A classic song by Bobby Mcferrin says, “Don’t worry be happy.” Well that’s all great advice but what if you don’t feel like being happy, or if you are depressed. I am not going to pretend that I am an expert on depression. However, I do know that there are certain things that you can do that even if you are depressed will make you happier.
Let’s face it there is going to be times that life is not going to go as planned. Your significant other might dump you. Your boss might fire you. You may even have other tragedies happen in your life. However, no matter what is happening in your life you still can choose to be happy.
Here are 7 suggestions of how you can choose to be happy in life, business and relationships.
- Smile. Make a choice to smile. There is something about giving a genuine smile that will make people around you feel good. Consequently, this makes you feel good. It shows confidence when you smile. If you cannot bring yourself to smile then try putting a pen or pencil long ways between your teeth and it will force you to smile and help you be happy. When you don’t feel like smiling is when you need to smile the most.
- Ask better questions. Often times what determines whether we are happy or sad is the questions that we ask ourselves. If you are asking yourself the question of what can I create today? Who can I help today? Your day will be much different than asking the question, what is wrong with me? Design a series of questions to ask yourself every morning that get you excited to start your day. Right when you wake up, ask those questions, and you will see a noticeable difference in your day.
- Be grateful. You have so much to be grateful for. You have a roof over your head, food and clothes to wear. If you are focusing on things that you’re grateful for, it’s much harder to be down. Focus on your blessings, not your burdens. What do you have to be grateful for today? Do you have a job? Do you have people that love you? Regardless of your situation, there is always a reason to be grateful, you just have to find it.
- Be positive. Zig Ziglar says, “Positive thinking won’t let you do anything, but it will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” One time Larry Bird walked into a competition and asked the other competitors, “Which of you guys is going to come in second?” He already knew that he was going to come in first. Be positive and move forward with confidence. You are doing much better than you think you are.
- Exercise. When we exercise it creates endorphins which tell our brain that it is ok to feel good. It gets us in great shape and we feel better about our physical appearance. You can do it with friends which provides that social interaction that we need. You will be able to sleep better when you exercise, which will help you feel rejuvenated. Lastly, It will provide you the necessary energy to really take on the task of the day ahead of you.
- Serve others. The word self-conscious means that you are conscious of yourself. Because we have such a desire to contribute, focusing on ourselves too much can make us miserable. When you begin to help others with their challenges and problems, it helps you to forget about your problems. It also helps you realize that the world is not about you. Go find an act of service you can do, it could be as simple as smiling at a stranger. Go about doing good, and it will always come back to you.
- Meditate. This is taught in many different religions. You can call it meditating, pondering, or even praying. Meditation helps you get back to being who you really are at your very core. It provides you a few moments away from the noise of the world. 15 minutes of meditating regardless of what kind it is, can really rejuvenate you and get you back into the day. Sit down in a chair close your eyes and try it for 5 minutes.
The bottom line: Regardless of what anyone has ever told you, happiness is a choice. For some that feel they have depression, it might be a bit more challenging. However, we all have our challenges in this life and we just need to do the best job we can to overcome them. Choose happiness.
I hope this article has been helpful and of service to you. If there any other suggestions that you have of how to choose happiness, I’d enjoy hearing them in the comments below.