Today is a day to celebrate! We are alive, mostly healthy, unique, have people in our lives that care about us, and our American government just offered love, acceptance, tolerance, and equality to all people who love and want to marry.
So if today is a day to celebrate, then why is it so easy to walk through life complaining all of the time? We assume the worst, jump to conclusions, criticize others, and are especially self-critical. So QUESTION: Can EVERYDAY be a day to celebrate- to feel loved, to love others, to have a positive outlook? It’s not always easy, and it takes some work, but here are some DIY techniques that can help you look on the bright side.
Get the Day Started Right:
Studies have shown that making the choice to get out of bed and start the day like this: 
(rather than being forced out by bathroom necessities or the threat of lateness where you feel like this: 
) helps you feel like you have some agency and control in your life. So my encouragement is to start the day by getting up, stretching tall, and thanking God for something that you are thankful for. Starting the day empowered and with gratitude in your heart will help the whole day feel better.
Remember the Good Times:
Thinking back on positive memories, achievements, songs, and people who have had happy influences in your life elevates your mood and puts us in a good place in the here and now. This also can trigger us to remember what we were doing during those memories that was working so that we can get back to that place when we are struggling.
Make Small Goals and Achieve Them:
Make a list of 3 manageable things you want to accomplish that day and then do all that you can to achieve them. Plus, it will feel so good to cross one of those short term goals off when you have finished it. When our goals are too huge and too many, sometimes we can feel disappointed by not being able to meet our own unrealistic expectations. So start small… and when you reach your goals, feel successful and let it increase your confidence!
Don’t Let Anything Cloud your Sunshine:
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine” right? There are things that can get in the way of our light shining that sometimes we don’t even recognize. Ever felt HANGRY? and then shortly after you have a snack and your mood gets better? 
Try to have a difficult conversation with a loved one late at night and it blows up into major fight? Being tired or lonely can cloud our sunshine, but sometimes just a nap or calling a friend can help our mood. It could be as simple as that, so check in with yourself and see if the answer to your happiness is a nap, snack, or phone call away.
Fake It Til You Make It:
Sometimes when we feel stuck or in a low place, we just have to put our wants/desire to feel better into action before our beliefs and feelings will follow. Thus, if you want to be a happy person, act like a happy person. If you want to be a loving, kind, selfless person, put it into action- maybe volunteer or do something for others- and start living out the person you want to be.
You can do this!
Your day can get sunny and brighter with just a few moves. Get a suntan. Poke a hole through the raincloud. Try to take just one step in the direction of looking on the bright side this week. YOU CAN DO IT!
WendyLMFT 