7 Ways You Can Make Yourself Smile Today

The best way to brighten up your day is to SMILE! But that doesn’t have to be difficult. Sometimes, simplicity is all that it takes to have a better day.

If I’m having a rough day, I usually do one of the following things to bring a smile on my own face.

Go outside

Just go and take a walk! Especially if it’s sunny so you can get some Vitamin D in. Some fresh air is good for the soul, even if you’re not a super outdoorsy person. Did you know that people who spend more time outside are generally happier? Makes sense to me.

Help someone else

This is probably my favorite. By far the best way to turn my frown upside down is to help someone else. Maybe it’s a friend that’s having a rough time or taking some work from the hands of your co-worker. No one around you that needs help? You can always buy coffee for the person behind you in line at Starbucks. 🙂

Meditate

You don’t need to master different poses to meditate. Find a quiet moment and focus on your breathing. I like to use mediation to sort of reflect on my emotions and feelings of that day. I’m pretty scatterbrained and meditation helps me combat that. If you’ve felt unhappy and annoyed all day, use this moment of mediation to change course.

Put your phone down

I’ve talked before about how important it is to unplug, but oh well, I’ll say it again because so many people aren’t aware of what technology does to us. Studies have shown that excessive use of phones, tablets and laptops are directly connected to sleep disorders, stress and even depression. Leave your screens behind for a bit and be in the present moment.

Get some exercise

You probably know that exercise releases dopamine (also known as the ‘happy hormone‘) in your brain. Working out will make you feel mentally alert and awake. Oh, and when I say ‘exercise’ I’m not necessarily talking about hitting the gym for a solid two hours (although there’s nothing wrong with that!) You can get most of the benefits from exercising by doing moderate exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Go for a bike ride in an unfamiliar part of town or take a brisk walk for example!

Make some art

Creating always makes me feel happy. I’m not a super talented painter or drawer myself, but I love taking pictures with my camera or going to town with my makeup – yes, I consider that art too! Since were talking about things that make you smile, why not try to (re)create something that made you smile in the past?

Watch the sunrise or sunset

The sunrise and sunset are so beautiful, and sometimes I feel like we’re so caught up in our lives that we forget that they’re right above us. Watching the sunset reminds me of the fact how small we are and how small our problems are in comparison to the rest of the universe. Feeling the sun on my face at the beginning or the end of the day is weirdly refreshing to me. It makes me smile! 😉