How to Find Joy
It’s hump day, so chances are, we’re all in that midweek funk. The energy and enthusiasm of the beginning of the week is gone and now we’re antsy for the weekend. Bad moods and short tempers may be setting in, but they don’t have to. Here are a few simple ways to find more joy in our lives.
Reach Out and Touch Someone
Christine Carter, author of Raising Happiness suggests picking up the phone. Whether you call your mother, brother, aunt, cousin or best friend, sometimes just hearing a familiar and supportive voice can be a serious pick me up. I know after I get off the phone with my mom, I always feel better. Same way after I hang out with my best friend. Heck, even a friendly exchange with one of my coworkers can change my mood.
Attitude of Gratitude
Even just thinking of something you’re grateful for can put you in a better state of mind. Our brains have this thing called “negative bias” so we tend to focus on only the bad stuff, so we may need to work on putting a positive spin on our outlook. Just saying thank you to someone for something can make you (and them) smile. Every day Glen thanks me for being his wife. Whenever he does something around the house, I always make sure to say thank you. He’s very good about sweeping and vacuuming because it aggravates my asthma, so he does just does it without being told and it’s just wonderful to know that I can focus on stripping the bed or sorting the laundry and the vacuuming, dusting and sweeping is taken care of and I always remember to say thank you.
Get Your Sweat On
After I do a hard workout, I always feel better. I love running and kickboxing, but the one exercise that truly brings me joy is swimming. I recently joined a gym and I swim an hour a day every day. I get so excited at the end of the day when I can go get in the pool, I get butterflies. When we workout, our bodies release endorphins or “feel good hormones” that perk us up and make us feel better. You don’t have to kickbox for 40 minutes, or run five miles or swim for an hour to get the benefits. You can just go for a brisk walk and get your heart rate up to improve your outlook.
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