FRIDAY'S SMILEY DAY'S BY FIONA CUMMINGS

 I’m telling you now, the wind is like hell.  It’s as if being stranded on an island in the middle of the North Sea. If we get by without falling fences, I will be shocked. It was well after seven this morning, I hadn’t been to sleep all night and suddenly I felt rumbling under the floor. It was like something out of a horror movie. Just the wind going under the house, I guess. I swear, one day our neighbourhood will be like the Victorian streets, all houses will be so close, we will be able to make our neighbours a cupper and open the window to hand them it through their window. Haha. If our house hasn’t moved a little this month I will be surprised. Outside there is creaking, crashing banging whacking and then there are my windchimes.

Woops.

 

But sitting here in my sitting room, the sun is shining and it’s hot, even though it’s raining.

Yep, who said the English were obsessed with the weather?

 

My Husband is a couple of hours away from home working today. Not sure what time he will be home. He has been all over this week and only been in once before six and that was just one day. He left as normal at quarter past seven this morning. My Son left at 3 a.m.

 

Of course, the news today is awful. Full of badness. But every day now something dreadful has happened. I have a friend who never reads the news or watches it. I’m starting to understand why, it does mean though your conversation has to alter to what I would normally talk to my friends about. Everything in life is around the news, right?

 

Whilst some factors that affect happiness are not our gift, I believe that apart from current circumstances, genetics play a role, so, if you find yourself in a dull place right now, let’s see if I can lift you even just a little!

 

 It’s been proven if you take the time to write down just three positive things per day, you will feel more optimistic and less stressed.

 

Just a few moments outside can give you a fresh perspective and if you can combine that with a walk or in your necessary mobility aid, even better, but don’t think that even just standing in your back yard won’t help your mood, as it will.

 

When your body feels good, your brain will follow, eat fruit and veg think of your body like a car. Feed it with the best fuel. I need to learn from my own lesson there.

 

Get rid of some clutter if it’s bothering you, even if it is a couple of things, it is amazing how good that will make you feel.

 

Detach yourself from past negativity. If someone doesn’t make you happy, why let them continue to control how you feel? Teach your brain to think positive even if you really don’t feel it right now. just tell yourself nice things and see if it helps at the end of the day.

 

Change your routine, or if you walk somewhere change your route just to get off autopilot.

 

Make plans if you have a friend you can meet up with, even if it is a plan for a month away. That will give you something to look forward to.

 

Focus on what you have accomplished rather than look at what you haven’t done.

 

Even if you fake smile, research has proven that a smile after something stressful helps so much with decreasing your heart rate  

 

Where a nice bright colour. Buy some flowers for your room that will cheer you up as they look pretty if you can’t see, get some that smell good. But if you buy lilies, then cut the centre I think it’s yellow, I know it’s the bit that stains furniture, but if it’s cut out you will be OK and have the benefit of the amazing fragrance. And chop lemons. Again, this has been proven to lift your mood.

 

Most importantly remember that there’s always tomorrow. And we were all put on this earth for a reason. It’s up to us to learn what that reason is.

It’s nice to pass on our new positive feeling to others, just leave a note or text to whoever you may share your house with, if you live on your own, then text a friend, pass on the good vibes.