I don’t know about you, but I want to enjoy life… Spend time with those I love. Eat some good food.  Create art. Talk about life. Crack jokes here and there… Happiness looks good on everybody and we could sure use more of it these days. Here are some ways you can spread a little sunshine in your life and to others.

1. Write someone a letter and tell them how grateful you are to have them in  your life.

When I was a child, I used to have a pen pal. We’d write each other back and forth and tell about our lives.  Nowadays, we rely on social media to tell people how we’re doing and it can be very impersonal/indirect. Writing a personalized letter or note when you are thinking of someone will be sure to draw attention and brighten their day. It’s a perfect way to stand out and show people that you care about them.

2.  Do something nice for someone, just because.

Has someone ever done something for you unexpectedly? Were you surprised? How did it make you feel? Most likely, you felt good and it put a smile on your face. Now it’s your turn to reciprocate.

3.  Pray / Meditate.

No matter what your beliefs are, the act of prayer and meditation is powerful. Release your thoughts, ask for strength or healing … and sit/lie in silence as you meditate on those prayers. Removing the noise in your mind will help you to receive the answers you need. God often speaks to us in unconventional ways.  Being mentally clear will prepare your mind to receive the answers you’ve been looking for.

4.  Do something for you.

As a woman who wears many hats, it’s easy to put my needs aside in order to make sure everyone in my household is good. Next thing I know, I haven’t gotten a manicure in ages… (That’s our little secret. Okay?)  I have to schedule time for myself or else I won’t do it. As much as I like my sleep, often times I stay up late at night when everyone else is asleep. This my time to paint, write or reflect. Whenever you can fit in some “you” time, take it.

5.  Let it go!

Do you hold on to feelings long after the event that caused it has passed? Holding on can stifle your forward progress after a disappointment, heart break, or any other painful life event. If you know my story (click here), this is something I’m working on and have made strides, despite a few emotional instances. Letting go allowed me to move on and let my traumatic birthing experience empower me.

The longer you hold on to negativity, hurt feelings, or that terrible event that slowed you down, the longer the road to true happiness will be. Let it go! Find the good in it. Seek help if you need to. Find peace within yourself to gain a different perspective that will enable you to move past the pain. Your future self will thank you for it.

You can’t change the past, but you can control how you choose to let it affect you and how you move forward.

6.  Give yourself more credit.

Self-sabotage is a real thing and can ruin your confidence. Even if something didn’t quite work out the way you wanted it to, you’re a lot further than if you hadn’t done it at all. Learn from it. Keep trying until you get it right. You are awesome!

7.  Workout and eat healthy.

There are plenty of studies that show how much exercise benefits the body. It not only helps to keep your body healthy and strong,  it could help you mentally relieve that heavy cloud of stress from a days work.  I can recall a time where I was at my healthiest state and how good I felt.  I didn’t need much caffeine to wake up and to get through the day, I was able to focus better, things didn’t affect my mood so much, I had the energy to accomplish more in a day, and my skin looked better than ever.  I’m trying to get back to that place.

8.  Spend time getting to know someone without talking about yourself.

Everyone loves to talk about themselves. When was the last time you just focused on getting to know someone better or let them tell you about their life, without interjecting your own similarities, opinions and/or problems? Depending on who you are talking to, doing these things may be okay, but I challenge you, even with loved ones, to focus your conversation on them (without being nosey, of course), and show interest in their life happenings. They will appreciate the open ear.

9.  Spend time with loved ones.

I love to talk to my son and pick his four year-old brain. He’s also funny and a busy-body so I get to laugh, build new memories, and exercise at the same time. Sometimes I bring him into my world and have him help me out with laundry or wash the dishes… He thinks it’s fun right now so I’m going to milk it as long as I can.

10. Keep a daily journal and write down things for which you are grateful.

Whenever you’re feeling down and need a little pick-me-up, this will be a perfect reminder of how great life is.

11.  Make these Cinnamon Rolls (click here)… because they are delicious, and you should treat yourself sometimes. 😊

Peace and Love!

Yasmin

P.S. Photos of myself were taken by my brother (@LouisAvalon on Instagram). Thanks, Bro!