According to a recent scientific study that will be published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, there are five things people can do to makes their own lives happier. They include gratefulness, optimism, positivity, personal strength and kindness. Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky explained that, according to her findings, “A large portion of happiness is in our power to change.”

The scientists who have been studying happiness claim that people can make their lives happier by focusing on the following:

Gratefulness
How do you show gratitude? A letter of thanks, a phone call, a simple word of appreciation? It could be that the actual act of displaying gratitude towards someone who has helped you or made your life better in some way can be therapeutic. Of course a little appreciation can also do wonders for the recipient!

Optimism
The study showed that people who take an active approach to optimism – envisioning an ideal future and good things to come – start feeling happier now. Thinking optimistically can have a strong psychological benefit and bring a smile to your face.

Positivity
Everyone goes through good and bad times … the trick is to focus on the positive. Researchers have confirmed what we already knew. People who dwell on the best parts of life are generally happier than those who concentrate on the negative.

Personal Strength
What do you do well? It’s often been said that one of the keys to success is to do what you love. Understanding and using your personal strengths can also make you a happier person. Sharing those strengths with others will help spread the joy around.

Kindness
A simple act of kindness can go a long way. It will make the recipient happy, and in turn it will make you feel good. As the study shows, when we help others we also help ourselves. Read more about random acts of kindness.

Those are the five components to happiness presented by scientists at a recent meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. At PeopleFinders, we would like to add one more essential element to happiness.

People
It’s a concept that has been posed many times: think back on the most important moment of your life. Were you alone, or with people you care about? While there are several things each of us can do to boost our own happiness, it’s the family and friends we share our lives with that make us truly happy.

We often hear from people who have found and reconnected with loved ones using our website. Their stories are always full of joy – people are happiest when surrounded by those they love. Find your personal keys to happiness, share them with your family and friends, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Researchers listened in on volunteers over a four-day period and recorded snippets of conversations. The recordings were categorized as either small talk or substantive exchanges, and people who regularly engaged in more serious chats with family and friends were the happiest.

When the study ended, researchers concluded that happier people spend up to 70% more time talking than unhappy people. They also determined that happy people enjoy two times as many substantial conversations. In the end, even the small talk seemed to help. Happier people also engaged in nearly 33% more chitchat.

At PeopleFinders, these results don’t surprise us. We’ve always believed that one of the true keys to happiness comes from spending time with family and friends. These are the people who share our secrets, rejoice in our successes and help us through difficult times. That’s why we’re dedicated to helping people find and reconnect with others. Our People Search service can help you find anyone, anywhere.

Results from the study will be detailed in an issue of Psychological Science. The overall point the article will make is that those who share more time with people they care about, and less time alone, tend to be the happiest. It just goes to show that happiness, as we’re fond of saying, is all about a connection.

If you’ve lost touch with people from your past who brought joy into your life, we can help you find them. Visit PeopleFinders.com to search for people and learn how to contact them today. Reconnect with the ones you love, bring more happiness into all your lives and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Family, friends and strangers – you can brighten anyone’s day with a random act of kindness. Your good deed may have an even greater impact when it is completely unexpected. There are many things you can do to celebrate and participate in this day that is designed to make people happy.

Compliment people. It’s usually impossible to hold back a smile when someone says something nice about you, so take some initiative and make positive comments to people throughout the day. It will give them a nice boost, and make you feel good in return.

Surprise someone. You can leave surprises for people all day long; put extra money in a parking meter, bring a street vendor a cup of coffee, pay the bridge toll for the car behind you. The recipients of your surprises may never know your identity, but they will feel great knowing that someone they’ve never met took the time to do something kind.

Leave gifts. Take small gifts to friends, family, coworkers or anyone else you interact with regularly. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just a little something to let them know that you’re thinking of them. An unexpected present is guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Reconnect. The kindest thing anyone can do is to make time for another person. February 17 is a great day to reach out to family and friends that you’ve lost touch with over the years. Find people from your past and reestablish a cherished relationship.

