SUMMARY POINTS

  • Life can be a real pain-in-the-ass and tough to deal with at times
  • Smiling triggers positive “feel good” hormones that help you overcome challenges
  • Find just one thing to smile about every day and you’ll win out over the long-term
Life can be a real fucking bitch sometimes. Actually, make that a lot of the time.

When you’re living the life of a 99 percenter, life can be a struggle day-in and day-out. It’s your stressful job, lackluster career, crushing financial debts, on-going family issues, declining health, etc.

And, the list seems to get longer with each passing month.

You feel like you’re constantly being pulled deeper into a black hole of misery with no chance of escaping. And, it negatively affects everything you see, do and feel.

It turns into a negative feedback loop that only makes things worse.

The only way to break this negative cycle is to change the kind of energy and vibes you’re projecting out into the universe. Because what you put out there is what will eventually come back to you.

You’ve heard of the phrase, “Karma’s a bitch” right?

Well, the opposite is also true. Karma’s a savior.

It works both ways.

And one of the best ways to get more good Karma is to re-tune your mindset, perspective and attitude. It’s straightforward, but it’s not easy - at all. Especially, when life is kicking you when you’re down.

The best way is to start small with a simple mind hack and think about all the good things in life that make you smile.

Smiling can help you get through tough times. This study published by the American Psychological Association shows that smiling when you’re going through hard times can result in better recovery and long-term adjustment.

It’s because all of the emotions that trigger a smile produce positive hormones like dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin. These are all “happy hormones” that promote positive feelings like pleasure, happiness, and love.

This is what helps you get through and overcome challenges.

Epic Things To Smile About Every Day

As you’re working your way through this list of goodies, don’t just blast past all of them. Sure, there will be some that don’t have much of a positive impact on you, but there will be a bunch that do.

For the ones that trigger heart-warming feelings, let it sink in for a solid minute or two. Think about where it’s coming from, maybe even re-live that moment in your head and savor the positive emotions before jumping to the next one.

