Every morning feels like the start of another boring day. Each day, you realize how difficult it is to find ways to make yourself happy again.

You get ready, go to work, come home and the boring cycle repeats the next day. Oh, and let’s not forget the daily lines of traffic that make commuting feel like a chore. You just want to escape from it all by curling up under a blanket.

You’re overwhelmed with the crap that you have to deal with every day, and it’s turning you into a miserable person. You constantly find yourself snapping at people.

At work, you feel like you’re just another cog in the wheel. You can’t stand the daily grind, your doofus co-workers and boss who don’t appreciate all the hard work that you do.

And when you come home and turn on the TV, all you see is bad news, bad weather and bad people doing bad things. It all makes you long for the “good old days.”

When you’re living in a funk from day to day, it can be hard to find things to smile about. It’s hard to find some refreshing positivity. But, the truth is, it is up to you. You can wallow in misery, but if you want things to change – if you want to find your smile again – you’re the one who has to make it happen.

Here are some of the ways to make yourself happy.

Thank Your Pillow

Get a boost of delight from thanking objects and what they do for you.

When you wake in the morning, put your hands together like a Buddhist monk, bow your head and say, “Thank you, pillow, for the dreams you have given me.” Try this with your bed, blanket, pj’s and shoes. Do it to as many things as you like.

Play the Bizarro World Version of Yourself

Break out of boring routines by turning small daily habits on their heads. If you normally put your right sock on first, put your left sock on first. When you slip on your underwear, slip into the other leg first. If you want a bit more of a challenge, try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand or putting your knife and fork in opposite hand.

If you find yourself getting frustrated doing the opposite of something, just skip that habit. The point is for you to enjoy, not annoy yourself.

Smack a Smile on Your Face

Leave your worries and boredom at the door. Make every entrance a bright one.

Whenever you’re walking through a door, imagine there’s a smile hanging from the top of the door sill. As you walk through the door, grab that smile and smack it on your face, like you’re putting a cover over your mouth.

Imagine that whatever worries or boring thoughts you may have had just got smile-smacked out of you when you walked through that door.

Help the Cashier

This will make you a shopping celebrity.

Whenever you go shopping, place everything in the shopping cart or on the cashier’s conveyor belt in a way that makes it easy for them to find the bar code.

Make sure you tell them what you’ve done!

That cashier’s face will light up with a smile and you can bet she’ll share the experience with her co-workers. Do this a couple of times with different cashiers and you’ll find that each time you shop, you’ll be greeted with mega-watt smiles. Imagine how good that would feel.

Channel Your Inner DiCaprio

Give yourself a “King of the World” feeling.

This works great when you’re in a high place that is open to the wind blowing on your face. Just like DiCaprio did in Titanic, spread your arms out, take a nice deep breath, and yell out, “I’m King of the World!”

Imagine yourself looking down on a world that you own.

Take a 30-Second U-Turn Back to Happy-Ville

Here’s how to get yourself back to happy-ville when you encounter a silly little drama.

When you get frustrated or upset, take a 30-second pause. For the first five seconds, you acknowledge the bad moment. For the remaining 25 seconds, you let the frustration or irritating feeling go by, imagining that you have arrived at this silly little drama-ville and you see it for what it is. Then you U-turn back to happy-ville.

Just remember, the only person who can put a dent in your happiness is you. You always have the option to return to happiness.

Create a Happy Folder on Your Phone

One of the simplest ways to make yourself happy is to create a special “happy folder” of photos on your phone.

The easiest way to do this is to browse through your photos and move the ones that bring a grin to your face to the happy folder. Don’t forget to add happy, inspiring Facebook photos too.

Now, whenever you feel bored, miserable, or hurt, launch your happy folder and feel the happiness oozing back into you again.

Pat Your Back to Brighten Up Your Feelings

Here’s a quick and easy way to lift your feelings up.

Once you’ve successfully done something, raise your right or left hand, pat yourself on the back, and say something like, “Way to go, (your name)!”

You can do this any time of the day to give yourself a little pick-me-up delight.

Give Yourself a Rocky Balboa Moment

Choose a stairwell at work or at home. Quickly bound up the stairs, one or two steps at a time. Be careful that you don’t trip.

When you reach the top, raise your hands over your head and do a little shuffle dance while that music from Rocky is playing in your head. If no one is around, go ahead and sing it out.

This will give you some feeling-like-a-champ delight.

Give a Surprise That Will Make You Smile

When you’re feeling bored or down, you can perk yourself up by surprising someone who is important to you.

Buy a present or do something special or unique. You can try washing their car, mowing their lawn, or shoveling their snow without telling them. Just do it and imagine the surprise on their face when they see what some kind soul has done for them.

Of course, you can let them know it was you. Either way, you’ll be filled with a whole lot of merry pride.

Give the Stars Your Gratitude

You may have heard the idea of keeping a gratitude journal where you regularly write what you’re grateful for. It works wonders for your mood and makes you a more positive person. And now, you can make it even more fun by trying this gratitude game.

You’ll need a clear night full of bright stars.

Look to one star. Think of something that you’re grateful for. Now make that star the “gratitude star” for that one grateful thought you have. Do this two more times. Think of something else you’re grateful for and give that gratitude to a different star.

Next, for the fun part, on another starry night, challenge yourself to find those same three “gratitude stars.”

See Also: A Little Bit of Gratitude, Everyday!

Now Go Turn Funky Days into Sweet Delight!

Living in the funk is no fun, especially when it feels like there’s no way out. But escape is possible and there are ways to make yourself happy. You just have to take charge of things and actively seek out happiness every day.

Imagine yourself waking up each morning with a smile on your face. Imagine having a day filled with moments of laughter and delight. Think of being at work and actually having some fun again.

The takeaway is that it’s up to YOU to turn each day into sweet delight.

See Also: 5 Happiness Hacks That You Need To Try Today

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