The Happiness Lab at Drexel University is a creative playground and think tank that investigates the meaning of happiness and its place in our lives and society. (All graphics credits: Kanya Zillmer, BS graphic design ’10.)

Eric Zillmer, PsyD, is the Carl R. Pacifico Professor of Neuropsychology in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is also the director of The Happiness Lab at Drexel University, which examines what contributes to well-being and how to build empowering conditions of a life worth living. Amanda Moore, BS psychology ’25, is the senior research assistant at the Happiness Lab.

Have you ever wondered why the word “happy” is in “Happy New Year?”

The new year means a fresh start and an excellent opportunity to examine what matters in life. So why not discuss what lifestyle changes you could adopt to be happier in the new year?

The study of “happiness” has exploded in the past decades. Happiness is an emotion, and psychologists are experts at studying emotions. With the advent of neuroimaging and big data statistics, the science of happiness has become an evidence-based part of psychology, known as positive psychology, that can be measured, studied and understood scientifically.

As a result, we now know which country is the happiest (Finland); where men and women live the longest (Sardina, Italy, and Okinawa, Japan, respectively); where happiness is processed in the brain (everywhere); and whether Mona Lisa is smiling (she is — the non-Duchenne “fake” smile).  

As the director of the Happiness Lab at Drexel University, I (Eric Zillmer) am often asked how one could be happier. Below are several proven lifestyle tips that will make you happier. We are not looking for perfection here; even small changes add up.

Be more optimistic and happier in 2025! Here is some advice from a beach in Costa Brava, Spain. (All photo credits unless otherwise noted: Eric Zillmer.)

Be More Optimistic in 2025

A positive attitude is not just a minor detail; it can make a significant difference. It serves as a survival tool — optimistic individuals cope better with adversity, even when faced with serious challenges, and tend to live longer and happier lives. Although we cannot always change our circumstances or what happens to us, we can choose our responses.

The optimism we are discussing is a resilience skill, where one believes that adversity is temporary and that better times are ahead. By acknowledging that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that everything will work out in the end, can you commit to being cautiously optimistic in 2025?

Embracing optimism allows you to roll with the punches and should be part of your playbook for 2025.

Little Things Matter

Happiness research has shown that you will be happier when engaging in numerous small happy events rather than one big one. We know that engaging in significant celebrations, like holidays or big weddings, can be challenging, with high expectations and possible psychological baggage. As it turns out, planning and engaging in small things that make us happy is more effective.

Being friendly to a stranger, checking on your neighbor, going for a short walk, watering your plants, taking a nap, reading a book, making a yummy cup of coffee, sitting with your pet, spending unstructured time with your loved ones — all of these activities add up and can make you feel happy. Embracing these moments of happiness is crucial to moving away from negative feelings of stress and anxiety, America’s most prominent mental health issue. So, for 2025, choose happiness and schedule small happiness experiences into your day that will make you an experienced happiness traveler.

Celebrate the power of small wins and milestones, take small risks and be prepared to leave your comfort zone because small things matter most!

Those who live the longest in the world practically live outside. Citizens of Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, are not fazed by cold weather.

Go Outside More for 2025

As members of the Happiness Lab, we always get asked some variation of "Tell me one thing that will make me happier right now." Our answer: “Go outside.”

The happiest and longest-living communities in the world — in areas known as Blue Zones — spend time living, eating and working outside. The elderly in Ikaria, Greece (a longevity hotspot) only spend less than 90 minutes sitting daily. There is no excuse, even during the winter months. The citizens of Finland, Denmark and Iceland — the three happiest countries in the world, according to the 2024 Happiness Report — go outside even though it is freezing cold during winter. In Scandinavia, there is a saying: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing,” so they layer up and recreate outside. Being outside provides vitamin D and helps regulate our circadian rhythm (the internal clock that helps us know when to be awake and when to be asleep). 

Do you stay inside when you go on vacation? That should tell you how important it is to spend time outside.

Our Drexel women’s championship basketball team. Anyone who sees them play knows that they trust each other and collaborate, and that the sum is greater than the parts. If you want to succeed on the court or in the game of life, you must reach out to others. Photo credit: Drexel Athletics.

Be More Social

When was the last time you visited a friend without prior notice? Our social lives have grown increasingly complex. Yet, if there’s one vital ingredient for a happier life, it’s connectivity.

We are undoubtedly the most social species. The pandemic has taught us that social isolation is no fun. People living in the Blue Zones constantly seek to engage in shared activities; they excel at building community and prioritizing family and friends.

