Don't worry, be happy!

"Don't worry, Be happy!" Oh if only it were that simple! I've told myself time after time to stop worrying and just be happy. Guess where that's gotten me. Thats right, almost nowhere! However, there is hope. So much hope!

When I first started experiencing anxiety and depression almost a year ago I decided I wasn't going to hide in my house and suffer in silence. I opened up to as many friends and neighbors as I could and found that many of them empathized; they were not the happiest housewives either. This baffled me! We all professed loudly that we loved our husbands and our children and that we loved making a home for our families. Don't get me wrong, we absolutely do! But I was also hearing stories of woe and inner longing and my heart reached out to them. I knew what that was like!

I discovered a statistic in my research that says the population in America that is most prone to depression is women in their 20's and early 30's. Add to that a stay at home mom and that statistic goes up. 1 in 5 women are on anti-depressants. I have absolutely nothing against medication, but I feel it controls the symptoms instead of curing the problem. Please use medication if you feel it will help you, and speak openly to your doctor about it.

The good news is, no matter who you are, or your level of happiness right now, you can turn it all around! You can actually learn how to be more happy despite your current circumstances, weight, height, background or genetic makeup. The research I've read says that genetic makeup does contribute to your inclination towards sadness and depression, but only 50%. That a glass half full/empty statistic, but I find it very promising. Growing up my mother always told me, "oh Janae, you just have a chemical imbalance. Your whole family has it in some form or another and we all use medication for it". I am so uplifted to know that, that is not entirely true. In fact, more research has shown that the positive thinking habits you learn can actually start changing your DNA towards more happiness!

I want to share all of the books I've read and the research I've done to help others as well as myself. But also, I want others to share they're "happiness habits" with us. So please feel free to comment if you have something that works to help your happiness soar. I will leave you with a "happiness habit" that I recently discovered that is easy to do anytime and anywhere. Give awards out to people in your mind. For example, I was at the dollar store last night where a teenage cashier greeted me warmly and genuinely with a big smile full of braces. She even struck up a conversation with me. She won my "nicest sales person" award for the day. You can make up as many categories as you want. The sky is the limit! More examples I've used are: Best behaved kid I've met today award, nicest fellow driver award, Most beautiful clouds award, Most beautiful building award. This might sound silly at first, but just try it. This simple exercise will help you to start looking at what is right with the world and your surroundings, instead of what is wrong. I know I often find myself thinking of what is wrong with everything! Try it out and please let me know how it has helped you feel.

On a side note, if you are grappling with a serious mental illness of any kind, please see your doctor or a therapist. Do not use these techniques in place of professional help. You can always use these with your Therapists okay.

Have a wonderful day!