1.
Give thanks each day for the good things in your
life. What things make you happy? Who are the people you love? What things are you grateful for? Food, clothing, shelter, loved ones, a sunny
day…give thanks. Gratitude is a
happiness maker, and no matter what, there is always something to be
grateful for!
2.
Take time to meditate or pray each day. If you don’t have a formal structure for
meditation or prayer, at least take 15 minutes to sit quietly, even if it is
with your cup of coffee. Take 15 minutes
to clear your mind, to think about your life, your day, your future. There is a reason that prayer, Yoga, Tai Chi,
and Chakra meditations have been around thousands of years-they work. Take 15 minutes to find a bit of peace within
yourself.
3.
Get some exercise each day. Even if it is a simple walk around the block or
a trip to the corner store, get some exercise, get the blood flowing. You don’t need to go to the gym or start
jogging (although that might not be a bad idea), simply get a bit of exercise
each day.
4.
Smile.
This is really pretty easy, isn’t it?
Smile at strangers, smile at your family, it’s good for you and it’s
good for them. Smiling makes people
happy.
5.
Tell yourself you love yourself. OK, it feels a bit funny. But do it.
Repeat it over and over again, at least 20 times, “I love myself, I love
myself, I love myself…”. When you start
to feel negatively about yourself, rinse and repeat, “I love myself.”
6.
Forgive yourself. Guilt is a sickness, feeling guilty about
things brings you nothing. Whether you
feel guilty because of something that happened yesterday or ten years ago,
forgive yourself, say to yourself, “I forgive myself. That was the past and this is now and
tomorrow is the future. I have to live
in the now and plan for the future, what is past is past.” Face it, you cannot change what is in the
past. So give it up, give it up to the
universe, to God, to whatever you believe in, but simply let go of it, as you
would let go of a balloon in the park.
Let it go!
7.
Do something nice for someone else or
yourself. Simply do something nice, compliment
someone on their work, help someone else, even if it is so simple as holding a
door open or helping carry packages. Be
open to helping others, and you will feel happier with yourself and with the
world.
8.
Keep a journal, even if you only jot down your
feelings or your to-do lists, keep a journal and write in it each day. You don’t have to be Shakespeare to write,
simply keep a few notes about your day, your feelings, your goals, your
plans. Writing is cathartic and can help
you feel happier and more at peace with yourself.
9.
Listen to music or sing. Music affects emotion. Listen to music that makes you happy or makes
you feel at peace, even to music that makes you nostalgic or sad. Music can sooth the wild beasts of negative
emotions.
10.
Eat regularly and drink lots of water. Not eating makes you tired and grumpy. You need to eat to have energy and eating
healthy foods and snacks can be both pleasurable and healthy. Drinking water washes out the impurities in
your body and rehydrates you so you keep looking young. Imagine every glass of water as a river of
peace flowing through you.
None of these things require much effort once you are in the
habit of doing them. In fact, they can
make your life better, happier, and overall, much more enjoyable. Even the most difficult of days can be made
better by practicing these ten things on a daily basis. They require no particular expertise or religious
faith. You don’t need to take any
classes or much extra time. Ten simple
things anyone can do, regardless of age, location or financial situation.
See the potential in every new day, enjoy life, enjoy who
you are and the people you love. Take
care of yourself, body, soul and mind and remember that you are the
greatest gift God has given you.
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