
