1. Smile. It's simple but affective. Even if you've had a terrible day and you don't think the day could get much worse: turn that frown upside down. It's proven that forcing yourself to smile can boost your mood. As well as a mood lifter, smiling boosts your immune system! No, really! Smiling is good for your physical health! Your body is more relaxed when you smile and this contributes to good health and a stronger immune system. Click here for more fascinating facts about smiling.
2. Dress up. Even just once a week wear something a little more exciting than your dull school uniform or a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. For girls why not try a pretty dress and a pair of cute high heels, for guys you could wear a shirt and tie with a cute jacket.
3. Pursue your interests. Whether it be art, sport, music or whatever else you love. Take a break from the constant school work and indulge in what you enjoy. Ignore the stereotypes, if you're 'school jock' but actually find you really enjoy musical theatre: go for it!
4. Listen to music. The chills you get when you listen to music you really enjoy are caused by the release of a chemical called dopamine in your body. The release of dopamine during music explains why such a high value is put on it and why music can manipulate our emotions. If find that Cody Simpson songs often help me to feel relaxed when I'm stressing out about exams but that isn't going to work for everyone so click here to find some songs to lift your spirit.
5. Strive to excel in everything. There's nothing better than working hard for something and then seeing the results of your hard work. Right? Think to yourself, "How can I be better?" and work to make that happen.
6. Be open and honest. If someone hurts you, either forget about it or tell them what they’ve done – and then forget about it. When you love someone, tell them. When someone makes you happy, tell them.
7. Give compliments. Even to people who aren't your greatest friends. Something as simple as telling someone they look nice today can get both your days off to a great start.
8. Get up and do something. Stop sitting around and sulking complaining that everyone else is busy. Get out of the house; go on a walk, go for a drive, go next door to visit a neighbour. Bored?
9. Don’t dwell on the could-haves, the should-haves, the wishes, and the wants. Dwell on what can be done now, in the present time and place. There’s no joy in what almost was.
10. Make a list of things that make you happy. Make a list of all your many blessings. Make a list of good things in life. Make a list of good people. Make a list of beautiful sights or sounds. Make a list of anything uplifting.
11. Splurge in some small way, every now and then. Don’t overdo it, don’t put yourself into debt and don’t clog your arteries until they explode. But pick one thing you feel you can afford and which will end up making you terribly, terribly happy because it’s just that great, and splurge!
12. Always be the best person you know how to be. Don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t gossip, don’t do anything that could bring someone else down. That’s selfish and that’s mean and that’s totally not worth the pain that will come around later to you for it.
13. Look for the child inside yourself. Draw with sidewalk chalk, color in coloring books, do something that takes you back to simpler days. It will remind you to look for joy in the little things.
14. Know that there’s always Someone Else who’s worse off than you. You got a C on that Chemistry test? Well, Someone Else failed it. You broke your leg? Someone Else doesn’t have a leg. See? Remember that you have a LOT compared to Someone Else.
15. You can’t be happy if you don’t really want to be happy. Get over your pride. Get rid of that little gnawing devil inside you that refuses to be happy. Some people actually enjoy being miserable, whether they enjoy the attention it brings or else. Don’t be one of these people, because then you’ll stand in your own way to happiness.
Like posts like these? Let me know in the comments what you think x
This is a lovely post, Sian! Really inspirational. x
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