Smiling is Going Make You Feel Better
A University of Kansas study found that smiling—even fake smiling—reduces heart rate and blood pressure during stressful situations. So try a few minutes of YouTube humor therapy when you’re stomping your feet waiting in line or fuming over a work or family situation. It’s difficult not to smile while watching a favorite funny video.
In the midst of chaos and the turbulence that seems prevalent I imagine my mind being as still as this lake (Grateful to a friend who recently went camping with her family by this lake for sharing this photo).
Feel like you want to RSVP to a personal Pity Party? I’ll be sharing some tricks to slam the door shut on the pity party.
The body craves movement. Exercise really works. Let’s not think of it as exercise though. Nothing is gnarlier to the depressed person than imagining him/herself at the gym in ill fitting sweats, panting on the stair master while svelte athletes are bopping around in all directions. As Woody Allen says, 90% of success is showing up. Once we’ve got our walking shoes on, once we get endorphins cooking, the doldrums have less power to penetrate.
Notice what’s right Experts agree that optimistic people are happier people. Those who look on the bright side experience more happiness than those who try to “see things as they really are,” according to Lyubomirsky. It’s a process scientists call reframing: If you try to cast negative events in a positive light, and you see the silver lining, you can turn a bad situation into a joyful one.Â
Ask a big question. A big dream fuels a big goal. A big dream might be running a marathon or climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, wiggling back into a closet full of clothes you love, cutting back on blood pressure medication, or playing games and sports energetically with your children.Â
Dare to dream big. So what if you fail? Dream big and start again.
Don’t stop dreaming.
The essence of a happy family is that they truly uplift each other and that all comes down to how they treat each other, says Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, a New York-based family and relationship counselor and host of The Learning Channel’s Shalom in the Home. “There is a joy that characterizes their interaction,” says Boteach, father of eight children and author of several books, including the forthcoming Shalom in the Home. “Parents come home and the kids are happy to see them and when kids come home, the parents are happy to see them.”
Keep company with good people. Maximize the amount of time that you spend with people you enjoy being around. Connecting with others who radiate positivity and have similar interests will excite and energize you. On the flip side, people you don’t relate to or who have negative outlooks, complain often or make poor choices will only drain your energy account. Be selective in the company you keep.
Avoid news overdose. The news is an important way to stay connected to what’s happening in the world. It can be educational, entertaining and even uplifting. Unfortunately, the news is too frequently bombarded with stories of suffering. These stories can skew your view of the world and cause you to focus on your worst fears, instead of recognizing the good that surrounds you. You can’t avoid these stories altogether, but try to minimize your exposure when you can, especially during trying times.
Source: Mayo Clinic
Find joy in the journey. It makes sense to enjoy the journey and find what is joyful along the way, each and every day.
