Story highlights Science shows happy people live longer and healthier lives

Change your attitude -- optimists have a lower risk for cardiovascular disease

Denmark has been ranked the happiest nation in the world

(CNN) Americans will spend about $550 million on self-help books this year and more than $1 billion on motivational speakers. Obviously, many of us are on a quest for happiness.

I get it. We all want, and deserve, that sense of well-being. But save your money. Achieving happiness is easier than you may think.

We all experience emotional highs throughout our lives -- with a job promotion, on our wedding day, with the birth of a child. But these moments only yield temporary feelings of elation, and experts say that they alone are not enough to achieve true happiness.

Happiness isn't just an emotional state. Decades of research proves it goes much deeper. In fact, science shows people who are happy live longer and healthier lives. The good news is that generating better bliss is something we can all do regardless of our environment or genetics.

Here are seven ways to boost your life satisfaction:

JUST WATCHED Does laughing make you healthier? Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Does laughing make you healthier? 01:20

Read More