It’s good to be real about our feelings – to admit to feeling down and depressed. But we mustn’t wallow in these feelings for too long. Continually feeling this way might be a sign of a physical or emotional need for healing and I would advise you to seek professional help. But for many of us it is a passing phase that we go through. I see my down times or times of discontent as the start of a period of increased creativity and so I’ve learned to accept that.
How do we create happiness on a regular basis, though? I believe that happiness is an inside job. I also believe that it’s pretty easy to make oneself happy.
So here’s my tried and tested list of 8 Steps To Happy
There’s no sequence to them – you can choose to do any one and increase your happiness quotient.
1.Shut down that computer – While the Internet is a great way to connect with others, it is also a way you can disconnect from your inner self. So shut it down for a day – read a lot, go for a walk, take a day trip, cook up a storm, but keep those devices turned off.
2. Take a long and luxurious bath – Tear open those packs of scented soaps and break the seals of those essential oil bottles you’ve been storing up for special occasions. Have a long warm bath – in a bathtub if you’re lucky to own one. If not, make sure you soak your feet in warm water besides having a shower. Let the water heal and nurture you.
3. Laugh your head off– Talk to the funniest person you know, catch your favourite comedy or make a call to a good friend. Don’t dwell on your feelings. But talk about crazy stuff. The idea is to laugh. There’s nothing better than laughter to get your happy back.
4. Treat yourself to a good meal – Cook something special for yourself and your loved ones. I know a good hearty soup does the trick for me. It gives me the chance to be creative and I enjoy soup too. If you don’t cook or don’t want to, order in or even better go out for a meal.
5. Dress happy – Wear bright clothes, put on your make up (smile at yourself in the mirror while you do), accessorize! Make the effort even if you’re staying at home. When you look good, you often feel better.
6. Get a Nature-fix – Listen to the birds, go to a park, a garden or even to a zoo. If you can’t do any of these, play tapes of bird sounds, waterfalls, etc. There are plenty of ‘listen to nature‘ type of resources on the Internet. It might be a good idea for you to download them into your music player for happy-deficit times.
7. Spend some time in self-affirmation – Write down things you love about yourself – your best qualities – nice things you’ve done for someone else in the recent past. Read it aloud to yourself. Paste the list where you can see it.
8. Colour yourself happy – Like the music, this needs some resources – colour pencils, crayons, sketch books, colouring books. Tara Reed has some great colouring pages you can get for free.
As you can see, it’s easy to create happiness for ourselves. Keep the resources I’ve mentioned handy for a quick pick-me-up and you’re all set!
We’re into the third week and Day 10 of the September Blogging Challenge. Now is about the time that your spirits might be flagging. Reach out and ask for help – get a friend to do a guest post or two… Stay the course! 🙂
1, 3 and 6 are, of course, staples! I must practice the last one, more though!
Love the post, Corinne! I also find singing/music and cooking help. For me, housework also gives me my happy fix!
Well I agree with all of your 8 steps…..I especially love the dress happy and laugh happy….but another sure fire cure for sadness is to be with happy people. Keep smiling Corinne and inspiring us with your words of wisdom
Agree with all the points Corinne, especially first point. I didn’t open my laptop the last weekend 🙂
I have to work on last point and i love to do that. Actually, i did colouring with my kid this weekend and felt good 🙂
love all of these Corinne – it’s so important to take time out to maintain our inner health and happiness
I love your happy advice, Corinne! These were great reminders for me today as I am struggling with many issues at the moment.
Sending love and blessings,
Steps 1, 4 and a good book always helps me… All that we need to do is make an effort and I think it’s not so hard to find happiness, well, at most times 🙂
Wonderful practical tips…. I love all of them…. and I will be using a mix of them to be happy….
I think the tip I liked best was simply to step away from the computer and live. Sometimes life steps in and you simply have to! Really I love all your tips. ♥
I need to do more of this…especially on days like today when I’m plagued with self-doubt and anxiety and just seem to feel nothing but heaviness. Thanks for the reminder
2,3 and 5 work for me… I do them all the time… another thing I so is chat with my best friends… that is fail proof…. am bookmarking this and will come back to try the other things 🙂
I love no. 7. I feel too busy though to shut my computer down. I am writing, writing everyday. Thanks for sharing with us on Literacy Musing Mondays. I hope others will link up with us too. I see a few already that are really great. 🙂
Great list. You know this weekend I got a zentangle coloring book for me. I am experiencing pure joy coloring those pages. Long shower/bath do wonders too. For me spending quiet time is a way to make me happy. 🙂
A wonderful list! Reading my favorite book and eating good food also makes me happy
This was really good, so I’m marking it as a favorite page/link so I can come back and remind myself often! I do know once I stopped allowing the internet to boss me around – quit blogging so often, keeping up with FB and Twitter, etc., – I’ve had a much more productive time and enjoyed life more!
What a great list Corinne. It’s easy to get down, but it’s harder to get back up. I commend you for being to know what goes on when you feel this way and can predict what will happen. That’s terrific. I get depressed during certain times of the year for certain anniversaries and so forth, but thankfully I am okay and it’s because I can recognize my own symptoms by figuring out cause and effect and it really does help knowing why and when and what for. Have a terrific week!
I think that we’ve lived with ourselves long enough to know what to watch out for, Rena. Another blessing of midlife, perhaps? 🙂
Such a great post, Corinne. All the points made are so true about life and agree it’s okay to feel let down but one shouldn’t let it continue for long.