Send a note. It always feels wonderful to receive a letter or email from someone you care about, so why not share that joy on Random Acts of Kindness Day. Take a few minutes to write to anyone whose day you’d like to brighten.

Random Acts of Kindness Day is February 17, but you don’t have to wait. You can make every day an opportunity to do something thoughtful and out-of-the-blue for the people who share your life, or even for someone you’ve never met. Get out there and pay it forward, bask in the joy that comes from sharing a simple act of kindness and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

The origin of this holiday may be a mystery – there are multiple stories about how Valentine’s Day began – but one thing is certain: it is one of the most celebrated days of the years and a great time to reconnect with the important people from your past…

Missing Your Old Flame?
They say it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. Some people have added to this and discovered that it can be better still to rekindle an old love that was once lost. Now and then you hear stories about two star-crossed lovers reconnecting after decades apart. It could be that some people were just meant to be together – even if it takes many years to realize that fact.

So many people have a story about ‘the one that got away’, and wish there was something they could do. Maybe there is – if true love was meant to be, it can wait for longer than you might think. Maybe it’s time to reunite with that long lost flame who still burns brightly in your mind.

Family Lasts A Lifetime
Your family – these are the people who are linked to you forever. They may share a last name, similar features or familiar quirky traits, but more importantly they share a bond that remains strong no matter how much time passes, or how far apart they get.

Family members lose touch for many reasons. It can be due to an old argument, because people move so often that it becomes impossible to keep up, or hundreds of other scenarios. Whatever the cause, one fact remains: family ties can be bound back together.

Friendships Were Built To Last
It’s unfortunate, but friendships sometimes fade away over time. Work schedules get hectic, new families require large amounts of time, people move far away…

Our true friends are the people we cherish, and the people we can reconnect with no matter how much time has gone by. When you get together with an old friend, you usually notice something extraordinary: it seems like no time has passed at all. Why spend another day missing someone you proudly call your friend? After all, if you’re thinking of them, chances are they’re also thinking of you.

Valentine’s Day is a reason to celebrate more than the love between two people – it is a time to celebrate the devotion you feel towards every person who has touched your life. So many people lose through the years, but the simple truth is that some people are worth finding all over again.

If you have someone that you’d like to reconnect with this Valentine’s Day – an old flame, family member or a dear friend – you can find them again with help from PeopleFinders. Start with a People Search, and get the information you need to reach out to everyone who will always hold a special place in your heart.

Visit PeopleFinders, create your own happy ending and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Laurie with her sister Kathy, aunt Peggie and brother Kevin

Jeri is a people finding sleuth who goes by the nickname “Sherlock”. She has utilized The PeopleFinders Network to find hundreds of people, and was kind enough to share a few of her success stories with us. One of our favorites is about a woman named Laurie…

Laurie was separated from her mother as an infant in the 1940’s. She would never see her mother again.

Years later, Laurie hoped to find her family, but only had a few clues: her mother’s name (which was very common), the name of her mother’s husband (Bruno Vernazza) and the fact that her mother had a sister named Peggy. After some intense investigating, Laurie found an address for Bruno, but it was not current, and the trail dried up.

That’s when Jeri got involved. Jeri used the old address to find more recent information through The PeopleFinders Network. Sadly, Bruno had passed away, but Jeri also found someone who used to live with him. That person was able to provide a few of Bruno’s personal belongings, including a marriage certificate. It was the lead Jeri had been looking for.

After a little more searching, Jeri tracked down a man in Arizona who had the same name as Laurie’s grandfather. That man turned out to be Laurie’s uncle. He helped fill in even more blanks, which led to the discovery of several of Laurie’s family members – including her aunt Peggy, her sister and a brother she never knew existed. Today they all enjoy a larger and very loving family.

Laurie’s case was difficult to crack. It was full of twists, dead-ends and false hope. During her search, Laurie discovered that her name was listed differently on four official documents. The name on her birth certificate was Doran Doran, and officially changing that name only led to more complications. Her search for relatives took more than eleven years, but she finally reunited with her family … and it happened on her 60th birthday!

