By Michelle Roya Rad Peace starts from home. There are a few things you can do to improve the happiness level of your house. And while doing these keep in mind that just like you can affect your environment, your environment can affect you. Therefore, it is imperative to make your house feel like a home where everyone looks forward to coming to rather than staying away from. A few tips to follow if you want to make your house a happy house:

1. Your five senses need to be happy: The first thing you want to consider is to make sure all your five senses are happy in your home. Some examples would be pleasant smell in the house like the smell of homemade cooking or lavender oils, a nice sound level where people speak with a moderate tone of voice rather than yelling, a happy and relaxing music, water fountain, plants, fresh flowers, clean house, calm and playful pets, etc.

2. Color does affect the mood: Make sure the color of the house represent the mood you want to have. For example, for every 10 cold colors used, use one to two warm colors. Remember, cold is a color closer to blue and green and warm is a color closer to red. And you can use as much neutral color as you want. White is a great color since it has all the colors in it but too much white can be overwhelming. Therefore, use different colors in moderation and learn about color therapy and how color effects your mood.

3. Use the power of touch: Be intimate with your partner, be affectionate with your children, give constant hugs and kisses, and share and show your affection and love. Remember, love is not just something to have but something to share. Research behind the power of touch and affection is well documented.

4. Use positive words on a daily base: Start your day with writing three things you are grateful for. Put this somewhere where you and your family can see. This will train your brain to be grateful and happy.

5. Have reasonable expectations: Have a clear structure but at the same time tolerance and compassion in the house and teach others to have the same.

6. Get rid of all the clutter in the house: Go through your items once or twice per year and anything you haven’t used for a while, give it to someone who has a use for it. Your house needs to have space for breathing, don’t clutter it. Focus on quality. There are many charity places that will come to pick up your unwanted items as long as they are in usable condition.

7.Dinner time should be fun time: While eating, make sure you keep the tone of voice down and the atmosphere relaxing and happy. Dinner time is not a time to argue and bring conflicts out for discussion. Dinner time is a peaceful and happy time. There are specific things you can do to train your brain to be happier, when you’re happy, your surrounding will start picking up on that and will respond to it. Things like meditation, having gratitude, keeping a self affirmation dialogue, clear and honest but positive communication, having fun routines, being flexible, being tolerant, having a few healthy activities like dancing and exercise are just some of the ways you can implement to make yourself a happier person and to encourage others in your house to do the same.