happier.com blog | a personal trainer for your happiness » iphone

Zappos Features happier.com in Video Interview

happier.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:13:24 +0000

Yesterday, Andrew sat down with the team at Zappos.com to talk about using happier.com as a personal trainer for your happiness.

Melissa, who blogs for Zappos, chatted with us about the site and our team. You can watch the full video below. Please leave comments on the Zappos blog if you’re a fan! Thanks!

happier.com is a personal trainer for your happiness. With more than a dozen tools and tests to help you measure, track and improve your happiness, you can trust the happier.com experts to help you reach your goals. Exclusive videos and a popular blog mean there’s something new to learn every day. Download the free iPhone application or find what you’re looking for with the Positive Psychology Practitioner Directory. happier.com is on Facebook, LinkedIn, and twitter and has meetup groups in Washington, Philadelphia, and Portland, with more planned. Click here for a social media press release from our launch.

Now Available for Free – happier.com IPhone Application With Happiness Test

happier.com — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:38:51 +0000

“As a neuroscientist, I really like the idea of the program….” – a user review
Measure your happiness. Track Your progress. And record what goes well each day.
Daily awareness and tracking of emotions is one of the first steps toward lasting, sustainable happiness
Two decades of research show that focusing on what goes well, and why, helps you build your life around authentic sources of happiness
Application includes an introductory video from Prof. Martin Seligman, of the University of Pennsylvania

Our Mission: We inspire people to be happier.

happier.com inspires people to be happier and more resilient every day. Through assessments and exercises to measure, track and improve happiness, thousands of users have experienced a meaningful improvement. Easy-to-use applications, both online and for the iPhone, provide users with the tools they need to be happier.

Everything we offer is based on leading research. We partner with psychologists including Dr. Martin Seligman, author of “Learned Optimism” and “Authentic Happiness” and the founder of the field of positive psychology.

In the Los Angeles Times: Happiness is in your mind — and wallet

happier.com — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:01:54 +0000

Megan Daum writes in the 3/14/2009 Los Angeles Times:

Opinion

Happiness is in your mind — and wallet

A new survey indicates that life satisfaction is mostly a matter of perception — but a ready supply of cash doesn’t hurt.

Meghan Daum

March 14, 2009

Oh, no. Here comes another study about happiness. We can’t seem to do enough of these paeans to cheerfulness. In the last few months alone, the British Medical Journal suggested that having a happy close friend boosts our own odds of being happy by 25%; the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological

Sciences pointed to evidence that optimism and pessimism are genetically determined; and the website happier.com, which, according to its mission statement, “measures, tracks and improves happiness,” launched an iPhone application that allows users to keep a mobile “gratitude journal” (just don’t be grateful while driving).

The latest installment comes in the form of the Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index, a huge poll (it used a random sample of 355,000 Americans) designed to measure people’s daily well-being and describe its correlation to where they live and work. The survey revealed which U.S. states (and, indeed, which congressional districts within those states) were the healthiest and happiest in six categories: life satisfaction, work quality, healthy behavior, physical health, emotional health and basic access to necessities such as food and shelter.

The big winner was Utah, followed by Hawaii, Wyoming, Colorado and Minnesota. The state with the worst sense of well-being was West Virginia. Michigan, Ohio, Mississippi and Kentucky filled out the list of the five worst states.

What are we to conclude from this? Well, let’s see: Utah happens to have an unemployment rate of 4.6%, versus the national average of 7.6% (according to January numbers). West Virginia, for its part, has one of the weakest state economies in the country. As for the congressional districts, California’s 14th, which includes the lush, plush Silicon Valley cities of Palo Alto and Mountain View, ranked first. The losers: the coal-mining country of Kentucky’s 5th District and New York’s 16th District, which includes the famously blighted South Bronx.

The study was concerned in large part with quality-of-life issues such as access to outdoor recreation (hence the high marks for Utah and Hawaii) and access to affordable housing and healthcare. But even though spokesmen for the poll may not want to put that fine a point on it — an Associated Press report said a Gallup researcher was “reluctant to explain regional differences without more study, but suspected that some of the variations are explained by income” — it appears that Randy Newman may have been right when he sang “it’s money that matters.” Or, perhaps more accurately, it’s that Puff Daddy’s lyric, “young, black and famous, with money hangin out the anus,” was an encomium to inner peace.

