From head to toe, there’s a lift for every body part these days! But what about for your soul, that place where our feelings of health and well-being come from?
There is much talk right now about the growing rate of anxiety and depression. While some of these mental and emotional health issues may stem from hormone imbalances and other medical conditions, sometimes looking at life from a different point of view can lift your spirits.
Try these suggestions on how to experience an emotional lift, and let us know how they work for you.
- As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, say “thank you.” Take a deep breath in and out. Then think about the wonder of what just occurred!
- Take a new path. As you head out to school, or work, or running errands, go a new direction. You never know what you might discover when you switch the route you take every day.
- Live with wonder and curiosity. Dig deeper into things – big and small – that delight you. How did a constellation get its name? What’s the fastest rollercoaster? Who invented lipstick?
- Little things count. Research shows that daily acts of kindness boost happiness. They don’t have to be big. What matters is your intention.
- Refocus! Remember you can be blessed and stressed at the same time. Can you find something you can be grateful for while dealing with your challenges?
- Take the smile challenge. Smile when you see someone. How many people in one day can you get to smile back at you? If you want to take it a step further, say hello or good morning while smiling, and see if you can get a response.
- Positive thoughts. Take a page from the book of Philippians, and think about things that are true, noble, right, lovely, and admirable.
- Say grace. It doesn’t have to be just before a meal. Say a prayer of thanks for the helpers in your past and present. Express gratitude for the beauty of nature. Tell God thank you for what you have instead of worrying about what’s missing.
Perhaps you have a few suggestions of your own. Feel free to share them with us!
CeCe
Source: Inspired Living, Guideposts, Oct/Nov 2021