It's not always the big things that matter, the little things matter too...and if just one of these can make your day go from a good day to a great day, isn't that something worth savouring?
1. Smile at a stranger
We have all had that feeling when we are walking down the street and someone smiles at us, we can't help but smile back. Even if it's a small twitch of one corner of our mouth, we feel that tingling sensation that someone out there sees us and we aren't invisible. Some people say a picture holds a thousand words, a story of all emotions - personally, I think that a smile hold a thousand words too - only ones solely of happiness, gratitude and kindness. A smile can make a big difference to someones day, especially if they are dealing with things we as strangers and observers can't possible know from the outside. Smiling is free - it's such a shame we don't use it more often.
2. Listen to Your Song
Each and every one of us has that one song - even if it differs every few months - that makes us feel happy from the inside out. It doesn't even have to be a song that's about anything happy in particular, even a sad song can bring back memories of a happy time of someone we have lost or a relationship that has ended with a partner or a friend. Whether it's a song that makes you happy from the lyrics, or just the melody, listening to it even once can bring a smile to your face and brighten up your day. I have listened to "Breezeblock" by Alt-J at least once almost every day for the past 3 months, or whenever I'm feeling down. Despite the song being quite depressing yet romantic in it's lyrics and about, from my perspective, loving someone so much you would do anything to keep them with you, including hurting them, and yourself. But the sound of Joe Newman and Gus Unger-Hamilton's vocals together with an intricate melody transport me to a place where I can escape everything stressful for a few minutes. One critic linked the song to a children's book by Maurice Sendak, "Where The Wild Things Are", which is one of my favourite children's books, where the creatures say "Oh, please don't go! We'll eat you whole! We love you so!" - powerful imagery as a child, yet so intwined with this song lyrically it brings back a sea of happy childhood memories cuddled under the duvet with my best friend reading books and telling each other secrets.
3. A Small Personal Victory
Fixing something you never thought you could, achieving something you thought would take you longer, accomplishing something you knew you could already do, but better. This could be any number of things, and learning something new, or bettering your skills can never be a bad thing. Even though it may be something small like changing a light bulb, or finishing a book, or making your cake rise that little bit higher, you can't help but smile at even the smallest victory. Whilst everyone else will see it as something minuscule and unimportant, you yourself will feel fantastic about it, even for just a little while.
4. Watching the Sunset or Sunrise
Whilst many of us may not be awake or in a location to watch the sunrise or the sunset, even one in a while, making the effort to get up that little but earlier or going on an evening adventure rather than sitting and watching the TV can bring a smile to your day, be it starting the day off on a positive or cheering you up after a stressful or bad day. I know what you're thinking, sunrise and sunset viewing needs to be done in a picturesque setting with birds and grass and clear sky - don't be fooled. The most beautiful sunsets and sunrises can be seen from your very home. The best place I have ever watched the sunset from is from the top of a hill near my house - not a beautiful hill full of grass, but on a bench at the end of a normal road, surrounded by houses. The way that the sunset turns the sky into a cocktail of orange and pink that reflect on the shiny tarmac on the road and through the trees in people gardens is truly beautiful. It's always nice to remind yourself once in a while, especially if you live in a built up area, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and can often be found in the most monotonous of places.
5. Treat Yourself in the Shower or Bath
Not as dirty as it sounds - squeaky clean in fact! Showers and baths can become, due to having them almost every day and really seen as just a necessity for hygienic living quite dull. But, adding just that little bit extra to your bath every once in a while can just make your day that little bit better. Often when I've had a stressful day, or if I'm preparing for a busy day, I will use a different shower gel or a bath bomb to make my experience that little bit special. It really doesn't seem like a lot, but after a hard day or when you're stressing in the middle of the day, it can really make a difference. At the moment, my go to things are the Rub Rub Rub shower exfoliant from Lush and a beautifully exotic smelling bath bubble formula called Golden Orchid from Avon.
