“This cannot be ‘me’. I never pout, dwell on the negative things, or stay out of my ‘happy’ place for more than ten minutes. How could it be that I had been feeling crappy, instead of happy, for almost two whole days? Here I am with all this knowledge and life experience, plus that of helping so many others, yet I was in a crappy place…not my happy place. I had to fix this and I mean this had to get switched up FAST. Yes, I knew what to do. Whew!”
~ Dr. Gayle Joplin Hall
Have you ever had one of those days where every single thing you touched just seemed to flop? I had been flip-flopping for almost two days and it was driving me crazy. In my little corner of the world, work is my life and I love doing what I do. Nonetheless, last week I was feeling just plain crappy and that nauseous feeling was rocking my boat the wrong way. Even though I am excellent at multi-tasking and love doing numerous projects all at the same time, it seemed as though I could not complete even one task correctly. Perhaps I should say that I could not complete the tasks perfectly. I am OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), so meeting up to my standards and perfection for myself are rather high. It is not easy to live as me in my world.
Now, this can be a good thing or it can be a bad thing. Most of the time, I can accomplish much, sleep very little, and love challenges and helping more people. But last week, when the ‘crappy stole my happy’ – well, that is where this story really begins. I decided to blame the ‘crappy’ on the weather. It was raining and dismal. You know the game. I could not take responsibility for what was happening in my life, right? Um, no. That is wrong!
Listed below are the Six Surefire Ways to Get Your “Happy” Back:
1) Before you ever get out of bed in the morning, say a prayer to your Higher Power or Source of Light and give thanks for one more day to make it right in this world.
Perhaps this sounds silly, but it is not. Just the fact that you are alive and breathing is a blessing in itself. I believe in God, so for me when I wake up, I take off my eye-mask and thank God for allowing me to have another day to do what it is that I love doing.
2) Keep a Gratitude Journal.
Just try this and you will find that it truly is helpful. The way to begin is simply by writing down five things every morning that you are thankful for. All of my coaching clients are required to keep a gratitude journal. This is not a tablet for you to have a gripe session in. No complaining allowed! If you cannot think of five things you are thankful for, start like this; I am happy that I woke up this morning. I am grateful that I had a bed to sleep in last night. I am happy that I have food to eat and that I know I will not be hungry today. I am thankful for being able to see, hear, and think for myself. I am grateful for the chance to have do-over’s in life so I can be happy again. There…I have just provided five very easy things that any of us can write down who may be reading this blog (in case you are stuck or have trouble getting started).
3) Meditate or exercise.
Meditation is my way of getting my happy back at any time of the day. I literally go into my Zen Zone, get in proper position on my rug, light beautiful candles so I can smell the aroma and scents as I rub warm rocks and chant. This grounds me. My meditation zone is a corner of my office. However, it is like its own little world for me, with beautiful pillows, books of grace and thanks, and tools for writing. Exercise is also a perfect tool for releasing endorphins. This, in turn, is healthy and can get you back on track. You say you’re not a health nut, nor do you want to meditate? Just go walking. Stop with the excuses!
4) Shake it up.
Yes, that’s what I said. Do things a little bit differently during the day than you normally would. If you usually stay inside during your lunch break at work, pack a lunch and take it outside. If you don’t take a lunch break, force yourself to take one, or go for a stroll while eating healthy snacks. Just switch it up and shake it around for a bit of a change. Quite often, this can be just what you need to get your happy back.
5) Read inspirational or motivational quotes or literature.
This can be just on the internet, like many of us do, or it can be in your Nook, Kindle, or hard-back book also.
6) Call your best friend for a lift of spirits.
A dear friend can make all the difference in the world in helping to get you back where you want to be.
So there you have six dependable ways to get your happy back if you get down in the dumps or get stuck. You may be asking why or how I got there in the first place. I was in a state of overwhelm, having survived seven weeks of major remodeling and exhaustive moving. I do believe I earned the right to pout and be unhappy for just those two days. That ought to last me for the next five years or so.
