By: Shiloh Wise, Staff Reporter
To everyone who feels, and experiences melancholy.
Though sadness is a normal feeling, imagine having a list of everything you love and enjoy to reflect on for when you need it. That would be a rewarding way to live through a lively lens. Doing simple pleasures throughout your day could be the factor you need to brighten it. All people have specific things that manage to bring a smile to their faces, this could look like, getting a cup of coffee in the morning or taking a jog. Joy doesn’t just affect your body, it is physical just as much as it is a mental feeling.
“We feel joy in our bodies because of the release of dopamine and serotonin, two types of neurotransmitters in the brain. Both of these chemicals are heavily associated with happiness (in fact, people with clinical depression often have lower levels of serotonin,” (Healthline).
But what are some things that make you happy? Just take a second to think about what you enjoy spending your time doing.
“Hang out with my friends, bake, make music, color guard, and go outside,” freshman Kambel Glasco said.
“If you’re feeling down, simple activities like going for a walk in nature, petting a dog or cat, kissing a loved one, and yes, even forcing yourself to smile, can help those neurotransmitters do their job and raise your mood” (Healthline).
So the next question is, does having a list of things to do that make you happy benefit you mentally? How much does it truly help?
“Yes, I feel like if you are having a rough time and you have a list, during that rough time you can just look at that list and you can do those things and it will make you happy again,” freshman Glasco said.
Many different people experience happiness through different things. Some experience happiness through working out, while others are stressed by the idea of lifting weights or running on a treadmill. Some other people value their time through self-care, like grooming themselves and cleaning their rooms. When some people just get too tired trying to complete those tasks. We all have our specific preferences, and how we spend our time enjoying things happens to be one of those things.
“I like lists, I like organization. If I check something off that list, it would make me happy,” freshman Disha Jayadev said.
Something you could do to be happy is write a list of everything you love to do or things that bring you happiness. You can come back to that list later when you are feeling down. It seems simple enough, doesn’t it? Having a little list of sunshine you can pull out for when you need it. Here are some links if you want further ideas on how to add a little more delight to your life!
https://buffer.com/resources/be-happy-today/
https://www.healthline.com/health/affects-of-joy#1-Your-brain
