#2 - Simple
sim·ple
adjective \ˈsim-pəl\
: not hard to understand or do
: having few parts : not complex or fancy
Ah...yes...simple. Just saying it makes me feel good. And yet we often make things so complicated. Whether it's the complex set of expectations and criticism we put on ourselves...the labyrinth of mindreading that we overlay on other people...or the overload of our hectic daily lives. Maybe the answer is simple. There are boundless simple things we can do to transform our daily lives so they are populated with health and happiness.
- Smile more and you will feel happy - it's scientifically proven!
- Other people will smile back; this will help you feel connected.
- If someone doesn't smile back assume that they are having a hard day (not that they are being specifically mean to you due to some flaw of yours or personality problem of theirs).
- This realization will help you feel empathy and show the other person kindness (which eventually may help them to smile...).
- Take 15 minutes to indulge in your favorite treat (a bubble bath, decadent reality tv...), even though you have a ton of work to do.
- Make yourself a cup of tea and let it steep so that it is just how you like it.
- Take an extra few minutes to cook dinner for yourself the way you would if you had company coming over.
- Click on a silly video that shows up in your Facebook feed (laughter is really good for you - this is also scientifically proven!). Click here to see one of my all-time favorites.
- Say one nice thing to yourself every morning when you first wake up.
- Tell the people in your life - your friends and family - you love them each time you talk on the phone to them.
Simple. Simple is good.
