Stressed Out? Try This Simple Strategy for a Quick Pick-me-Up

Bad news is everywhere. If you tune in to any news channel, you’re bound to find plenty of horror stories, political conflicts, international hostility, and local disasters. There’s so much negativity out there that sometimes we forget how wonderful life can be. Make your world a lot happier by putting together a Happy Box! The Happy Box is a box (or a bag, or anything you can hold stuff in) of things that make you happy. Fill your Happy Box with pictures of loved ones, pets, nature, or whatever it is that makes you smile. In addition to the box, you can also put together a playlist of songs or YouTube videos that make you happy. The strategy is to pull out your Happy Box whenever you’re stressed out in order to change your mood. This may seem simple and cliché, but it’s incredibly powerful to be in control of your emotions. One moment of stress can spiral into a whole day of misery. In the same way, one moment of happiness can blossom into a lifetime of bliss.

Here’s another way to use your Happy Box. At work, spend the first half of your lunch break looking at your Happy Box. Ideally, you’d have about 30 minutes for the first half of your lunch break to look at your Happy Box and get rid of any stress that accumulated that day. After 30 minutes, eat your lunch calmly and happily. It’s very unhealthy to eat under stress. Use your Happy Box to prevent any stress eating from happening.