6. Phone a Friend
Not like on 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire', but simply hearing the sound of a friendly voice, even if you don't talk about your problems or anything negative, can make you feel comforted. Often when I have had a bad day I will ring my Dad. I won't often talk about anything that's gone wrong during the day, and we end up talking about something generic, which for me and my Dad generally boils down to him giving me some new exciting photography tip or talking about sports, thought I always feel much better afterwards from just hearing his voice. Or I'll ring my Mum, who has a fantastic habbit of being able to ramble about anything and everything for long periods of time without even realising it. Most of the time I ring my Mum she will be so excited to talk to me about something that's going on - even if it's something small and insignificant, that even I'll forget why I rang, but I'll certainly feel cheered up!
7. Save Some Pennies
Although it might not be much, saving even £1 a day can make you feel happier, whichever way you do it. Just think of all the things you could do with the change you could save over a few months or years. I emptied my purse of everything smaller than a 50p at the end of every day for 5 months and managed to save almost £250 - it really can add up! It can be achieved in so many ways - ways that won't affect your living at all. It can be as simple as taking your own homemade packed lunch or homemade pizza for dinner rather than eating out, or walking rather than getting the bus, or even sharing a lift with someone to work rather than driving separately (which can also be a good opportunity for a chat and a laugh to brighten up your day).
8. Learn Something New About Someone
Learning something new about someone you are becoming acquainted with, or even learning something new about an old friend can make you smile - make you feel closer to someone in your life. The best things I have evert learnt have been about my oldest friends and seeing how they and our relationship had changed over the years, even if it's something small like they got a tattoo or they have decided on a change of college course or career.
9. Make Your Breakfast Smile
This is something I used to do all the time when I was younger, making smiling faces out of my breakfast, whether it was making the bacon into a smile on my toast or making shapes out of chocolate chips or strawberries in my porridge. When you're feeling down, or don't want to face the day, something as simple as the thought of making shapes and reverting to a younger you when making breakfast can get you out of bed. Whenever I have those days when I wake up and it feels like I haven't even been to sleep and I have a million and one things to do that day, before I do anything else I like to think of what I can have for breakfast and what I can make it in to, then my mind is alert and rearing to go, filled with lots of yummy thoughts that make me want to get out of bed.
10. Put Your Knickers on the Radiator
One of the best feelings possible in the whole world when you're groggy and would rather curl up in bed for the rest of the morning, is putting your knickers on the radiator when it's cold outside - or even in the fridge during the Summer. It seems like such a weird concept, and something strange to do, but it really does put a smile on your face and prepare you for the day ahead.
11. Extend a Small Courtesy to Somebody Else and Watch the Effect
Whether it's holding the door open for someone, and having them thank you, or
lending someone a pen and watching them write with it with a smile, little things like this can brighten up your day and make you feel a whole ton better about yourself and the world. Even if I'm having a day that I wish was over or feels like everything is going wrong in some form, even giving some change to a homeless person on the street can make me feel better. As horrible as it is to say, and admit, we all feel better if we see someone that is less fortunate than ourselves, but true happiness can be achieved if we help that person who is less fortunate.
12. A Nice Cup of Tea
There is truly nothing I find more relaxing or soul lifting at the end of a long day
that a nice cup of tea, especially with a chocolate bourbon biscuit. Maybe it's just a British thing, but the warming effect of tea can't be beaten on any level. Make yourself smile - put it in your favourite mug - or better, invite a friend round for a cuppa and a catch up. Simple little things are the key to daily happiness.
"Every day we have plenty of opportunity to get angry, stressed or offended. But what you're doing when you indulge these negative emotions is giving something outside yourself power over your happiness. You can choose to not let the little things upset you" - Joel Osteen [preacher/author/televangelist]
I hope you enjoyed my first blog as much as I enjoyed, and actually got a little bit of happiness out of writing it, as I did! Try something off this list, and comment below if it made your day that little bit better.
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