I love being known for someone who is always happy and I constantly look for ways to further enhance the joy and happiness I experience in my life. I have 2 specific things that really help with this, one is a great way to start a day and the other, a great way to end it.

Start Your Day Out Right

I read an article by Marshal Goldsmith suggesting an easy way to improve each day is to say hello and smile to the first five people you see no matter when or who they are. You can be in your car, walking to work, at work, at home looking out your window or your family, it doesn’t matter. If you smile and say hello to those first people you see every single day, you definitely start the day off better feeling happier and more positive. Its physically impossible to smile without affecting your mindset since the brain releases chemicals and fires neurons automatically when you smile, whether you want to or not. The brain and these chemicals are what directly affect your physiology, so that simple smile really does make you feel better and doing this everyday can easily turn it into a habit and I can tell you you’ll love doing it once you start practicing it. I’ve made a habit of it now over the past 6 months or so and I can definitely tell you its made a big difference in how I feel each day. And better than that, a couple other people have told me how they’ve noticed my smiles everyday and it also makes them feel better! WOW! So simple, yet so effective.

Finish Your Day Out Right

I’ve heard before by motivational speakers like Brian Tracy and other others tips to finish your day off positively and I was reminded of this tip by Ced on the manager-tools.com forums. Its to just take 1-2 minutes right before bed to make a point form list of 5 positive or good things you say, did, heard or experienced that day. Simple things that made you feel better or that you noticed others doing. I’ve just ordered some brochures from a Brochure Printing company regarding this. Just jot them down and go to bed. Its a great technique to help you focus on the pleasant things you experience and helps you to realize everything to be appreciative for in life. Developing this habit by jotting them on paper is a great way to practice and you’ll soon be able to just think of many many items each day before bed. Try it out, it can definitely make a positive influence on your mood the next day. Let alone your dreams… I’ll leave that topic for other post though…