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Expat Unplugged: Five Things Fridays – Let Your Happiness Shine!

Expat Unplugged: Five Things Fridays – Let Your Happiness Shine!

Andrea

Guess who forgot it was Friday? This girl. Guess who had no idea what to write about today. Yup, this girl again… until I stumbled upon a quote by Audrey Hepburn that got the little wheels in my unusually silly mind turning.

“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.”

Let Your Happiness Shine

Let Your Happiness Shine!

Preach, Audrey, preach! It’s absolutely true. Happy girls are the prettiest girls. Crying isn’t cute on anyone. If it were, I would bet we would see models posing with tears running down their cheeks. So turn those frowns upside down and show us your shiny, toothy grins. *side note: I once had a drunken, slightly bogan acquaintance tell me she was sick of my toothy, American smile. How rude! (Please read this using a Stephanie Tanner voice. If you don’t know my cheesy reference, it’s time to google. It’s worth the laugh)* This Friday is all about the art of being happy!

How to Find Happiness

1. Choose to be happy. Even though it is easiest to blame everything and everyone else, you are the one responsible for your happiness or lack thereof. It is all up to you. Be happy!
2. Fake it to make it. Put on a fake smile and walk with a little pep in your step. I guarantee you will even fool yourself after a bit of prancing around.
3. Do something you like or just do something. Get moving. You never know what experiences you are missing out on if you don’t.
4. Be grateful. Ever heard of a Gratitude Book? I highly suggest investing in one as it’s an amazing way to remind yourself of how good life really is. Looks like it is time to buy a new one myself as I have been slacking since it went missing in Peru. Yikes, it has been too long!
5. Help others find happiness. This is my favorite one by far.

Reasons to Smile

1. Smiling boosts your immune system and lowers your blood pressure. No kidding?!
2. It’s a natural drug. Seriously. Smiling releases natural pain killers, endorphins and serotonin.
3. Smiling is contagious. So I guess if others “catch” your smile, you’re kind of like a natural drug dealer… hmm.
4. It’s a stress reliever, can change your mood and the mood of others.
5. Smiling makes you more attractive. Remember, happy girls are the prettiest girls. It applies to men too!

Little Things that Bring Me Joy

1. Fresh linens. It may sound a tidbit weird, but the smell of detergent in the air while fanning the sheet on the bed always makes me smile.
2. Getting a rickshaw from the station immediately upon walking out. Hallelujah.
3. Pictures of my family doing just about anything. I stalk their facebook pages. Guilty as charged.
4. Reading cards from Hallmark. I am a sucker for the dozen of aisles containing ridiculous, usually cheesy words. I swear I could stay for hours reading those little things. God bless you Gold Crown Creator.
5. Diet Dr. Pepper chilled to perfection and crunchy apples. Party in my mouth!

Have a happy, smiley weekend! xoxo