Jan. 4. The holidays are over and today we go back to work or school or to wishing we had work or school. February (proof that god hates us) is just 27 cold, bleak days away. And, in the past few weeks, many of us have answered the question, “Is it possible to eat too many Christmas cookies?”
But, I ask you, is all of this any reason to be feeling down? The answer: Of course it is.
Help is at hand. Here’s a list of five ways to make any day seem brighter.
1. Make a list of things you DON’T have to do today. This might include:
Today, I don’t have to enter a witness protection program.
Today, I don’t have to be Tiger Woods’ public relations adviser.
2. Limit your bad news intake.
Studies show that the less bad news we hear, the happier we are. As a general rule, the only bad news we really need to hear is limited to:
The building you are in is on fire.
Bad news we don’t need to hear includes:
The fact that chocolate comes from beans doesn’t make it a health food.
Any news items containing the words “dust mite.”
3. Hit the drugstore and make note of the products you don’t need … at least at the moment. For instance, I myself was darn glad to realize that I don’t currently need hemorrhoid medication, head bandages or foot fungus cream.
Tips: Don’t spend time in the “family planning” section thinking, “Well, I certainly don’t need condoms or strawberry scented lubricant gel,” as this can have the opposite effect to making you feel better.
And if you find that realizing you don’t need Metamucil still doesn’t cheer you up, it is permissible to stand in the aisle and wait until someone comes along who does.
4. Buy one of my books.This is 100 per cent guaranteed to create happiness. If only for me.
5. Make a list of the ways in which your life is better than Halle Berry’s. For many of us, this may be a short list. And limited to, “I don’t have to choose yet another fabulous dress to wear to yet another fabulous event.”
Male readers may want to imagine themselves as George Clooney rather than Halle Berry. Or not. This is all about what makes you happy after all.
Have a great day!
