Virtual Happiness: Blogs, Sites and Apps to Boost Your Mood

• By
• Lydia Millett

Image by Flickr / Jens Rost
Let your search for happiness end here

Need a quick mood boost or a deeper dose of happy? Follow our guide to clicking your way to happiness online

When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply click on my favourite things, and then I don't feel so bad.

Like a smile in the real world, virtual happiness is a thing to be valued, and shared. Here are our favourite fun, quirky and inspiring online picks that will help you understand what makes you happy, boost your mood and make you smile.

The Happiness Project

You've probably heard about the book which chronicles Gretchen Rubin's honest look at what floats her boat and what doesn't. Visit the happiness project online, read all about Rubin's journey, and get tips on how to start your own happiness project.

Flickr / Sarah Kaufmann Raindrops on roses

1000 Awesome Things

What started out as a blog about things Neil Pasricha thought were awesome, is now a best selling book, twice over. 1000 Awesome Things is all about finding happiness in the
little things in life like:

• when the vending machine gives you two items instead of one
• when you get into a bed with fresh sheets
• when you find money you didn't even know you'd lost
• intergenerational dancing
• when you get a handwritten envelope in the mail

Flickr / Saxon Whiskers on kittens

Creative Affirmations

"Today I will be happier than a bird with a french fry" and other equally adorable and creative affirmations that don't take themselves too seriously are superb. They simultaneously make us laugh and remind us how awesome we are. Check out this online collection of creative affirmations.

I can't mention affirmations without linking to Jessica's affirmations. This wee girl stands in front of the mirror and tells herself "I can do anything good!" If she can get the hang of affirmations, so can you.

Flickr / Amanda Slater Bright copper kettles

Live Happy: Signs and Patterns App

There’s an app for everything nowadays, so it’s no surprise that there are apps for improving your happiness, too. Live Happy is the modern-day self-help book.

Based on research by Dr Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness, it learns about your happiness preferences and then suggests things for you to do to improve your happiness including savouring a moment, thanking a friend, writing a gratitude journal and performing acts of kindness.

Flickr / Logan Ingalls Warm winter mittens

The Happy Guy Blog

Canadian happy guy David Leonhardt, provides entertaining, informative and generally inspiring musings on happiness. In the Self help Happy Guy Blog you'll find posts on everything from how to find happiness in five minutes, to staying chipper despite grief.

A Photo a Day keeps the Doctor Away

The art of happiness...is art. Get your daily dose by following one of these inspiring photo blogs.

Flickr / Jessica Torres Brown paper packages tied up with string

Track Your Happiness App

Now that you're sublimely happy, track your happiness with this app. You'll answer quick questions sent to your phone about what you are doing and your happiness and then get personalised reports which give a valuable insight into when you are most happy and why. What’s super cool about this ap is that it is part of a Harvard research project, so not only are you learning about your own happiness, but you are contributing to happiness research.

Flickr / Rachel Kramer Bussell These are a few of my favourite things

Lydia Millett hails from New Zealand and has recently moved to Vancouver. She has an English literature degree and a diploma in creative writing.