Enjoy Joyby Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger 30 Jan 2008 08:38 AM Stop and smell the roses. That old expression is still meaningful today -- take the time to appreciate the little things around you. When you open yourself up to the good little things in life, you can be a happier, healthier person. According to a study from Yale University, people who have a cheerful outlook live an average of seven and a half years longer than the doom-and-gloom crowd. A positive attitude can help you recover more quickly after an illness, too!
- Be proud of yourself. There's nothing wrong with celebrating your successes -- whether you finished a big project at work or stuck to your new diet for a month. Be happy with yourself!
- Share your joy (and other positive feelings) with others. Tell your loved ones that you love them. Bring up your happiest memories. Remind friends and family of your best times together. Sharing your good feelings is the best way to keep that good feeling around.
- Seize the day... or the moment. Happiness can be fleeting, so enjoy it while it lasts. For example, don't choose working late over your best friend's birthday party. Work will still be there another day, but your friend only has one big birthday bash.
- Don't question your joy. Give yourself permission to be happy and enjoy yourself. Allow yourself to feel good. Don't worry about what others will think or tell yourself that you don't deserve good things. You deserve it. We all deserve good things.
- Be kind and grateful to others. Say thank you. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Appreciate the things that make you happy, whether it's a friendly clerk at the grocery store or a stranger who holds the elevator for you.
- Engage your senses. Savor that piece of Valentine's Day chocolate or the bright scent of the oranges you helped your child peel. Days or months or years from now, the taste or smell (or sight or sound or touch) will bring those happy memories back.
Gratitude, happiness, joy, kindness
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