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"How to gain, how to keep, how to recover happiness is in fact for most men at all times the secret motive for all they do," observed William James (1902, p. 76). Understandably so, for one's state of happiness or unhappiness colors everything else. People who are happy perceive the world as safer (Johnson & Tversky, 1983), make decisions more easily (Isen & Means, 1983), rate job applicants more favorably (Baron, 1987), and report greater satisfaction with their whole lives (Schwarz & Clore, 1983). When your mood is gloomy, life as a whole seems depressing. Let your mood brighten, and suddenly your relationships, your self-image, and your hopes for the future all seem more promising.

Moreover--and this is one of psychology's most consistent findings--when we feel happy we are more willing to help others. In study after study, a mood-boosting experience (such as finding money, succeeding on a challenging task, or recalling a happy event) made people more likely to give money, pick up someone's dropped papers, volunteer time, and so forth. It's called the feel-good, do-good phenomenon (Salovey, 1990).

feel-good, do-good phenomenon People's tendency to be helpful when already in a good mood.