Come On, Get Happy

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5. Open your eyes to colors. Observe them throughout the day. Might you have a signature hue or pattern, such as polka dots or animal prints?

6. Adopt a spiritual master. Rubin finds inspiration in the writing of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, a 19th-century French nun who described her life's journey in The Story of a Soul. Finding someone you admire in history "makes you think about your own life," says Rubin, "and how you might emulate that person."

7. Remind yourself how to play. "Many adults have forgotten how to have fun," says Rubin. If that sounds like you, think back on what you liked to do at 10 years old. Did you enjoy exploring the woods with your dog? Dancing around? Playing games? Cooking? OK, you know what to do next!

8. Reward your efforts with healthy treats. Food, drink, shopping and screen time are the usual ways people reward themselves, but that can lead to trouble. "My sister had to give up 'Candy Crush,'" reports Rubin. "Her fingers were cramping." Replace those easy indulgences with pleasures of a different kind: Download some new music, for example, or treat yourself to a manicure.

9. Write your manifesto. Distill your deepest values into a short bulleted list of five to 12 words or phrases. "Many people find this both clarifying and imaginative," Rubin says.

10. Say hello and goodbye like you mean it. In Rubin's household, all family members are expected to acknowledge one another whenever one of them arrives or departs. The same rules should apply in an office, she says, where everyone wants to feel recognized. "It doesn't take time or money, but it can deepen people's sense of connectedness."

Deirdre Donahue is the book editor for AARP The Magazine.