Finding My Happy

Some days it's just harder than others to "find your happy".  Hurtful words echo too loudly in our ears, the sting of a painful situation prickles our skin or anxiety rolls relentlessly in the pit of our stomachs.  Whatever the cause, whatever the emotion or situation, some days all you want to do is put your head back under the covers and wish it all away. 

But we have families that need us, jobs and responsibilities we cannot shirk, so on days like these we find that we drag ourselves around, trying to survive the day.   Most of  the time, no matter the  situation, what we crave deep down, is to feel loved, significant and secure.  So taking that, I have found I can almost always improve my mood and instantly start to feel better by giving those things away to another person.  A kind word to a stranger, going out of my way to help a friend, or doing something nice or special for someone I love.  I don't suggest that you do these things to win someone's favor, gain their approval or make them like you again, because if you don't get the reaction you were hoping for, it only makes you feel worse.  Instead, come from a good place, a place of peace and love, simply wanting to do something nice for someone else, but with no expectation from them in return.  Try doing it anonymously even!  Baking cookies for a sick neighbor, sweeping an elderly couples porch, writing thank you notes even when they aren't expected are some little things that feel good to do for another. Pick anything you think would be an act of love or kindness, and when you're done, you just might find you have the energy to get on with your day, feeling a bit better and able to leave hiding under the covers for another day.