We’re on a mission to get you happy, without the overwhelming overhaul.
Our expert guide devised especially for Sunday Mirror readers by Sophie Le Brozec, the founder of Life Reboot Camp and author of How To Be Happy No Matter What Sh!t Life Throws At You, will light your path to happiness in just seven days.
Follow our simple guide for global happiness – and bring positive vibes into every area of your life.
Monday: Clarity
In order to get happy, you have to first know what makes you happy.
Today, buy a small notebook on your way to work or school, and jot down ten things that make you happy.
Don’t: Make a life shopping list: family, work, money, health.
Do: Be specific. Go on adventures with the kids. Increase my income by 15 per cent. Buy our dream detached home. Clear my credit card by June 2021. Do less housework.
Top tip: We love the cheap and cheerful pocket-sized £1 A7 spiral notebooks available from Tesco.
Tuesday: Gratitude
It’s human nature to notice the annoying and the bad. Traffic jams, unruly kids and encounters with rude strangers. They take up mere minutes, but the negative energy can consume us all day.
As of today, make gratitude practice the first thing you do every morning by saying ‘thank you’ aloud three times. You’ll feel foolish, but it’s impossible to finish without smiling and that makes it start your day in a bad mood.
Now, write down three things you’re grateful for.
I’m grateful for my best friend who’ll answer the phone no matter the time, my home which is warm and snuggly and my partner who does the washing up.
Top tip: If morning tasks are not for you, download the Grateful: A Gratitude Journal app and count your blessings throughout the day with its useful prompts.
Wednesday: Smile
We all hate smart-Alec strangers who tell us to smile, but greeting people on the street, smiling at those on the opposite escalator, will do you (and others) a world of good.
The act of positively engaging with people will brighten your mood. And, research shows doing things for others brings joy and happiness to our lives so start today with these acts of kindness.
Four smiles you can pass on today
[stick this list in your diary/purse/ computer]
- Offer up your seat on public transport
- Pay someone a compliment
- Let a car pull out, even if you’re in a rush
- Pay for a stranger’s morning coffee
Thursday: Five minute timer
When something rubbish happens, instead of shutting your emotions into a box, give yourself a five minute window - and the right - to get enraged. Scream, rant, thump a pillow, whatever you need (somewhere you won’t get fired or frighten people!). Allowing yourself a short window to feel hacked off helps you move back to happy quicker.
Three ways to let off steam:
Snap this list on your camera phone and save it in a new album called Hacked Off, making it easily accessible when you need it the most.
Dance it out
Our favourite angry sing-along is Since U Been Gone, by Kelly Clarkson but we enjoy raging to the Sad, bitter, and Angry playlist (iTunes) or Angry songs (Spotify).
Write it
Remember, you have a new notepad..
Find a safe space
For a jolly good scream.
Music therapy also works for scheduling happy time. Stream ‘happy’ playlists and groove into a fabulous mood for 5-10 mins a day - after the kids are in bed, whilst tea is cooking or during boring ad breaks.
Friday: Sacrifice
What are you actually doing about getting the things you want? Making a sacrifice is often the key.
If happiness means spending more time with your kids, today, consider sacrificing the job or a hobby you love. Refer back to the Clarity list you made on Monday and ask yourself, what are you prepared to sacrifice to get these things?
If I want…to lose weight, I’ll need to give up… sausage rolls on the way to work
If I want…more action in the bedroom I’ll need to give up… social media in bed
Now you try:
If I want…………….. I’ll need to give up……………
If I want…………….. I’ll need to give up……………
If I want…………….. I’ll need to give up……………
If I want…………….. I’ll need to give up……………
If I want…………….. I’ll need to give up……………
Saturday: Friends and family audit
Oprah Winfrey once said people are like plumbing – they’re either radiators (giving off heat, warmth, and drawing you in) or drains (zapping you of energy).
Use our flow chart today to pinpoint the people draining you.
Do you wish you could spend more time with this person? Yes/no
How does this person make your face feel? Smiling/ frowning
How does this person make your body feel? Tense/ relaxed
Can you rely on this person? Yes/ no
Can you trust this person? Yes/ no
How does plans with this person make you feel? Anxious/ excited
Answers: Drain/ radiator
It hurts, but we can cut out toxic people, such as friends or former colleagues. If you can’t ditch them – say, a relative or best friend’s husband – take steps to ease the strain today.
- Reduce the time you spend with them
- When you must socialise, make it a group meet
- Don’t sit directly next to them
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Try to understand why they’re the way they are. If they’re critical, is it because they lack self-esteem? Are they impatient due to pain, anxiety or stress?
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Forgive them. Empathy is less draining than hate.
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Be prepared. Turn conversation away from you and back onto them by asking about their latest project/holiday.
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Plan something lovely for after you see them e.g a nice bath, catching up with a nice friend or, or date night to sweep away the bad vibes.
Sunday: Treat yourself daily
When we’re short of money, we cut our luxuries, and when we’re short on time, we sacrifice self-care – but it’s is the key wellbeing. Treat yourself daily to 10 minutes of making your body feel good.
Here are some ideas to get you started now.
*Sit on the grass during your lunch break
*Have a hot drink by a window with a lovely view
*Watch trash TV
*Have an orgasm!
*Call someone you miss a lot
*Look at your kids’ baby photos
Top Tip: add this list to your Hacked Off album for those moments when you really need a boost
Fun fact: In Japan, doctors prescribe shinrin-yoku - forest bath. Head to your local woods for a stroll. Even cities and urban towns have leafy parks with trees. Today is the perfect day to embrace nature so walk barefoot on natural surfaces like grass, sand and dirt. If you live near the beach, and it’s safe, wade into the salt water.
- Visit sophielebrozec.com/camp for more info on her Life Reboot camps, available today (15/09/2019) at half price for Sunday Mirror readers. You can also download her e-book How To Be Happy… for £2.99 on Amazon, or £4.99 for paperback.