Whether you're in a rut or to the brim with smiles, there is no loss in elevating your mood and promoting inner joy. We're familiar with the day to day and how easily we fall into certain routines; therefore, inserting fresh moments of happiness or new fun practices are irresistible enhancers.
Hang out with a dog.
Unless one is seriously inhibited by allergies, I find it almost impossible to believe that petting as sweet an animal as most dogs are would not significantly raise spirits. Dogs have that beautiful, elusive talent of living in the moment. Fulfill their basic needs and show them love, and they're the picture of happiness aka a lesson to us in savoring what we have and showing love to others. Moreover, the beneficial psychological effects of stroking a furry friend are undeniable, and even more fortunate, is they're mutual. Stress dissipates when gently petting a dog, or even thinking about one's pet, according to the Boston Globe, which, in an article, provides evidence as to how oxycontin, beta endorphins, and dopamine all come into play in those special puppy love moments.
Melodious Refuge
We've all experienced the powerful mood changing effects of music, but just because we know it's in our backpacker, we shouldn't neglect to turn toward the beat. Truly, music is the soul's articulation, and groove is humanity's common wavelength. We can hop on one another's melodies and follow stories to places we've never seen or seep into the tones of our own worlds. Whether it be earbuds, speakers, or live jams, music is an undeniable elixir. Cortisol goes down and the immune system goes up, and so does your mood; read more on that and how even vibration in itself is awesome here: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/11/music.aspx
Laugh a little or a whole, whole lot.
I believe laughter to be more than spontaneous burst of a smile; it's also the practice of seriously looking for all the hilarities in this sometimes insanely wild and other times amusingly mundane life we're all living. Open yourself up to laughter and you're only going up.
Nature and mediation, man.
Seriously, the earth is a beautiful gift, and whether you're into religious devotions, quiet Wordsworth contemplation, deliberate empty mindedness, or meditations, the benefits of placing yourself right in the perpetual alcove of the natural world and pure thought are unending. Leave behind your shoes, and take an early morning walk through dewey blades or let the late afternoon shadows slip past you and lay beneath the sky. You can't lose.
Whatever works best for you, adopt practices that make you a more peaceful you. Let humility stream in and look to others' journeys to see what works for them, and most of all, elevate yourself because that's when you're most equipped to elevate others.
