Which Face?

Today I was very happy for no apparent reason. Well, Alyssa’s revelation helped me feel more positive, but I had an overall feeling of peace and contentment with myself today.

Maybe you’ve seen the commercial that shows unhappy people and the voice says, “Depression hurts.” If not, the commercial itself is depressing. Like millions of people who have suffered depression, I too have experienced that feeling the Gmork describes as “The Nothing”. I feel blue sometimes, but then the problem or situation will pass and the happy rays of sunshine come back into my life.

When I was a General Manager at a hotel, I would tell my employees that even if they didn’t feel happy to fake it by smiling at the customers. When someone smiles, their face is immediately welcoming and their voice becomes lighter which is why people who market on the phone are taught to smile even though no one can see them. Being around happy people boosts your spirit to a higher level of happiness too! Happiness smiles!

Part of being happy is attitude. When you open your eyes in the morning and leap excitedly out of the bed…If “She must be kidding” just passed through your mind, you’re right, however, there are people who upon waking are immediately happy. Anyway, when you get out of the bed, do you feel a zest for living life? Are you eager to go and do everything planned for the day? Do you notice the little things and feel appreciation for the vigor of life? If not, only you can change your attitude and outlook about existing on this planet. I have to keep telling myself this all the time because I know it is true.

Decide that you want to be happy and fake it until you can feel better. If you have a chemical depression, see a doctor for help. Don’t think that you have to remain depressed. Be as vigilant in finding and feeling happiness as you are to buy gas for your car when the “no gas” light turns that wicked orange color. You ARE worth the effort. You CAN be happy. You possess talents and experiences that are valuable. You are needed, wanted, cared for and loved by many people.

Tomorrow is a new day. Wake up, leap out of bed (in my case, slowly roll out of bed) with a new found excitement. Put on a genuine happy face or fake it until it becomes real.