It took a large amount of ingenuity and perseverance from Laurie and Jeri, but the end result was a happy ending worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. Laurie loves to share her story, and to give others hope that they too can find their family members – no matter how much time has gone by. As she likes to say, her story shows that you just have to be persistent.

If you have someone that you’ve been missing, we can help. Visit us today to search for anyone in the United States. We’ll show you how to reconnect with a family member, friend, classmate, military buddy or anyone else.

We love reading heart-warming tales like this one. If you’ve had your own people finding adventure with help from PeopleFinders, please let us know.  Share your story with us … and we’ll share it with the world.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to write and remind us of why we do what we do. We appreciate the messages and love to hear about how we helped you plan your own reunion. Keep searching until you find the people who mean the world to you, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Developing a business involves an incalculable amount of time, work and effort. It is not a venture that is entered into lightly; the desire to found a company stems from the pursuit of a dream and the need to carve your own niche in this world.

At PeopleFinders, we believe in people. We believe that family and friends are the most important part of life, and that it is the love, friendship and companionship of others that truly keep us going. That’s why PeopleFinders was created, and why we continue to do what we do.

PeopleFinders is dedicated to helping people find and reconnect with others. Now and then we receive emails from people who have used our services to reunite with someone they lost touch with years ago. These messages remind us of why we continuously endeavor to provide our customers with the most powerful people search tool available: we want to help you find anyone, anywhere.

We thought we’d take a moment to look back at some comments that made us smile, laugh or just stop for a moment and enjoy a sense of pride for our work. Like this message from our friend Will:

“I decided to join PeopleFinders to locate my old classmates. I was so thrilled when I started finding people. I had the daunting task of finding 455 people. Over a two month period, I was able to locate 413 classmates. Being able to cross-reference people who are associated with an individual really helped. Last month, we had a great reunion…”

Will finishes by saying that using PeopleFinders has been fun and rewarding. Thank you, Will, we’re glad we could help.

Most families share a bond that cannot be broken – at least not permanently. When we hear from someone who reunited with family members through PeopleFinders.com, it makes our day. Like this letter from Samuel:

“5 days ago I got onto this site to see if I could find my mom and my brother, and within minutes I found out where she was. Now, just today my mom contacted me, and after 23 years I am finally reunited with my mom, brother, uncle and two sisters I didn’t even know about. I encourage anyone that has lost communication with someone or never really met a family member to give this site 5 days the way I did and see the results this site can produce.”

Samuel enjoyed a family reunion that included siblings he never knew existed. We know that this meant everything to Samuel, and we were excited to play a small part.

We are proud that our services help people – and that some people use our websites to help others. Take Jeri from California, who goes by the nickname Sherlock. Jeri helped find “missing” classmates for a High School Reunion Committee, and then continued to help friends, other committees and complete strangers find their long lost loved ones. Read more about it in part two of this blog.

We’ve seen so many amazing events unfold over the year. We shared a collective feeling of bereavement at the loss of celebrities like Michael Jackson, Farah Fawcett and Patrick Swayze.  These beloved entertainers brought so much joy into our lives, and their unfortunate passing reminds of us how important it is to hold the people that we care about close. We are constantly reminded of just how unpredictable life can be.

We were stunned by the startling tale of Jaycee Dugard, and couldn’t contain our excitement when she was finally reunited with her family. We marveled at how modern technology helped solve mysteries from long ago, like the man who murdered Rebecca Doisy being brought to justice after more than 30 years. We honored those whose lives were lost or changed forever on September 11. We cheered for the Good Samaritan who helped save a young boy from a raging fire. We watched with rapt attention as the saga of Tiger Woods unfolded before our eyes.

Throughout the year, one thing that we’ve found holds true for everyone is that it’s all about a connection. Technology continues to advance, stories break that astound and provoke us, but in the end the most important thing is always the people who share our lives.

