Expert who studied science of well-being for 10 years shares 5 tips to be happy

'Your mistakes, though, are what help you grow and improve. When you try to avoid them, you end up hampering your progress, happiness expert Stephanie Harrison said. (Representational image)

After spending 10 years studying the science of well-being, Stephanie Harrison said she has created a new philosophy of happiness. The expert and author of New Happy: Getting Happiness Right In A World That’s Got It Wrong spoke to CNBC Make It and shared five tips people can easily use to be happy.

Listing a few common ways we tend to sabotage ourselves, Harrison said she has come up with "science-backed solutions" for us to live our most fulfilled lives.

1.) Don't view your mistakes as proof that you won’t succeed 

"Everyone makes mistakes, and yet we somehow believe that we should be the exception to that rule and be able to do everything perfectly right away," Harrison told CNBC Make It."Your mistakes, though, are what help you grow and improve."

2.) Don't try to do everything alone 

The happiness expert recommended asking for help when required. "We live in a highly individualistic culture that likes to perpetuate the idea that people do great things all by themselves," she said. "Every personal accomplishment is only possible due to countless acts of support along the way."

3.) Take breaks

"By taking time away from our work, we’re able to tap into our creativity, strengthen our motivation, and care for our well-being," Harrison told CNBC Make It. "Make it a practice to integrate moments of rest into your day and week."

4.) Take note of what matters to you

"We’ve grown up in a culture that instills values like perfection, achievement, hyper-independence, and competition," Harrison said. "Identify your top five. Every time you’re making a decision, pause and ask yourself, 'Which choice is most aligned with my values?'" Harrison told the publication.

5.) Break up your dreams into manageable goals

"The dreams we have are often so big that we end up feeling overwhelmed. Start breaking your dream down into smaller, more achievable goals," the happiness expert said. "It’s helpful to identify a short-term milestone that’s one or two months in the future and ask yourself: 'By this date, what would be reasonable to have achieved?'"