19 Ways to Happiness, Tip #1

 

 So, yesterday the kids weren't perfect, if you can believe it. They whined everytime I asked them to do anything. They fought with each other. They cried a lot, and seemed to fall down an unusually large amount of times. The two-year old, who is getting potty trained, didn't do that great. All in all, I was glad when the day was over, and they were all finally asleep. As I sat exhausted on the couch, wondering how I could possibly make it through another day, I remembered this list I'd found in a magazine, oh so many years ago. I don't remember what magazine, but I was impressed enough to write the list down and keep it all these years.

So for your excitement and pleasure (and hopefully your path to happiness) we now have our first installment of "19 Ways to Happiness".

Tip #1: Smile

Yep, that's it, just smile. Fake it til you make it. I've heard about this in a few different places, but the idea is to plaster that smile on your face, and keep it there until you feel like it belongs. I know you think this sounds crazy, but it really works. Not only does it make you feel better than that perpetual frown you've acquired since having kids, but it makes everybody else feel better too. People see you smiling, and they smile back. Then you smile a little bigger, and your happiness becomes a little more genuine. Your kids see you smiling, and they get that happy little feeling in their tummy that you get when you feel approved of. And isn't there a t-shirt somewhere that says "Smile, it will make people wonder what you're up to". So true, so true.

So start increasing your happiness today. Smile, and the world smiles with you, or something like that.