We want to be happy always, but often blame others or situations which fail to support this need. We don’t need some remarkable things to take place to shower happiness on us, we feel happy in small, yet interesting things. Do you realize that you share some portions of the responsibility to keep yourself happy? You have to do certain things intentionally to keep yourself in a happy mood. Here’s a list of things which can enable you to turn a bad day into a bright one:

10 Ways to Make You Happy

Go through the pages of an old photo album

Once you go back to those memorable days, you would feel really rejuvenated. Old photos carry a lot of emotions and looking at photos when you were a kid or your kids’ photos would inspire you to take interest in your life and work. You can also upload some of your favorite photos on your office computer and this would help you boost up your mood in a stressful work atmosphere.

Have nuts in your spare times

Whenever you get an opportunity, consider taking some nuts as these are great mood boosters. You can store walnuts in the drawer of your office desk. Having a salmon salad at lunch also produces the same effect. These foods are rich sources of Omega-3 fats which are considered powerful components to fight depression.

Get exposed to the morning sunlight

Research has shown that the first sunlight you see after waking up boosts up your mood. A good exposure to sunlight is found to be associated with better mood, sleep, and alertness. Consider having breakfast by your window side every morning. You would feel happy.

Make some moves

If you are in an office setup, where there are no windows to see outside or to feel the sunlight, then consider moving out during the breaks. Getting the sun’s exposure is essential to keep away depression. You can do mild exercises, at about 40 percent of your heart rate, to lift your mood. Even simple physical activities in the form of walking down the path of a park or doing a bit of gardening would help to keep you happy. These are not just exercises but are targeted towards mental recreation.

Clear the mess around you

When something is not in order then it reminds you of the work that is left to be done. The mess around you might make you feel “messy” too! So if you have time, organize the cluttered papers, books and other items in neat piles and keep them in baskets or drawers. Organizing your office desk or your kitchen would help you to come out of a bad mood.

Think speedily

Whenever you are in a stressful situation, just think about the positive aspects of the situation quickly. Take 30 minutes to make a list of the positive points. This is a mode of distraction which can quickly change your mood. According to the researchers, the mood gets lifted due to the release of feel-good brain chemicals during the rapid thinking process.

Watch something funny

Laughter is a great stress reliever as it is related to the release of dopamine, the hormone which prevents depression. You can watch a funny video or meet some friends who can make you laugh!

Focus on good experiences than materials

It is true that shopping would lift up your mood, but having better experiences and enjoying these with family and friends would give you more happiness. When you go to attend a concert or a lunch with your near and dear ones, then you feel nice and this joy is greater in comparison to what you feel while shopping for clothes and jewelry just for yourself!

Exchange smile with others

Whenever you smile, you become more social and acceptable to everyone around you. You make new friends and people are attracted to you. This social acceptance is enough to keep you happy.

Take your mind away for a moment

You need to experience some downtime to release stress. After going through some stressful hours, just move away from your desk and keep your eyes closed. Think about some unrelated matter; say the fun activities which you are going to do over the weekend.

You see, miracles cannot happen every time. But does this stop you from keeping yourselves happy and from celebrating life? You have to find ways to keep you happy! Then only, you can spread happiness to others around you.

Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul. Democritus