28 May Want to know what Dr. Happy does to lift himself out of a bad day?
by Dr. Happy
People ask me all the time…do you ever have bad days?
And I answer all the time…of course I do!
Just because I'm sometimes referred to as Dr. Happy and just because I'm the Chief Happiness Officer of The Happiness Institute…I'm not immune, in any sense, to life's ups and downs. In fact, I probably experience stress and depression and anxiety and frustration and all the so-called "negative emotions" just as much as anyone. But more often than not (I'm pleased to say) I take action to ensure those bad moments don't turn into bad days; or those bad days don't turn into bad weeks.
For what it's worth, here's what I did just the other day after waking on the wrong side of the bed…
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I walked into work rather than catching the train (I know this isn't feasible for everyone but the idea of getting in some physical activity as early as possible, if you're feeling down, is possible in some way or other)
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I spoke with my wife (if necessary, replace "wife" with husband, partner, friend, colleague etc) who helped put things into perspective and reminded me that I wasn't on my own
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When I got to work I focused on completing a few tasks I knew would give me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment
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I went to the gym (I'm not sure about you but exercise is a huge mood booster for me!)
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I took some extra time just to chat with my colleagues as there's no doubt social interaction can often help enhance happiness and positive emotion
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I practiced gratitude and reminded myself that the minor frustrations I was worried about paled into insignificance when compared to the struggles many others face each and every day
And as a result, I felt much better!
Noone can be happy every minute of every day; but every one can learn to utilise a few simple strategies to ensure they manage stress, depression and anxiety and bounce back quickly.
The aforementioned "tactics" worked for me. What works for you?
I'd love you to post your thoughts and/or comments HERE on The Happiness Institute's Facebook Page. Thanks in advance and here's to more happiness and resilience for us all.