It’s been a rough few months (even year) it seems and we could all use an extra dose of HAPPINESS!
Despite what is going on around us, happiness is ALWAYS available to you… if you choose it.
Happiness is a feeling that comes from your thoughts.
Even though we can’t change our circumstances, we can always pick thoughts that remind us we can be happy.
“Men are that they might have JOY!” is one of my favorite scriptures, and He’s totally right.
We might have trials and tribulations, but there is still so much joy around us.
This month let’s practice choosing HAPPINESS ON PURPOSE!
Heaven knows we could use it.
Dopamine is the happiness chemical.
It gets released into your brain/body when you find something enjoyable.
Dopamine tells our brains to “seek more of that thing/experience/etc.”
Our brains memorize those things that give us dopamine and then drive us to look for more of that.
Because it feels good.
Disclaimer: highly concentrated amounts of dopamine in unhealthy activities, like drugs, and pornography; or excessive activities like prolonged gaming, overeating, excessive shopping, basically anything that takes over our lives, can create long term problems in our lives and relationships.
I’m not talking about these highly concentrated amounts of dopamine…
I’m talking about the natural, healthy, normal things/activities in life that remind us that we can and should enjoy life.
Smile on Purpose
One of my favorite things to do is … SMILE!
A few years back I was doing some meditations as part of a program. I wasn’t feeling the excitement I wanted to feel as I listened.
This idea, “smile while you’re laying there” popped into my head (the spirit speaking to me).
I decided it certainly wasn’t going to hurt me, so I started smiling.
I’m sure anyone checking in on me and saw me laying there, grinning like a goon, thought I looked hilarious…
But you know what happened?
IT WORKED!
I started feeling more joyful. I started feeling happier. I started getting more excited.
It wasn’t fast or immediate; but it was gentle and steady.
Since then I’ve experimented with it more and more.
I try to smile until I fall asleep at night (no one can see my big grin in the dark).
I wake up happier in the morning.
When I’m sick, I smile anyway – it doesn’t take that much energy – and I’m pretty sure it helps me get better faster.
Bonus: smiling at others triggers a subtle amount of dopamine to be released into their brains also.
Just the act of turning the corners of your mouth upward – on purpose – and holding it there, will start to leak small amounts of dopamine into your system.
The longer you hold it, the happier you’ll become
–Challenge: experiment with smiling today, in a place you usually don’t – like when you’re cooking dinner.
I’ll be back with more ideas next week…
PS If you realize you are stuck in one of these less healthy ways of getting dopamine, I can help you discover what’s causing it, AND assist you in finding your way to a happier, healthier way of living. Message me for a free 30 minute call.