Are you happy? — Of course we are.

This is the standard answer we normally give to everybody, isn’t it? It also is the preferred state we love to be in.

Still, for most people it is not that easy, including me. “Happiness” is a perception we create in our mind and has a lot to do with our surroundings, circumstances, partners, family, income etc. However, our mind makes the final decision. Our mind thinks happy or unhappy; whichever way we let it go.

I for instance, can let my mind go wander into the future and think up thousands of problems that might  happen. The issues are real and very detailed in my mind and start creating a very negative feedback loop, which then creates a negative and sometimes scary outlook. If I don’t check it right at that moment, I can get really grumpy and aggressive to everybody around me. Just because of my noisy and active brain.

Whatever your concern or reason is, you have to find out for yourself how you tick and how your thoughts can push you to your dark side. There are so many reasons for it, and The Dumb Little Man Blog has quite a collection of them. Find your problem, and you are already half way there to improve it. When you recognize and accept what is your issue, you can confront it and change it.

If you have come to the level that you recognize when you are in a foul mood and know that your brain is the biggest culprit, you can work on improving your thoughts and make them and your brain happy again. Remember Peter Pan – Think of happy thoughts, and you’ll fly. Here is how I get back my happy thoughts when my brain goes to the dark side.

1. Music is a great way. Find the music that instantly transfers you to your happy place. Music that reminds you of a time, an activity, or some happily careless time in your life. I love to listen to a radio station in Switzerland that plays only music from the 80s and 90s – SRF 1. This music always brings me back to my young adult time and sometimes even to my childhood, where life was mostly easier and responsibilities not really existed yet. Your brain will pick up on it as all the beautiful stories are coming back to you. Before you know it, a smile starts forming on your face.

2. Your behavior influences your thoughts and your brain. You make a sour face, the brain gets confirmed that the bad mood is on. Laugh and put the big smile on your face, your brain will pick up on it and immediately change your mood to a positive vibe. Try it right now. Pull your lips up, have a chuckle and think about something funny and see how your thoughts change. “Fake it until you make it!” That’s what professionals do when they have to be happy on command.

3. Get your 7/8 hours sleep every night. Calculate backwards from when you want to get up, and you know when you need to sleep. Not enough sleep is the worst mood changer. I have been there and can confirm it. It is much more difficult to stick to point 1 and 2 when you have not enough slept.

4. Try to finish all the work you wanted to before you go home. Get a feeling of accomplishment. Don’t bring problems home. If you cannot finish or fix it, put it onto the first things to do for the next day and forget about it.

These are just the basic ways that help to change my mood fast when it is necessary. Of course, there are many, many more ways, e.g. sport, meditation or any activity that makes us happy. However, these activities need to be scheduled and take more time and mostly cannot be done on the spot.

Don’t worry, be happy!