10 Small Things You Can Do This Week To Feel A Little Happier | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

10 Small Things You Can Do This Week To Feel A Little Happier

Start small and see big changes.

167
10 Small Things You Can Do This Week To Feel A Little Happier
Unsplash

1. Wake up and take time to stretch, think about the day ahead and remind yourself of your strengths.

Too often we rush into the day ahead, consumed by all the tasks that we want to achieve. Taking a brief moment of mindfulness can help you de-stress and put into perspective the temporary nature of certain sources of anxiety or pain.

2. Compliment someone.

Don’t just compliment someone for the sake of it, though. Be sure that you are giving a meaningful compliment without the desire for anything in return. If you see someone who appears to be especially stressed out or upset, consider what compliment might be most meaningful and mood-boosting for them.

3. Spend some time outside.

While the temperature is starting to drop, you still have some time before the snow comes our way. Reminding oneself of the beauty in nature and the simple pleasure which can be derived from spending a peaceful moment beside a tree listening to the sounds of the night or on a bench, watching the clouds overhead is a great way to reduce stress.

4. Laugh like nobody's listening.

I snort when I truly am laughing and if I am truly caught up in the deepest amusement of a moment. It took time for me to not feel self-conscious in my laugh, but I am so glad that I have come to embrace it. I hope that you can laugh without worry as loud as you want because it truly is therapeutic.

5. Listen to your favorite song(s) when you start to feel down.

Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed or sad about something, I try to redirect myself and cope in positive ways. In the past, I was an emotional eater and found comfort in food, which is unhealthy. Now, I look to prayer, exercise and music. I believe that everyone has at least one song that immediately lifts their spirits. I have a playlist of songs that make me happy and I keep it ready at all times for when I need it.

6. Smile and say hello to people around campus.

I wish that more people would smile at strangers here and I wish that more people would reciprocate the smiles that I give them on our campus so that I don’t feel like a total creep. There is a rare population of strangers that are willing to smile back, and most of them are the adults that I smile at. The act of smiling is actually scientifically proven to make you happier. If you don’t want to do it for me, do it for yourself.

7. Call your parent(s) or guardian.

Make sure that you spend some time actually talking to your loved one. It can become easy to fall into the habit of texting our family members back and forth between our busy schedule of classes, clubs and homework. However, being able to hear the voice of your family member and spending the time conversing with them is a gift that should not be taken for granted.

8. Treat yourself to your favorite coffee or tea and take a walk.

Spend some time by yourself and enjoy a solitary walk. You can use the time to reflect on your week, think about creative pursuits or just enjoy the act of walking without a destination.

9. Do something that is outside of your comfort zone.

I promise you that the greatest growth that we can make comes from being outside of our comfort zone. Try to put yourself in that place when you can and take calculated risks in order to become a more well-rounded and developed individual. It is OK to fail because if you leave the challenge having learned anything at all, you have grown.

10. Take a moment to forgive.

Let go of any burdens on your heart that you have carried with you this week, semester or year. Take a step into healing and realize that to carry resentment or hate toward any person is to poison your own spirit.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
No Matter How Challenging School Gets, You Have To Put Your Health First — A Degree Won't Mean Anything If You're Dead
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Some of the best advice I've ever received was from my social studies teacher in sophomore year of high school. He stated, "If you don't know it at midnight, you're not going to know it for the 8 a.m. exam, so get some sleep."

It's such a simple piece of advice, but it holds so much accuracy and it's something that the majority of college students need to hear and listen to. "All-nighters" are a commonality on college campuses in order to cram in studying for an exam that is typically the next day.

Keep Reading...Show less
college just ahead sign
Wordpress

1. You will have that special "college" look to you.

2. You will feel like an adult but also feeling like a child.

3. You will have classes that are just the professor reading from their lecture slides for an hour.

4. You will need to study but also want to hang out with your friends.

5. Coffee is your best friend.

6. You don't know what you're doing 99% of the time.

7. You will procrastinate and write a paper the night before it is due.

8. Money is a mythical object.

9. It is nearly impossible to motivate yourself to go to classes during spring.

10. The food pyramid goes out the window.

11. You will have at least one stress induced breakdown a semester.

12. Most lecture classes will bore you to tears.

13. You will not like all of your professors.

14. You will try to go to the gym... but you will get too lazy at some point.

15. When you see high school students taking tours:

16. You will try to convince yourself that you can handle everything.

17. Finals week will try to kill you.

18. You won't like everyone, but you will find your best friends sooner or later.

19. You actually have to go to class.

20. Enjoy it, because you will be sad when it is all over.

girl with a hat

This is for the girls who have dealt with an emotionally, mentally, physically or verbally abusive father.

The ones who have grown up with a false lens of what love is and how relationships should be. The ones who have cried themselves to sleep wondering why he hurts you and your family so much. This is for all the girls who fall in love with broken boys that carry baggage bigger than their own, thinking it's their job to heal them because you watched your mother do the same.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf Quote
"DESTINY IS FOR LOSERS. IT'S JUST A STUPID EXCUSE TO WAIT FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM HAPPEN." - BLAIR WALDORF.

The world stopped in 2012 when our beloved show "Gossip Girl" ended. For six straight years, we would all tune in every Monday at 9:00 p.m. to see Upper Eastside royalty in the form of a Burberry headband clad Blair Waldorf. Blair was the big sister that we all loved to hate. How could we ever forget the epic showdowns between her and her frenemy Serena Van Der Woodsen? Or the time she banished Georgina Sparks to a Christian summer camp? How about that time when she and her girls took down Bart Bass? Blair is life. She's taught us how to dress, how to be ambitious, and most importantly, how to throw the perfect shade.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

11 Moments Every College Freshman Has Experienced

Because we made it, and because high school seniors deserve to know what they're getting themselves into

710
too tired to care

We've all been there. From move-in day to the first finals week in college, your first term is an adventure from start to finish. In honor of college decisions coming out recently, I want to recap some of the most common experiences college freshmen experience.

1. The awkward hellos on move-in day.

You're moving your stuff onto your floor, and you will encounter people you don't know yet in the hallway. They live on your floor, so you'll awkwardly smile and maybe introduce yourself. As you walk away, you will wonder if they will ever speak to you again, but don't worry, there's a good chance that you will make some great friends on your floor!

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments