Things that make men happy!

Are you a man and happy? Not necessarily happy about being a man, just generally happy and contented with your life? If the answer is yes, then read no further, friend, you have reached the end of your journey of enlightenment and are set for the rest of your days! If, however, you are more like the rest of us, then read on and learn how to become happier!

1.Hang out with your mates

Tell your other half that it is official! Scientists have found that men that regularly spend time with ‘the boys’ tend to be happier and more content with their lives – up to 28 per cent more so than other chaps! It is thought that these feelings of enjoyment and well-being are inspired by the formation and maintenance of strong social bonds that are not necessarily tied to family or matrimonial bonds.

2.Exercise!

It is a well-known fact that exercise releases endorphins {feel good hormones} into the blood stream, so cash in on this healthy and thoroughly enjoyable natural high. You do not have to run, if running seems too much like hard work, you can indulge in any form of exercise at all, as long as you break into a sweat and breath hard for at least twenty minutes… hmm, refer back to point one, perhaps?

3.Activate yourself

Being active is not the same as exercising, although the two seem to be the same. Being active can include activities like attending social clubs and taking part in leisure activities and does not necessarily raise a sweat. Instead of chilling out in front of the television, remote in one hand and beer in the other, get yourself dressed up and go out to a movie with a friend, pop into an art class or just meet up with friends, even if it is only for one quick drink. Having something to do and somewhere to go stirs up your system and gives you a warm buzz, while slobbing around at home has the opposite effect and can even result in the onset of depressive symptoms.

4.Look good

You may be one of those old-school guys who does not believe in primping and preening yourself in front of the mirror, and, sure, you do not have to. Do make the effort to look nice, though, by brushing your hair, cleaning your shoes, and wearing an ironed {and clean, of course!} shirt and smart trousers {even new jeans will do}. Feeling good has been found to give men a huge fillip to their confidence, instantly boosting their mood and happiness with life.

5.Get out!

Being outdoors is wonderful, especially if you have been stuck inside for ages, such as during the working week. Make time to get out there and enjoy some fresh air every day if you can. You can enjoy fishing, hiking, cycling or even bird-watching or gardening in the great outdoors and see how all fresh air and peace ooze into your soul, leaving a residue of well-being behind! Even going for a quick ten or fifteen minute walk can do wonders towards getting your head right and your psyche soothed.

6.Marry her…

Getting married has been found to instantly increase a man’s longevity and average happiness levels. So ignore your confirmed bachelor mates’ derision and propose to your long term partner and then sit back and enjoy new-found levels of happiness. This extra contentment is partly because your partner will look after you, but is also because the responsibility of being one half of a union inspires you to look after yourself better. If marriage is one commitment step too far, you can relax knowing that a stable and loving long-term relationship is almost as good as marriage, as regards happiness levels.

7.Enjoy moderate drinking

Doctors now agree that the odd glass of wine is generally healthy and other forms of alcohol can help us to relax and de-stress after a hard working week. Instead of grimly going teetotal, enjoy the odd bevy, either with your mates or partner, and know that you are working towards ever-improved contentment levels by doing so.

8.Ditch the commute

Work from home – or as close to home as possible! Lengthy commutes are frustrating and stressful even on a good day, and when accidents and road works crop up, then problems multiply like bacteria on a petri dish! Arriving at work, late and traumatised by your fellow road users does not set you up to perform to your best abilities! Speak to your boss about working online or from home {mention the extra time available for getting on with your work} if feasible and watch as your stress and worries melt away. Do discipline yourself to work between set hours, or else you will find yourself slacking off until the day before a work deadline, then panicking and undoing all your good work trying to catch up!

9.Immigrate!

Ok, this one is quite drastic, but international organisations have found that the United Kingdom is quite low-down on the happiness charts compared to countries like Denmark, Canada, Sweden and Iceland. Sunny Costa Rica tops the happiness charts, which just goes to show that living in a first world country is no guarantee of life satisfaction! If you want to remain in the United Kingdom, think about moving out into the country – the same study found that rural residents are generally considerably happier than their citified counterparts. Do not fret too much in your endless search for contentment in life: as we age we become happier and happier {probably as we face our shortcomings and learn to accept our real selves} with retired people being the most contented of all.

10.TVs In Random Places

It’s somewhat related to the “building your own stuff” thing, but the spirit of McGuyvering is more about a man’s instinct to improvise and fix whatever needs fixing with the limited resources available, and the more unconventional the solution, the better. Most of these solutions do ultimately fail but, until they do, there’s a distinct sense of euphoria we experience, knowing we managed to fix that moped/toilet/rollerblades/Xbox controller with nothing but our bare hands, force of will, and a metric ton of duct tape.