Here are the 101 things that you can smile about.
  1. 1
    The smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning
  2. 2
    Finding the missing sock
  3. 3
    Hilarious auto-correct text message fails
  4. 4
    Wet dog nose kisses
  5. 5
    Finding extra money in your jacket or pants
  6. 6
    When it's still light out until 9pm
  7. 7
    Sitting on the dock and watching the waves
  8. 8
    Crawling into a made bed with fresh linens
  9. 9
    Roasting marshmallows by a campfire
  10. 10
    Getting seated right away at your fav restaurant
  11. 11
    Being the first in line before opening
  12. 12
    Nailing the password on the first try
  13. 13
    When an old song brings back nostalgic memories
  14. 14
    Drinking a frosty mug of cold beer after a hot day's work
  15. 15
    When it's much easier than you thought
  16. 16
    Getting a parking spot with time still on the meter
  17. 17
    The smell of old books as you're flipping the pages
  18. 18
    Crispy bacon and hash browns
  19. 19
    Lazy Sundays with no agenda and no plans
  20. 20
    When the laundry's all done and put away
  21. 21
    Sipping your fav coffee and just hanging out watching the world go by
  22. 22
    Long warm showers during the winter
  23. 23
    Waking up to sunshine and birds chirping
  24. 24
    Springtime blossoming of trees and plants
  25. 25
    When your phone battery makes it through the entire day
  26. 26
    Sleeping in on the weekends
  27. 27
    When you have exact change
  28. 28
    Bringing everything into the house in one trip
  29. 29
    Dogs that do full-on butt wags
  30. 30
    The soft purrs of a relaxing cat
  31. 31
    Getting to your car right before the parking meter expires
  32. 32
    When the elevator opens right when you press the button
  33. 33
    The sound of gravel crunching as you walk
  34. 34
    Unboxing the goodies you ordered
  35. 35
    Power cuddling your kids or pets
  36. 36
    Slow weekend brunches with friends
  37. 37
    The smell of fresh summer rain
  38. 38
    Looking back at your old photos
  39. 39
    Sunday afternoon naps on the couch
  40. 40
    The sound and smell of sizzling bacon
  41. 41
    Making the trash can shot from across the room
  42. 42
    The calming sound of rain hitting the roof and windows
  43. 43
    Catching up with your friends from way back
  44. 44
    Playful puppies licking your face like a lollipop
  45. 45
    The sound of flip-flop sandals
  46. 46
    Sipping hot chocolate with mini marshmallows by the fireplace
  47. 47
    When your fav song comes on the radio while driving
  48. 48
    Getting free appetizers or dessert on the house
  49. 49
    Getting the parking spot right out front
  50. 50
    Hanging out by a babbling brook in the woods
  51. 51
    Making the appointment right on time
  52. 52
    Rainy day movie marathons
  53. 53
    Nighttime crickets on summer nights
  54. 54
    Driving on an empty winding road
  55. 55
    When the train arrives just as you get there
  56. 56
    Finding that thing you lost months or years ago
  57. 57
    When the car is washed and has a full tank of gas
  58. 58
    The pops and crackles of a burning fireplace
  59. 59
    The cool side of the pillow on hot nights
  60. 60
    When the bill is much cheaper than you expected
  61. 61
    The soft tiny little paws of kittens
  62. 62
    The sound of fall leaves crunching under your feet as you walk
  63. 63
    The feeling of warm sand between your toes
  64. 64
    Getting the seat you want on the plane
  65. 65
    Autumn sweater weather
  66. 66
    Finishing a small home project and being proud of it
  67. 67
    The velvety perfection of red wine
  68. 68
    Opening your blinds in the morning to the first snowfall
  69. 69
    The smell of an old worn leather jacket
  70. 70
    When the traffic light turns green as you get to the intersection
  71. 71
    Spotting a shooting star on a clear night
  72. 72
    Having BBQ with your friends and family
  73. 73
    When your pet falls asleep in your lap
  74. 74
    Getting bumped up to the earlier boarding group
  75. 75
    When your friend says exactly what you were thinking
  76. 76
    Perfectly flipping an egg or pancake
  77. 77
    The smell of cool salty air by the beach
  78. 78
    Long weekend staycations at home
  79. 79
    Getting a random compliment from a stranger out of nowhere
  80. 80
    Redeeming your points for that free sandwich
  81. 81
    When the spare roll of toilet paper is right there
  82. 82
    The smell of just-baked chocolate chip cookies
  83. 83
    Whipped cream on desserts
  84. 84
    Running into your friends at random places
  85. 85
    Going for a walk around the park just because
  86. 86
    Feeling the warm sun on your face
  87. 87
    Answering a Jeopardy question correctly
  88. 88
    When it turns out far better than what you expected
  89. 89
    Pristine blanket of fresh snow glistening in the winter sun
  90. 90
    Puffy clouds that look like giant cotton balls in the sky
  91. 91
    The smell of freshly cut grass in the summer
  92. 92
    Cool crisp autumn days with vibrant fall foliage
  93. 93
    Watching the sunset on a warm summer evening
  94. 94
    When the yard work is all done and you can relax
  95. 95
    When someone smiles at you just because
  96. 96
    Seeing a huge majestic rainbow
  97. 97
    The smell and yumminess of freshly baked cheesy garlic bread
  98. 98
    Beating your own high score
  99. 99
    Laughing so hard that your eyes tear up
  100. 100
    Finding Waldo in less than five minutes
  101. 101
    Perfectly toasted bread or bagel

Keep On Smilin’! It’s Good For You!

Life ain’t easy. We all know it. There will always be circumstances and situations that are out of your control that will just bring you down.

It’s natural and normal to feel angry, depressed, shitty, helpless, exhausted, lost etc. It’s part of the process of working through life. You’ve gotta work through those phases and move on. However, dwelling on the negative for any longer than you need to isn’t going to make things better.

What will help you get outta the funk, turn the corner and begin changing things for the better is to start with the small and simple things in life that make you smile.

Just the simple act of seeing, thinking, saying or doing something every day that brings a smile to your face is all it takes to trigger a bit of positivity.

And, if you do this on a daily basis, you’ll be building up and strengthening your immunities to all the negative bullshit that gets thrown your way. It’s also one of the best ways to manage work stress.

So, get the ball rolling and think of something or spot something today that makes you smile!

Feel Better,
[Cubicle|Therapy]

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