Treat yourself with compassion. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Forgive the bad and dwell in the good. “You should talk to yourself the way you talk to someone you love,” says Jane Pernotto Ehrman, behavioral health specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.
Give and receive hugs. Don’t save them for just for family. “Humans need touch. It’s a scientific fact,” says Jane Pernotto Ehrman, behavioral health specialist at the
Cleveland Clinic. “A simple hug between friends can improve your mood and strengthen a relationship
Wake up to gratitude. Take five minutes each morning to think about what you are grateful for in your life. “Just waking up is something to be grateful for,” says Jane Pernotto Ehrman, behavioral health specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. “Starting off your day thinking that way will definitely improve your mood.
Say thanks in writing. When someone makes you happy, let them know with a personal note. “If you don’t have much time, a text works just as well,” says Jane Pernotto Ehrman, behavioral health specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.
Perform a random act of kindness. Pay for someone’s coffee, give someone a compliment or just smile at someone who looks down. “It is in our nature that when we make someone else happy, we get happier too,” says Jane Pernotto Ehrman, behavioral health specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.
Smile, then laugh. If you radiate it outward, you’re more likely to feel it inward. “It is a great habit to smile, but even better to laugh,” says Jane Pernotto Ehrman, behavioral health specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. “It’s even proven to make you live longer.”
End on a positive note. At the end of each day, write down or think of three good things that happened, no matter how small. “Any day can be a good day if you want it to be,” says Jane Pernotto Ehrman, behavioral health specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. “So this will help you look for the good in those days that didn’t seem the best.”