In either case, the current economic calamity has most of us poised for some serious unhappiness. Even if we’re lucky enough to have avoided unhappy friends or pessimistic genes (not so for me; when I was small, my father sat me down and told me “happiness is an illusion” — he then offered me a cherry Life Saver), chances are most of us are suffering some measure of financial anxiety. So does that doom us to West Virginia levels of misery?

Possibly. When I submitted to an assessment on happier.com, which asked questions such as how often I felt proud of myself and what kind of mood I was in most of the time, I scored a rather grim 65 out of a possible 100 (though I guess if I weren’t a pessimist, I’d see 65 as a passing grade). It then suggested I do an online exercise on “controlling negative thoughts,” in which I was asked to quickly solve a series of anagrams and then record how I felt about myself as I attempted to do so.

As it happened, the test made me feel terrible about myself. Then I learned that all but two of the anagrams were unsolvable and that the exercise was developed to help me “gain more control” of my “thinking styles” and “identify the adversity” I was experiencing.”

In other words, I shouldn’t have been so hard on myself for erroneously surmising that “godapoo” was almost an anagram for “dog poo.” I then went back and retook the happiness test and scored a 70.

Of course, even if I were one of the few people who appear to be thriving in this economy — like oil company executives and, rather Dickensianly, shoe repairers (people are getting their shoes fixed rather than buying new ones) — I’d probably still get a middling score on that test. And that’s not just because the well-being index ranked my congressional district 416th out of 435 (I attribute that entirely to the overcrowded parking lot at Trader Joe’s). It’s because ultimately my father was right.

If we believe the results of many of these studies, which suggest that life satisfaction is mostly a matter of perception, then happiness is an illusion. It also happens to be an illusion that can seem a lot more real when paired with cash. Now excuse me while I drop $200 on an iPhone so I can start that mobile gratitude journal.

Fox TV Houston features happier.com: websites to make you happy

happier.com — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 03:14:09 +0000

Link to original article

5 Websites to Make You
Happy

DOUG DELONY

MyFoxHouston – A rising unemployment rate, some low numbers on Wall Street, and word that our own government says “there’s no quick fix.” So where can you turn for a little ray of happiness?

The key to happiness could be with the click of a mouse.

Take a look at “I Can Has Cheez Burger.” It’s part of a phenomenon on the web known as “LOL Cats.” People around the world share cute kitty photos with captions in broken English. One shows a cat sitting on a dog, asking “When does monorail dawg leave stashun?”

If that off beat brand of humor doesn’t work for you, happier.com might help. They have a free “happiness test,” and they say using their exercises for 15 minutes a day can make you happier. In fact, the website recently released aniPhone application to help you control your mood.

Need more happy? “Think Exist” has nearly 600 quotes on the subject. One says “be happy… it’s one way of being wise.” If you read enough of these, you might just find yourself gain a little happiness, too.

Games should make you happy, unless they are really difficult. So why not check out some kid-friendly games on Yahoo! Kids. They are really easy to beat, which is bound to make you (and the kids) happy.

Lastly, Facebook user Rochelle Rucker responded to the question “What websites make you happy?” She listed several, including the “Bible Gateway,” which lets you look up any scripture in nearly any version of the Bible you can think of (and language, too).

Visit these “happy websites” for yourself:

- http://icanhascheezburger.com/
- http://www.happier.com/
- http://thinkexist.com/quotations/happiness/
- http://kids.yahoo.com/
- http://www.biblegateway.com/

Link to original article

Mobile Marketer reviews happier.com iPhone application

happier.com — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:02:09 +0000

Giselle Abramovich at the Mobile Marketer covers the happier.com gratitude journal iPhone application.

Happier.com helps consumers raise happiness level via mobile

Happier.com, a Web site created to help users measure, track and improve their level of happiness, has released a mobile application for the iPhone.

