| Remember, Oscar, he was that green furry thing | | | | percent of what is in there. Maybe you should try |
| on Sesame Street that lived in a garbage can. He | | | | to wear something you haven't worn for a while |
| was always grumpy, no matter what. What | | | | or put a different accessory with it to give it a |
| Oscar didn't realize is that he could change. There | | | | new look. Give your kitchen a good scrub so that |
| are just as many ways to be happy as there are | | | | it sparkles and shines. Have your car detailed so it |
| to be unhappy. While in some cases, it is not | | | | looks new again. Find ways to make do and be |
| necessarily a matter of choice, the fact that | | | | happy with your accomplishments. |
| happiness feels better makes it more enticing. If | | | | Enjoy your passions as fully as you can. Just |
| you are down in the dumps, how do you pick | | | | because you may not have that stellar job that |
| yourself up and be happier? | | | | has you bounding out of bed in the morning, |
| First of all, be grateful for what you do have. | | | | doesn't mean you have to live in a passionless |
| Even though it may not be very much, it is yours | | | | desert. There is always time, even if it is a few |
| and it serves a purpose in your life. We all have | | | | minutes here and there to have a quick roller |
| something to be grateful for. It might be as | | | | blade around the block or put the finishing touches |
| simple as a nice hot bath or walking by a beautiful | | | | on that cabinet you just finished building. By living |
| display of flowers in the park. If you are blessed | | | | what you are passionate about, you enhance |
| with a nice house with lots of things in it, then you | | | | your own happiness and sense of well-being. It's |
| have lots to be grateful for. There are lots of big | | | | just fine to be creative in how you weave your |
| and millions of small things to be grateful for. Take | | | | passions into your day. After all, bringing meaning |
| notice and appreciate how your life has | | | | and pleasure into your life is what life is all about in |
| progressed. Start a gratitude journal and every | | | | the first place. Try writing that poem or knitting |
| evening, write three things that you are grateful | | | | the sleeve of that sweater in your coffee or |
| for today. Write something new each time, | | | | lunch break. The transit commute to and from |
| without duplicating any of your entries. | | | | work offers possibilities as well. |
| Enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Notice how blue | | | | Eat good mood foods. Eating foods that are high |
| the sky is or how the sun shines through the | | | | in potassium, magnesium, tryptophan and B |
| trees. There is nothing more uplifting than beauty | | | | vitamins help to smooth out your mood and |
| to make your heart sing. Relish the taste of your | | | | knock off the jagged edges. Besides eating a |
| favorite foods, really notice them. Make a point of | | | | nutritionally dense diet where every calorie counts |
| wearing your favorite color and notice how it | | | | for awesome nutrition, you can add mood |
| accents your eyes or your skin tone. Make it an | | | | boosting foods that tip you into the happiness |
| important event every day to bring pleasure to | | | | scale. |
| yourself and really savor how delightful it feels to | | | | When you have things that you look forward to |
| be aware of all the wonderful things that surround | | | | doing because they make you feel good, you will |
| you. | | | | feel happier and more content within yourself. If |
| Be happy with what you have, not what you | | | | you don't seem to be able to find your passion, |
| don't. Sooner or later you will realize that retail | | | | try listening to music or look up short videos on |
| therapy will not make you any happier than you | | | | YouTube. Things that uplift you and make you |
| are right now. Buying stuff now will not make up | | | | feel good are important to find. Step outside your |
| for the credit card bill doldrums at the end of the | | | | comfort zone and go walk dogs at your local |
| month. We live in a consumer driven society | | | | animal shelter or join a local square dance club. |
| where everything we purchase is meant to be | | | | Hey, if you don't like it, go try something else. |
| used for a short time before it breaks down and | | | | There are millions of things you can do that will |
| is thrown away. We are conditioned to buy, buy, | | | | turn your green fur yellow, get you out of the |
| buy, not fix or reuse. If you look in your closet, | | | | garbage can and even put a smile on your face. |
| you will find that you only wear about 20 to 30 | | | | It's worth a try, don't you think? |