Wise words. How do we forget how to be so smart? And how do you do that... just make the blues just go away like that? Do you force yourself to smile and all of a sudden you're happy? Mm... probably not. But here are some suggestions people have given to me lately:
1. Do something nice for somebody else.
2. Share a thankful, heartfelt thought with someone who has done something nice for you. The person who shared this with me (God bless her for all the trials she has been through in her life to have become so wise) said that you write this note or letter down, then laminate it or frame it so it's permanent. Take it to the person you intend to give it to and before you leave, read it to them. While you relive that positive thought you become happy and the other person is happy because you are telling them something positive. Then give it to them. And then every time you think on that moment, you will not be able to help but smile and have a better attitude. And they will always think positively of you, too. Double duty happiness!! She told me that studies have shown that one moment like this can give you enough happiness to generate happy feelings for 30 days! I'm all for that.
3. Gratitude journal! Every day write down 3 things you are grateful for, then 3 things you did well that day, and 1 good thing that can or did come from a hard/trying/bad experience that day.
I'm starting to learn that happiness is first a state of mind and then is a state of being. Not the other way around. I hope I can be better at finding things to lift my friends up and not down. I hope this helped. I'd love to hear one of your tried and true recipes for flipping that smile around. :)
Jan 26, 2011
Janneke, thanks for your comment on my blog and your thoughts here! I've been thinking a lot about happiness and how to find it inside. I think that sometimes, we really are just going to be down and the best we can do is "fake it" on the outside until we "make it" on the inside. And while that seems lame at first, I think the outward acts incrementally build up so that we realize at some point that we became happy without realizing it.
I've been using your suggestion about a gratitude journal. It does help! I think I'll expand it to include the other things you mentioned here. Remembering our self-worth and acknowledging the good things we do is very important to happiness too, I think.
Some things I like to do that help me feel better about life: listen to upbeat Broadway songs, talk with friends, and cook. Sometimes chopping up food and making something tasty is extremely satisfying. It keeps me in the moment and my mind doesn't wander to all the unknowns that scare me because it's so occupied with getting everything to turn out well and taste delicious. Now I just need to find some people to serve and feed them!
I've been using your suggestion about a gratitude journal. It does help! I think I'll expand it to include the other things you mentioned here. Remembering our self-worth and acknowledging the good things we do is very important to happiness too, I think.
Some things I like to do that help me feel better about life: listen to upbeat Broadway songs, talk with friends, and cook. Sometimes chopping up food and making something tasty is extremely satisfying. It keeps me in the moment and my mind doesn't wander to all the unknowns that scare me because it's so occupied with getting everything to turn out well and taste delicious. Now I just need to find some people to serve and feed them!
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Janneke, thanks for your comment on my blog and your thoughts here! I've been thinking a lot about happiness and how to find it inside. I think that sometimes, we really are just going to be down and the best we can do is "fake it" on the outside until we "make it" on the inside. And while that seems lame at first, I think the outward acts incrementally build up so that we realize at some point that we became happy without realizing it.
I've been using your suggestion about a gratitude journal. It does help! I think I'll expand it to include the other things you mentioned here. Remembering our self-worth and acknowledging the good things we do is very important to happiness too, I think.
Some things I like to do that help me feel better about life: listen to upbeat Broadway songs, talk with friends, and cook. Sometimes chopping up food and making something tasty is extremely satisfying. It keeps me in the moment and my mind doesn't wander to all the unknowns that scare me because it's so occupied with getting everything to turn out well and taste delicious. Now I just need to find some people to serve and feed them!
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