LOL I love it. Is there anything chocolate can't cure????
Anyhoo I know how you feel MissyO. I actually just read this article talking about 50 ways to help keep you happy. Some of the tips are kind of dumb but a few of them are quite interesting:
1. Develop a spiritual life. People with active spiritual practices have higher levels of happiness than non-believers.
2. Work on your self-esteem. The better you feel about yourself, the better you'll feel about the world.
3. Forget chasing the buck. Rich people scored no better than the rest of us on happiness measures.
4. Try acupuncture. US studies a few years back found 70 per cent of clients who had acupuncture for eight weeks experiences a reduction in symptoms of stress.
5. Take herbs. St John's Wort has been found to be effective in treating depressive conditions.
6. Up you get! Exercise releases endorphins, our bodys natural opiates and they feel seriously good.
7. Eat your (low-GI) carbs. They stimulate the release of another happy hormone, serotonin, which regulates mood swings and induces feelings of wellbeing.
8. Encourage someone else. Everyone wins with this one.
9. Make sure every day includes an activity that lifts your heart.
10. Have a massage. Premature babies who were touched often and lovingly thrived in hospital trials.
11. Write a list of the things you are grateful for.
12. Follow your heart. Happy people set goals that fit their personality and resist the temptation to do something because they think they should.
13. Find an activity that engrosses you such as music, painting or writing.
14. Laugh. A funny movie, joke, or book &$151; anything to get you roaring.
15. Practice optimism. When you catch yourself thinking the worst, turn the thought around.
16. See the good in others. Then do the same for yourself.
17. Stop complaining.
18. Surround yourself with blue. It has been proven to relax and lift the spirits.
19. Lighten the load literally. After a spring clean you can feel liberated and ready to move on.
20. Have a list of things you can achieve today and do them. Have plans for the future and actively work towards them.
21. Have eight hours of sleep a night.
22. Act happy. Pretending can induce the mood.
23. Stir-fry broccoli with ginger and beef. Broccoli and ginger lift your mood and regular doses of red meat will stave off anaemia.
24. Hang around with your friends.
25. Breath deeply and often.
26. Fall in love more powerful than any happy drug in the mood lifting stakes.
27. Have sex and make it kinky. Those who are really happy with their sex life have one thing in common every so often their sex involves feeling a little fear or a little anger.
28. Eat chocolate. It triggers the production of neurotransmitters (chemical signals in the brain that affect moods).
</B>29.</B> Get on the couch. If you're feeling down, a therapist can do wonders.
30. Put on music. Just listening to music affects your levels of stress hormones.
31. Sniff it out. Smells affect mood. Try peppermint or citrus oils for a lift.
32. Stay in the moment. Worrying about what might happen in the future is guaranteed to make you stressed.
33. Tell someone you love them.
34. Go outside. Especially if there's a view of the water.
35. Hang around children for a while.
36. Get married and stay that way. Studies show that people who were married almost universally reported being happier than those who were single.
37. Scream but not at someone. Go outside and make a lot of noise. A loud release of emotion is a great way to get it over with.
38. Avoid saying "should" and "must". You'll feel trapped by them.
39. Look for the good in everything. It's always there.
40. Avoid negative people.
41. Thank someone.
42. Do something for someone else. At the very least it will make their life brighter.
43. Observe the habits of happy people and mimic them.
44. Don't be a drama queen (or king!).
45. Don't wait for your life to be different. Start taking conscious steps to change what you dont like about it.
46. Let go of the past. Focusing on past hurts does not free you to live now. If you need help, try counselling.
47. Let go of anger. Write a *****y letter and burn it. Punch a punching bag. Scream at someone whos not there. Then get over it!
48. Meditate. The calmer you are, the easier life looks.
49. Avoid alcohol and other drugs. They're a temporary solution with too many side effects.
50. Take vitamins. The vitamin B group is fabulous for your nerves.