As you think about 2025, consider your neighbors and colleagues as part of a community; reach out to check on how they’re doing (wellness checks) and recognize the importance of trusting one another and staying connected. We learn from sports psychology that winning is impossible without forming trust and social relationships among teammates.

For 2025: Who are your teammates?

Enjoy outdoor ice skating at the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, one of Philadelphia's favorite wintertime traditions on the Delaware River Waterfront.

Keep Things Simple

A fundamental truth in psychology is that you will be unhappy if you don’t feel in control of your life. The key to managing this is to focus on what you can control and not stress too much about what you cannot. This has become a significant challenge in a world of uncertainties and geopolitical conflicts. 

Those who live the longest do everything in moderation, take breaks during the day and manage their world by taking action, for example, by caring for something or someone. They focus on the positive side of life and live in the present, unencumbered by regrets of the past and anxieties about the future. And they are grateful.

For 2025, simplify your life by downsizing your physical and cognitive world.

Philadelphia has many “secret” gardens and parks, like this one, The Magnolia Botanical Garden. See if you can find it on Locust Street between 4th and 5th streets.

Walk More

Walking is often undervalued as a physical activity, yet every step offers a high return on investment. It is low impact, doesn’t require a gym membership, can be enjoyed in groups, provides excellent exercise and can be relished outdoors! Even short walks bring benefits, and experts say significant mental health advantages exist. We believe being in motion and experiencing a changing environment are all beneficial. Plus, you're allowing yourself to process your thoughts and stressors. 

Did you know Philadelphia is the most walkable city in the United States? As one of the first planned cities, it’s easy to navigate. Center City Philadelphia, between the Schuylkill and the Delaware rivers, is exceptionally user-friendly, thanks to 17th-century city planner William Penn, who envisioned the green spaces, public squares, and grid pattern of streets that characterize Philadelphia’s downtown. It is the ideal city for urban exploration.

Incorporate walking into your daily routine and enjoy getting “lost” in the streets of Philadelphia!

Amanda Moore, BS psychology ‘25, took care of the plants in the Happiness Lab at the Stratton Greenhouse at Drexel. Gardening has numerous positive aspects and promotes positive mental health, including increased happiness; satisfaction with life, mood and well-being; and decreased depression, anxiety and stress.

Take on the Plant Challenge

For the 2025 winter quarter, I (Eric Zillmer) teach “General Psychology” (PSY 101) to non-psychology majors, most of whom are freshmen. It is an excellent opportunity to explain psychology and well-being to our students.

One of the first assignments is the plant challenge. Each student must visit The Happiness Lab on campus to pick up their plant. Their challenge is to keep the plant alive for the quarter and submit a picture during finals week. I ask them why, and of course, our students are clever, saying something like, “Dr. Z, you want us to learn how to take care of something, and by doing so, we learn to take care of ourselves.” Some students sent me pictures of their plants many years later upon graduation. They are grown-up, healthy plants, just like their owners.

Happiness research shows that we must first take care of ourselves cognitively, physically and emotionally before we are ready to take care of anything or anyone else. Also, connecting with nature lowers the risk of dementia, increases longevity, benefits sleep quality and opens the door to mindfulness, flow and restoration. There is an authenticity to gardening that allows you to switch off and become completely absorbed. Connecting with the earth or touching soil can be transformative. That is why physicians in countries including Canada and Scotland are prescribing time in nature for various ailments!

Will you take on the plant challenge for 2025? Contact us at The Happiness Lab (zillmer@drexel.edu), and we will invite you to visit so you can learn how to pot a plant and take care of your happiness plant.

Conclusions

Happiness is an accessible, cumulative and contagious emotion. So, if you're happier, the people around you will also be happier. Happiness is not a duty. That would make people feel less happy. And you can’t always be satisfied, but you can feel happier or strive for happiness. In many ways, happiness is both a direction and a journey, and not a destination. It is a sense of joy that is spontaneous and pleasurable.

For 2025, give yourself the happiness advantage by adopting one or more of the lifestyle tips mentioned above to enhance your life. It is worth investing in yourself first!

Article authors:

Eric A. Zillmer, PsyD, is the Carl R. Pacifico Professor of Neuropsychology in the Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, the athletic director emeritus (serving as director of athletics from 1998 to 2021), and a licensed clinical psychologist. He is a thought leader on the psychology of happiness and the director of The Happiness Lab. This think tank investigates happiness' meaning and place in our culture and society to transform lives, communities and environments. He is also an accomplished musician and the current president of the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society. 

Amanda Moore, BS psychology ’25, is the senior research assistant at the Happiness Lab at Drexel University. She oversees all lab activities, community outreach and the Stratton Hall Greenhouse creative playground operations while coordinating collaborative research and educational initiatives.