“Acid” Have A Nice Day

MendMaker Exercise: Session written and explained by your coach Claire Anstey

Decide To Be Happy

Session Length: 3 minute read. Start now and keep it going!

Note from Claire Anstey: This exercise is born from real, raw struggle, where everything felt like it was falling apart. Yet, in that chaos, I discovered something kinda magical: the power of a smile. It’s deceptively simple, sure, but this act of smiling is a game-changer. It’s not just about turning your frown upside down; it’s about transforming your whole outlook and even touching the lives of those around you. With this MendMaker, I’m inviting you to join me on a journey of transformation that starts with something as simple as a smile. It’s about proving to ourselves that no matter the crap we face, we can choose a slice of happiness, spread some joy, and maybe, just maybe, make our day and someone else’s a whole lot brighter.

MendMaker

Decide to be Happy. Once upon a time my Nan was in hospital recovering from a heart attack, we were being evicted from our swish warehouse apartment, I had been fired from my TV job, my housemate was on suicide watch and only coming out of his room to buy cans of cider and coke from his dealer (yes he was pissing in a jar!) and then I was on a bus and the fucker ran someone over.

This all happened in 14 days. If you had told me to ‘think happy’ at that point in my life I would have ripped your eyes out. We have shit times. We have times that test us to such a point we wonder if it's actually worth living. Life is just so fucking painful at times but you get through. Something inside of you keeps you going and on a real low level that something is trying to get you to think happy. Your ‘think happy' is telling you that although you don't know what is round the corner you do have the ability to make it better. It could have been me under that bus. It wasn't. There is always someone worse off. For that at least you can 'think happy'

If you change your thinking you can change your world - say that statement again out loud and think about it. Now you can't stop your housemate from pissing in a jar whilst he is killing himself with cocaine but you can choose to change how it will affect you. Their world may be fucked but you do not have to think that way, you do not need to let their behavior affect yours. Every shit moment and every shit person can be seen by you in a different light if you take a deep breath and choose to look with a more positive state of mind.

Things happen, our bodies and minds are strong in coping with the ‘happening' , it's just the mental attitude we have with the 'after' that makes us annoyed, upset, depressed, angry, jealous... the list goes on. If you are running late due to a traffic jam you have two options: you can beat yourself up about it, get angry, frustrated and stressed or you can just accept that there is nothing that can be done and just trust that everything happens for a reason. How would you rather feel? Both are possible even if you have to fake the chilling out and accepting option at first. The choice is really yours.

TASK

Deciding to be happy and actually believing it when your life is a living nightmare is hard, if not impossible, But we could try to improve things with a smile. Even if you can't smile for yourself, give something back. Have you ever had a total stranger smile at you and make you feel amazing? No matter how selfishly shit you feel right now, deep down in that gut somewhere lies a person who wants to know that they are responsible for totally changing someone's else's day just by smiling at them.

Smiling is to be your task and that smile is the start of you choosing to be happy. Many scientists have researched and agree that it is impossible to not feel happy when you smile, there is a method to the madness and you may even get you laid. Read on to find out how.

Smiling has lots of benefits: Making facial expressions increases blood flow to your brain and therefore your emotions. Smiling makes us all better looking as it lifts the face and makes you instantly look younger. Smiling for 10 seconds and holding it changes your emotional state. If you smile at the world the world smiles back as it's contagious. Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins and natural painkillers. Smiling makes you look successful, even if you don't feel it. Smiling relieves stress. Smiling makes you approachable - hence an increased chance of getting laid- genius.

Your task is to smile at every stranger you see for the next 87 strangers. It only counts if you make total eye contact and receive their acknowledgement. Cheat at the task and you only cheat yourself. Keep a tally of your smile numbers by writing a tally chart or by drawing smiley faces on the back of your hand. You will notice it throughout the day and it will keep you going. You will also be surprised at how good you feel when you have to explain this ingenious artwork to someone at work or on the bus.