Tips to Feel Happier

Liz Vaccariello, editor-in-chief of Prevention magazine, shares tips for improving your mood:     Hope for Small Changes Don't try to make changes to your life all at once and don't look for a big bang that's going to change your life. "Researchers know that things like winning the lottery have very little effect on our happiness, and it's the everyday choices that we make, whether it's exercising, or praying or what have you, that have the biggest impact on our happiness," Liz explains.   Give Money Away "After our basic needs are met, money does very little to change our mood," Liz says. "One study gave people anywhere from $5 to $20 and said they could keep some for themselves, give it away or give it to a friend, and the people who gave it to somebody else, no matter what the amount, were happier."   Make Something "Think of the pleasure we get when we create something with our own hands, whether it's cooking a meal or knitting a sweater," Liz says. "The trick here, though, is you have to finish the job."