Users of happier.com’s Gratitude Journal are directed to make a daily entry of three positive events that happen each day. A simple 24-question assessment then informs the users of their happiness score. “The strategy behind the iPhone app is to help people measure, track and improve their happiness using their mobile device,” said Andrew J. Rosenthal, vice president of Happier.com. “Happier.com works with top scientists, drawing on discoveries from the field of positive psychology.

“Through simple Web-based exercises, users are able to improve the amount of positive emotion, engagement and meaning in their lives,” he said. “Over 10,000 people have begun using Happier.com, and from the Philippines to Philadelphia, the response has been fantastic.

The new Happier.com mobile application includes an introduction by internationally-renowned happiness expert and University of Pennsylvania professor, Dr. Martin Seligman. Users can track milestones and increase their happiness over time using the Gratitude Journal.

“The way humans are wired, when things go well, we tend to forget them. When things go badly we remember them,” Dr. Seligman said in a statement. “The more you pay attention to things going well, by writing them down as in the gratitude journal, the more positive emotions you’ll experience.”

Be happier

The Gratitude Journal guides each user through features that measure current happiness, display the six most recent happiness scores and create a journal including a summary of happiness milestones and achievements.

The application can be downloaded from the iTunes AppStore onto either an iPhone or iTouch device.

“Additionally, we’ve found that many people are discovering happier.com after downloading the iPhone app,” Mr. Rosenthal said. “From a business perspective, the app is both a service to our users and a marketing tool to reach potential users.”

According to research, almost 70 percent of people report that they want to be happier.

“Today, we are all under increased pressures and stress,” Mr. Rosenthal said. “We are looking to improve the things we still have under our control such as our relationships, our emotions and our ability to enjoy the smaller things in life.

“Happier.com gives people the tools to better confront adversities and be resilience in the face of everyday challenges,” he said. “The site is being used by over 10,000 people from around the world. Many users are well-educated women aged 30-55, with an interest in self-improvement and science.”

Associate Editor Giselle Abramovich covers ad networks, advertising, content, email, media, messaging, legal/privacy, search, social networks, television and video. Reach her at giselle@mobilemarketer.com.

Original article

WCVB Boston: happier.com gratitude journal iPhone app

happier.com — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:22:34 +0000

Developers Say iPhone App Makes You Happier

Company Touts Mobile Software

By Jim Haddadin, Staff Writer TheBostonChannel.com

BOSTON — Mobile devices have tackled an ever-expanding list of functions in recent years, but one new application for the iPhone is promising users a unique service.

Developers at Happier.com launched a companion application for the Apple iPhone and iTouch this week that allows users to keep track of how happy they are from day to day using a mobile “gratitude journal.” The software, which developers said is based on scientific research on happiness, requires users to log three events each day that made them feel happy, and fill out a 24-question survey gauging their emotional state.

“It’s so easy to focus on what goes wrong in our lives, but studies show when you focus on what’s going right you live a happier, more fulfilling life,” said Andrew J. Rosenthal, vice president at Happier.com. Rosenthal said that the application analyzes patterns in individual users records and provides feedback on which circumstances are most likely to produce positive emotions.

The company launched a Web site in November which has 10,000 registered users, according to Rosenthal. The site is currently free to use and offers a variety of tools similar to the gratitude journal that help users to understand which events in their lives generate the greatest meaning and positive engagement, according to the company.

In addition to logging daily entries in the iPhone journal, users are asked to regularly fill out a survey that measures several happiness metrics. Questions ask users to pick between choices like “I feel like a failure,” “I don’t feel like a winner,” and “I feel like I have succeeded more than most people,” and the software uses the answers to generate a happiness score. This number provides a basis for users to chart their progress and change in day-to-day fulfillment, according to the company.

“Unlike a diet where you give up an ice cream soda, these tools are addictive,” said Rosenthal. “They make you feel good.”

Developers at Happier.com also benefit from the tools they construct, according to Rosenthal, who said that the site has been helpful in managing the stresses of a first-year business.