11.Repetition, Repetition..

The inside joke or shared anecdote is a sweet and intoxicating thing — like a solid swig of Kentucky Bourbon. But the sly and continuous call-back to said anecdote, even, say, 10 years later? Well, that there’s your Lagavulin single malt — appropriately aged and that much more satisfying. Like that time in 2006 when your buddy Jer showed up to a backyard barbecue in his unnecessarily short shorts. Endless hilarious comments ensued about Jer’s “sweet calves” and “epic thighs” — and it of course couldn’t end there. Even years later, the subject of Jer’s Killer Gams still comes up — even at his wedding toast — bringing laughter and joy to scores of men.

12.Honesty & trust

When the games are played, final rounds called, and booty calls over, we want someone we can confide in. The most successful relationships are built upon trust, candor and honesty; anything else is equivalent to building a house on quicksand. Sadly, you only know who is swimming naked when the tide goes down, so be honest with your woman {but do not tell her anything she neither needs or cares to know} if you want her to be honest with you.

13.Sense of humor

This will forever remain a priority for any man. We work hard, we put up with a lot, and we need a woman who will put a smile on our faces when things are gloomy, and make us laugh when things are down. Now guys, I have been curious as to whether we like it when women make us laugh or when we make them laugh. Being able to make them laugh is good for our egos, but getting a smile on our faces is the best tonic possible.

Women always rank a sense of humor as the trait they like most in us. A woman who finds it challenging to smile and be pleasant will be a thorn in your side until the day you die, and trust me, your judgement day will come before hers.

14. Ambition & drive

If a partner is what you seek, then you will have to find a woman who will challenge your thoughts, stir up your emotions positively and give you a run for your money. Challenges start at home and end on fields, boardrooms and life, so make sure that you meet your match, because practice does make you perfect.

A woman that is too strong-willed will also be too stubborn, and this is just plain frustrating, but one that chooses her battles diplomatically will prove to come out a winner in the game of life. Would you not want her on your team?

15. Heart of gold

Most women are selfish on good days and plain malicious on bad ones, so why any man would let himself get tempted {well, we know why} by someone who has bad intentions beats me. So many men e-mail us, telling us how badly they are being treated, yet they are helpless in doing something about it, and worse, they keep going back why guys, why?

If you are looking to get involved for the long haul, a kind woman with a heart of gold will nurture you and offer the compassion, sincerity, warmth, and affection you need to make it to the top. Just make sure you are able to reciprocate the kindness, because someone ultimately will and then she'll run for the hills.

16.Intelligence & confidence

Previous generations probably preferred a smart woman — not just book smart, but also street smart. But truth be told — and this will not please feminists {but then again, who cares?} — many men did not want an overly smart woman, after all, it would be too hard to tame and control her. After all, men feared that women could become unstable and make demands {oh no...}

Today, I like to think that we have matured a bit and now see the value in having a valuable ally as a partner. If a housewife, mother and maid is all that you are looking for, you are selling yourself short men, so go out and find someone who will learn from you as much as you will learn from her; imagine the powerhouse couple that you will make.

17. R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

The last thing we want, is a woman who lets us down, embarrasses us and makes us out to be fools, especially in public. Gentlemen, there is nothing wrong with admitting that we are excessively proud and sensitive to criticism, but if done right, constructive criticism from the one person who knows us best can only make us better men, fathers, lovers, brothers, and human beings.

18.A beautiful face

This one will stand the test of time. A pretty face can get away with murder. Who wants to wake up every morning of the rest of their life next to Shamu ? While this should not be the top characteristic, it is helpful to admit that you must find a woman who will please your eyes and excite your everything else.

Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, unless of course you are a magician named David. So do not choose someone based on what your friends say, go with who you want to wake up with. We like beautiful things and we shall make no apologies for this. Physical attraction may be more important than a 9th and 8th ranking, but beauty fades quickly, especially since beautiful women are a dime a dozen.

19.A statuesque body

We may not admit this to them, but when we're walking down the street with our women, we want to show them off. Show off what? Their crazy curves and full figure.

As Doc Love puts it: you need to pass a physical to be the best you can be {i.e. join the army}, and Lord knows that women make us pass their own physical exams, so why should we be any different or make any excuse about it?

20. LoveAlthough

There are different things that make us happy — some of them may not have been on the list but should have been, while others are but should not have been — when all is said and done and the ink has dried up, the first dates turn into the honeymoon stage, and the relationship develops, all men really want is love.