So you’ve got to submit this assignment to wrap up, a deadline to meet and someone’s been raining on your parade (a lot) lately; the traffic jams just plain drive you up the wall. Well let’s just admit: stress is our permanent guest and it’s time to start dealing with it. We’ve got some simple things for you to keep in mind as you go about your day and handle all sorts of crisis situations.
Smile. It can lift your mood, a phenomenon known as the facial feedback hypothesis. You can actually feel your mood changing as you smile because the brain picks up on the act and assumes you are happy. Go ahead: fool yourself!!
Sing. There’s evidence that a primitive sensory organ in the inner ear might react to music, triggering a response that creates a pleasurable buzz So get humming your favorite cheerful song, or listen to what we call ‘happy music’, your favorite dance tracks can do the trick (no angry punk rock!). Sweat. Exercise may buffer the brain from stressful situations. There’s some evidence that working up a sweat promotes the growth of new neurons that are less reactive to stress. So play your favorite jam and take out half an hour for yourself to get feeling (and looking) good!
Hang with upbeat people. Emotions are contagious: You can catch a mood, just like a cold! When you watch a person doing something, the mirror neurons in your brain are activated, even if you’re not doing anything yourself. So if you see someone smile, your mirror neurons for smiling fire up, whether or not you’re in a good mood. So spend time with happy people and you’ll eventually feel happier yourself (also, get rid of THAT snarky ‘friend’!). And anyway, when was the last time you stopped and looked at a sunset…or looked up, period? We thought so. So put aside your gadgets and revel in what’s around you. Focus on pleasurable experiences and you’ll activate happiness-related neurons, which could make future good times feel even more intense.
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