“Colleagues and I use this every day,” he said. “We’re a start-up company, and things are tough for a small company right now. We use these tools to help stay focused and balanced, and we know that our users do.

Original article

happier.com releases application for iPhones: Mobile ‘gratitude journal’ helps measure and improve happiness daily

happier.com — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:02:34 +0000

MEDIA ADVISORY

Media Contact

Bonnie Harris

612-801-0912

bharris@waxmarketing.com

happier.com releases application for iPhones

Mobile ‘gratitude journal’ helps measure and improve happiness daily

March 2, 2009 – Philadelphia, PA- Representatives from happier.com, a website created to help users measure, track and improve their level of happiness, announced they have released a mobile application that can be downloaded directly to an iPhone or purchased through iTunes. Users of happier.com’s gratitude journal are directed to make a daily entry of three positive events that happen each day. A simple 24 question assessment then informs the user of their happiness score. Users can track milestones and increase their happiness over time using the gratitude journal.

“It’s so easy to focus on what goes wrong in our lives, but studies show when you focus on what’s going right you live a happier, more fulfilling life,” said Andrew J. Rosenthal, Vice President at happier.com. “With the new iPhone application a person can measure, build and sustain happiness in just a few minutes a day. All of the exercises and assessments at happier.com, including the gratitude journal, are created from more than 20 years of research on happiness and its sources. Research has proven that daily awareness and tracking of emotions is one of the first steps toward lasting, sustainable happiness.”

The new mobile application includes an introduction by internationally-renowned happiness expert and University of Pennsylvania professor, Dr. Martin Seligman. “The way humans are wired, when things go well, we tend to forget them. When things go badly we remember them,” says Dr. Seligman. “The more you pay attention to things going well, by writing them down as in the gratitude journal, the more positive emotions you’ll experience.”

The gratitude journal guides each user through features that measure current happiness, display the six most recent happiness scores and create a journal including a summary of happiness milestones and achievements. The application can be downloaded from the iTunes AppStore onto either an iPhone or iTouch device.

About happier.com: Happier.com goes beyond the books and uses research based tools to inspire people to feel happier and more resilient. Through assessments and exercises to measure, track and improve happiness, thousands of users have experienced a meaningful improvement. Easy-to-use applications, both online and for the iPhone, provide users with the tools they need to be happier. Focusing on what goes well, and why, helps you build your life around authentic sources of happiness.

For more information about happier.com and the gratitude journal iPhone application, visit www.happier.com

“good things by happier.com” iPhone application released!

happier.com — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:51:46 +0000

Visit the appstore to see "good things: from happier.com"

More information on the app including screen shots and a full description is available in a previous entry.

Please leave a review for us in the app store. You can do this by clicking on this link and clicking on “write review” at the bottom of the screen. Your ratings and feedback will help us continue to refine the application. You can also email us feedback at iphone [at] happier.com.

“good things” iPhone application — happier.com goes mobile

happier.com — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:26:47 +0000

happier.com builds tools to help you measure and improve your happiness. One of our most popular tools is Three Good Things. Research shows that recording went goes well in life, and why it goes well, improves happiness, with effects lasting for months. The team at happier.com built Three Good Things to help users recognize and record, every day, what goes well in life.

We listened to your suggestions, and we are building an iPhone application to let you measure your happiness and record three good things .

The main menu of the application is clean and easy to use.

Clicking on the “introduction” link brings you to a video from Dr. Seligman.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwkDEM4gFBA]

The best part of the application is the ability to record what goes well, and why:

Recording what goes well, in “good things” iPhone application

At happier.com, we make people happier and more resilient. We are proud of our ability to improve happiness, and we provide validated assessments to track your personal well-being. The good things iPhone application includes a validated 24-questino assessment that let’s you measure your happiness and watch it change over time.

Measuring your happiness in "good things" iPhone application

Watch your happiness improve over time with the “good things” iPhone application by happier.com

The good things iPhone application is currently in development and not yet available for public release. If you are interested in learning more about the application or our beta-tester program, please sign up for more information. We’ll be sure to get back to you quickly!

[update 1/2/2009]

The app is now available. Click here to visit the AppStore