As you search for these triggers that create happiness and positivity throughout your day, it is important to stop and think about them and analyze them closely. You should become familiar why they make you feel good. Think about what part of them makes you feel good. You might find that you can find other triggers that offer the same feeling.
Let’s take hugging for example. What part of hugging makes you feel good? Is it just the touch? Maybe, but then you would have the same feeling by hugging a tree or a stop sign. Is it the feeling of connection with someone you love? Maybe, but why does it sometimes feel good to hug strangers? If you’ve never hugged a stranger, you should try it, in a non-creepy, non-perverse way. Hugs are complicated, but if you find out what exactly makes it feel good, you might be able to find other triggers that create a similar feeling.
For the record, I still haven’t figured out hugs, but my wife and I believe it’s a mutual mystery. It may be the combined feeling of trust and the feeling of giving. Remember, giving feels good, so with a hug you are giving and receiving. Knowing this, I can say the trigger may actually be the act of giving. So maybe if you don’t have any money or good to give someone in need, maybe ask them for a hug and see how happy it will make both of you!
You should also consider associations; by that I mean words and objects that trigger a specific memory or emotion. If you have a picture hanging on your wall of an ex-lover that brings a lot of painful memories, you may want to consider removing that picture and storing it away. Replace it with a picture of someone or something that brings positive memories.