Whenever you are sad, go on a happiness journey.
Everybody gets sad from time to time. The key is to experience the emotion without dwelling on it for long. When you learn how to do that, you will understand that happiness is a state of being; a mindset and a choice.
So, how does one go on a happiness journey? Well, you start by recollecting and thinking about all the things that make you happy. Then you spend some time visiting those happy memories.
Take time with each happy memory, and feel the emotion, don’t just think about it. Once you begin to relive the memory with the feeling, you will find that you are moving out of the state of sadness and into a state of happiness. Hold onto that state and get familiar with the feeling.
In the future, you should be able to associate the memory with a joyful or happy feeling and call the feeling up quickly in times of sorrow. By associating certain things like memories, or pictures, or even words with happiness we can train ourselves to change our mood by using those very same triggers.
Never forget to take time also to be grateful for the good times and the sad times. It seems strange to many people when I say be grateful for the sad times, but if we were never happy, or we never loved, then we wouldn’t be sad. So we are grateful for the good things that we experienced before the sadness. We are thankful for the sadness because it reminds us that we felt love and joy.
It is easy at times to wallow and feel sorry for ourselves, but when we stay too long in our sadness, depression can set in. Once depression takes over, it is tough to come out of that emotional state quickly. We lack the desire to do anything, and we forget that there are things in our lives we should be grateful for. There are things in our lives that make us smile and are worth remembering.
Happiness is your responsibility and yours alone. Don’t look for others to make you happy. It is your choice which mood you will embrace, whether it be sadness or happiness, is entirely up to you. Do things that bring you joy and make you happy, and that also serve others as often as you can.
There is a great joy to be found in serving others. Whether it is helping someone learn, sharing our time, or our skill, there are always ways that we can help others. An elderly neighbour may need help with yard work, or they may be lonely and just need someone to talk to. A school or library may need volunteers. Many non-profit organizations need volunteers. By giving of yourself and bringing joy to others, you will receive joy in return.
There are many things you can do to change your mood up. The next time you are feeling low, pull yourself up and go on a happiness journey.
Free inspirational or motivational posts can be found on the inspirational page of my website.