Science Says, When You Want to Help Someone Be Happy, Show Them How

Their brains are wired to recognize whether all’s well from the way you’re acting

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It’s a shame when a friend’s down in the dumps. You want to help improve their mood. The best way to achieve your aim isn’t to give them advice, though. Even gift-giving isn’t the ultimate answer. Rather, act happy and show them how to feel good.

Happiness is catchy, so be joyful

We often just think of harmful pathogens when considering contagions. But not everything catchy is destructive: Good moods are infectious, too. In fact, happiness spreads quickly under the right conditions.

When you’re with a friend with the blues, however, jumping for joy and guffawing with laughter won’t do the trick. There’s more to helping them improve their mindset than acting the fool.

At the same time, displaying so much sympathy that your own mood plummets isn’t useful either. If you’re not careful, you’ll catch your pal’s misery by joining in with their behavior. Here’s how to set the tone and get them to copy you.

We are wired to respond to our environment