Do you ever feel “meh”? Like everyone is so positive and happy, and I want to be positive and happy too but what exactly can I do to make myself feel more positive and happy?! Calm down–don’t panic. Here are 5 sure-fire actions with compassion that will get you on your “good foot” to creating a more balanced and rewarding outlook on life. (The key word here is action.)
1. Smile
It sounds so silly, right? The act of smiling is not only contagious (studies show that being smiled at activates the other person’s smile center of the brain also), but it’s good for your health! Studies reflect that the dopamine, serotonin and endorphins released just from showing those pearly whites lower both anxiety and stress levels in the human body. How’s that for preventative care?
2. Don’t just think the compliment, say it!
If you have already spent the energy in your brain thinking about how awesome her work outfit is, take 5 seconds to verbalize it! You have just given someone else a confidence boost that maybe they really needed, and it was super easy! If you’re feeling even more gutsy, make a custom-tailored compliment, such as “Awesome work on that presentation! You have a knack for helping others gain clarity!” Attention to detail lets others know that we are paying attention to them and not completely self-absorbed. : )
3. Text the person you’re thinking about!
With work, school, kids, and anything else you might be juggling, it may seem like there is barely any time for socialization. On top of that, social media sites like Facebook and Instagram make it super easy to feel like we’ve reached out when in reality we’ve only hit the “like” button. Change that with a simple text.
For example: (Inside your brain: “I wonder what Staci has been up to. I miss her.”
Step 1: Pick up telephone.
Step 2: Text Staci “How are you friend? I miss you!
See how easy that was? It is thought put into action. You reached out, your friend feels cared for, all of a sudden you have a girls’ date–and you have made all that magic happen with a single text. : )
4. Pay for the person behind you. (Or let them cut you in line.)
Have you ever been checking out at the grocery store and the person right in front of you is fulfilling their entire household’s weekly needs but you only have that one gallon of milk? If the roles are ever reversed, let the poor soul cut you in line, or if you’ve already began the process of checking out, sneakily tell the cashier to ring their item with yours. It’s maybe $5.00 extra at the most, and you probably made their day! (Which in turn will make your endorphins go crazy, trust me on this one.)
5. Feed the homeless
Maybe you don’t have a bunch of time to volunteer at a food bank, but the good news is it can be easier than that! Grab a package or two of healthy snack or protein bars and keep them in your glove box. When you see someone asking for help at a stoplight, for example, grab a bar and hand it to them! If you have 5 extra minutes, write a nice note on a post-it and stick that on there also! Boom. Done. You may have provided someone with the only nutrition they’ve had in hours. How’s that for a good feeling?
There are so many other random acts of kindness we can submit ourselves to; we just need to take a couple minutes a day to think of them. The rest is being all about the action!
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