Had enough of the winter blues? We have too. So we looked for ways to lift our spirits, at least until “spring forward.” What we found is that sometimes, the tiniest changes can have a huge impact on overall happiness. These twenty ideas will help you go from grumpy to giddy.
1. Make Your Bed Every Morning
I’ve heard this one before, and not just from my mother. For most people, outer order leads to inner calm. And making your bed is one quick, easy way to get some semblance of a tidy room (even when your closet is anything but.)
2. Shorten Your Commute
Okay, this one may not be a cinch. But if there’s any way you can shorten your commute, it’s certainly worth the effort. Spending two hours a day in gridlock traffic is enough to drive even the most Zen commuter up the wall. Not only is the drive itself infuriating, a long commute eats up time that could be spent on proven happiness boosters, like sleeping or interacting with other people.
3. Find a Rocking Chair
You know it works for babies. Now it seems that rockers bring similar comfort to elderly sufferers of dementia. Researchers at the University of Rochester encouraged twenty-five residents to rock as much as they like and they became less upset and anxious and required less pain medication. Who’s to say it couldn’t work for you?
4. Make Lists
Writing it down (whatever “it” may be. is a successful tool for managing stress. Just make sure your list doesn’t get out of control. After all, your list is supposed to help with your stress, not add to it. Remember that you can always adjust your priorities.
5. Paint Your Toenails … Even in the Winter
In the winter months, it’s easy to ignore your feet until they morph into a Shrek-like monstrosity. Who’s going to see them anyway, right? Wrong. You are! So give them a soak, a scrub, a bit of moisture, and a dash of color. You’ll feel better instantly.
6. Wake up the Right Way
Are you coffee lover? Wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee by investing in a percolator with a programmable timer. Tired of waking up to the shriek of a buzzer or the irritating voice of the talk radio host? Get yourself an alarm clock that wakes you up with natural light and sounds.
7. Talk About Something New
People tend to get stuck on the same old topics of conversation. Stimulate your mind and encourage others, too, by finding one little interesting tidbit a day and starting a conversation by saying, “Did you hear about _________? What do you think?”
8. Refuse to Give Advice
The easiest way to get sucked down the negative spiral is by participating. Do your friends a favor: when they start unloading their problems on you, let them figure it out on their own. The reverse is also true—don’t bore your friends with your problems. Focus on fun!