Thank you for giving us an outstanding 2009, and allowing us to help you find and connect with family, friends, classmates and anyone else who touched your life. We look forward to an exceptional and fulfilling 2010. Have a happy New Year, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

At PeopleFinders, we love the feelings of community and sharing that accompany each December. During the holiday season people devote a little more time to simply being with relatives and friends, something we encourage all year long! To help get into the holiday spirit we thought we’d mention a few of the lesser-known reasons to celebrate this December:

Hi Neighbor Month

It’s just as simple as it sounds – the last month of the year is a time when people are encouraged to say hello and get to know their neighbors. Start with a friendly wave or a good morning and who knows, you may be starting a brand new friendship.

December 16: National Chocolate Covered Anything Day

What better way to celebrate than with chocolate? On December 16 people are encouraged to get adventurous with their favorite treat and try anything they want dipped in chocolate.

December 21: Look On The Bright Side Day

Although December is known as the holiday season, it can be a difficult month. Shorter days, colder weather, stressful schedules and more can be a bit overwhelming. December 21 is all about taking a moment to stop your hectic day and focus on the positive side of life.

Write A Friend Month

When was the last time you sat down and wrote an old-fashioned letter? Just imagine how much it would mean to get one from someone you care about. This December, take a little time to write a letter to a friend.

At PeopleFinders we want to help you share this special time of year with anyone who has touched your life. We’re offering some incredible end-of-year specials to help you find people and stay connected with the friends and family who brighten your holiday season. Click here to see our incredible holiday specials.

Whatever you celebrate, PeopleFinders wishes you a very safe and happy holiday season. Thank you for reading the People Search blog.

Thanksgiving is a special day that was meant to be enjoyed with family and friends. At PeopleFinders, we endorse any event that involves spending quality time with people you care about. After all, it’s the people who share our lives that make them so special.

History Of Thanksgiving
The first Thanksgiving is said to have taken place in 1621. It was the year that the Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn feast with the colonists who landed at Plymouth. They gathered together to celebrate a successful harvest and express their gratitude for the plentiful crops they would enjoy throughout the winter season.

Over the years, the fourth Thursday of November has been recognized as a day of celebration and giving thanks in the United States. President George Washington declared the first “official” Thanksgiving holiday in 1789, and Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it to be an annual holiday in 1863.

Since then, Thanksgiving has been observed all across the country and become a day known for family gatherings, parades, football and other festivities.

Thanksgiving Safety Tips
Every holiday can be hectic, so this is a good time to focus on a few safety tips to help everyone have a joyous Thanksgiving:
•    You can thaw a turkey in advance, but be sure to cook it within 2 – 3 days
•    Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw food
•    Turn the handles of pots and pans away from the edge of the stove so they can’t be easily knocked over
•    It’s easy to get distracted while cooking, but remember that leaving food unattended can lead to fires
•    Cook your turkey to 180°F; an undercooked turkey may cause serious illness
•    Refrigerate leftovers as quickly as possible
•    If you decorate with candles, put the flames out before you leave the house or go to sleep
•    Are you a pet owner? Get some Thanksgiving safety tips for pets from the ASPCA here

Is there someone you’re missing this holiday season? PeopleFinders can help. We’re dedicated to helping you find the people who touched your life. Try a People Search Membership to find anyone you’ve been thinking about, and reconnect with someone special this Thanksgiving.

Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving, enjoy the day with family and friends, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Lately it seems almost impossible to find a story with a happy ending. It’s moments like these when our friends and families matter the most. Spending time with the people we care about may just be the best way to get through these difficult times.

At PeopleFinders we’re proud to help you find people so you can reunite with anyone who made an impression on your life. We know that the people who share your life are a big part of what makes you happy and keeps you smiling – even when the world seems to be falling to pieces.

Last week brought a flurry of bad news and stories that were difficult to digest. Certain events are so horrifying that we can’t even begin to understand them, but no matter what happens, we always have other people. Family. Friends. People who are there to comfort us when things are bad, and celebrate with us when they are good again.

Our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected by these tragic events. We’re all hoping for better times around the corner. Until then we can turn to each other for reassurance, do everything possible to keep our families secure and try to watch out for one another, because we’re all in this together. Stay safe out there, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.