Grasping For Joy: fake it till you make it

Showing posts with label fake it till you make it. Show all posts

Try it.

On this blog, I try to be encouraging and I know that when you are depressed and just overwhelmingly sad, it is very difficult to think that anything will help but some of these things really, really do. It's crazy, but as I have journeyed to the place I am now, off meds and coping better than I was on the meds, there are a few of the things that have been really helpful to me. One is needlework, in the form of crocheting, the second is the art journaling/doodling stuff that I do and the third which may actually be the most helpful because it is portable and easy, is, believe it or not, the fake-it-till-you-make-it, fake smiling.

One of my art journal pages. Drawing these big flowers is relaxing to me.

It's seems crazy, I know, but it is true.

Forbes on fake smiling.

For resources on the art journaling if you don't know where to start, you can try some happiness journals.

The Happy Book

How to Be Happy

For needleworking here's a video on how to crochet.

How to Crochet

How to Knit

Try anything that will help you feel happier, within reason. Don't hurt yourself or anyone else. That doesn't work.

Take care of yourself. I know the holidays can be hard and seriously, (because it looks kind of creepy) every time you go into the bathroom, give yourself the biggest smile you can and hold it for as long as you can. Crinkle up your eyes. Get all into it. Seriously. It does help.

Posture!

Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are! Go now and watch this video. I'll wait.

Now spend 2 minutes adopting one of the power poses that make you feel more powerful and able to take on life's challenges. It's worth 2 minutes of your time to try isn't it?

If for some reason you can't watch the video, here it is summed up.

Wonder Woman Did It Right

Here's a quote. "Our body language is always influencing how others perceive you, but more importantly, it changes how YOU feel. Amy Cuddy’s research showed that not only does your posture change how you feel, but it also changes your hormone levels in a significant and meaningful way. "

Talking to yourself.

WSJ

Inc

Annie Murphy Paul

Three articles but they basically are about the same thing, talking to oneself. We all have self-talk, whether it's inside our heads or out loud or a combination of the two, but how you refer to yourself, it turns out, is important.

"The way you address yourself matters, too. Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in February found people who spoke to themselves as another person would—using their own name or the pronoun "you"—performed better under stress than people who used the word "I."

Referring to yourself in the as if you are a friend, using you or your name makes you feel less anxious and less stressed when performing a difficult task.

I find it fascinating, what do you think?

Okay, this one is pretty interesting.

Botox, the botulism toxin that the inject into your face to paralyze your muscles so you won't have frown line wrinkles, makes you feel happier because it makes you unable to frown and facial muscles influence brain activity.

Time Magazine Wipe Away That Frown.

If you keep reading to the bottom of the article, it gets even more odd.

"But Lewis says he favors the theory that facial muscles influence brain activity directly and points to earlier research that suggests such a neurological link. For example, studies have shown that subjects find comedy routines significantly funnier when they hold a pen between their teeth the way a dog holds a bone, a pose that stimulates the muscles used for smiling. Similarly, subjects laugh less when holding a pen between their lips, a pose that mimics frowning."

He looks pretty happy here, doesn't he?

NY Times - Get Botox!

Let me sum up.

On this blog, so far, we have explored the science behind many different ways to improve your mood. We've looked at how doing things for others can make you feel better, how practicing an attitude of gratitude can also help. Those are the things you have heard of. Some of the things that I am learning while researching and writing this blog and trying to hold on tightly to my own joy (and sanity) are just plain fascinating and frankly, kind of weird.

Here are some of the ways in a handy, printable form. Hang this up someplace, use it as a background on your phone or tablet, do some of these things. Honestly, I think the yogurt, which is the only one I have been doing consistently, may have saved my life this week. Seriously, try to do them everyday! Here they are.

Simply smile, even if you don't want to.

Yesterday, Huffington Post, published a simple guide to joy that is very basic, but very good. It starts with taking a deep breath and continues through several steps until you are visualizing something you have to look forward to. If you are feeling depressed and anxious, this is a good place to start. Simple Guide To Joy

Scientific American - Smile!

What can you do to feel happier right now? Smile at your computer screen, right now, while you are reading this, because smiling makes you happier. It's true!

Smiling, the evidence that it works, video.

For today's smile, watch this video of Maru the cat!