Making myself happy

Earlier this week, I read in the news about five things that can make you happier.

Now, nearing the end of a rough week, I need all the happiness I can get. So I'm trying them all at once here in this post.

Thing 1. Be grateful. Studies show that people who write thank you notes experience a boost in happiness, whether or not the note actually makes it to the recipient. So let's give it a go.

Dear Mrs. H,

Thank you so much for the extra time you gave to Jonathan on Monday, and your cheerful, happy attitude. I apologize again for completely forgetting to pick him up, and making you wait patiently for my brain to catch up. When I looked at my watch ten minutes after I was supposed to have been at your door, and realized I still had a 20 minute drive to get there, I went into complete panic mode. I couldn't even figure out how to dial a phone number to let someone know that even though I was a total neglectful spacey flake of a mother, I now realized I was a total neglectful spacey flake of a mother and I would send help to rescue my son. Again, I'm so sorry you had to wait all that extra time. Thanks for being willing to do so and for being so pleasant and forgiving about it. I promise it won't happen again.

Sincerely,
Flake Mom.

Thing 2. Be optimistic. In the studies, people who visualized an ideal future and described it in a journal entry for a few weeks reported feeling happier.

Dear Diary,

I would please like a future in which I am no longer a flake.

While I am visualizing, I also would appreciate no more migraines. And no more pre-migraines, either, where I keep wondering whether it's time to take the caffeine pill or not, knowing that if the pre-migraine becomes migraine I'll be puking in the morning, but if I take the caffeine, I won't be able to sleep and morning will be a disaster anyway.

And then let's take out the rest of that PMS thing, ok? No more bloating. No sore boobs. In my ideal future, I never have to wear a bra to bed. Maybe let's turn off the whole flow thing entirely, ok? Am I asking for premature menopause, Diary? Is that a bad idea? Is this too much information? Come on, I'm writing to my Diary here!

Thing 3: Count blessings. People who wrote three good things that happened to them each week showed significant boosts in happiness.

1. I remembered to pick up Jonathan on time on Thursday and on Friday.
2. I did not actually get a migraine.
3. Um. Found out I won't have to start forking over money for prenatal care?

Thing 4: Use your strengths. Think about the things you are good at, and try to use them in new ways.

I am good at completely spacing even important, regular events, like picking up my son after school. I will use that skill in multiple new ways, to get out of all sorts of unpleasant things. Meeting? What? Office hours? What? Teaching? What? Fired? What? Bills? What? Jail? What? Hmm.... I am becoming skeptical of whether this exercise is really adding to my overall happiness.

Thing 5: Commit acts of kindness. People who donate time or money to a good cause are happier.

Do you think the chocolate cause counts? Because weeks like this, I think I could donate more time and money to chocolate. And I bet it would definitely boost my happiness.

No? Well then, I'd better get back to writing that workshop presentation I've volunteered to give to high school girls next week. Because as we have seen this week, nothing changes happiness like a room full of hormones.