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If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’re obviously familiar with the spell “Expecto Patronum”. But for the clueless ones out there, it is a defensive charm used against these creatures known as Dementors who feed upon human happiness and cause depression and despair to anyone near them.
The only way to produce a “Patronus” is by summoning one’s happiest memories.
Now, either wizards are supremely in touch with their feelings or I’m just not appreciative enough of my life.
Because honestly, to think up my happiest memory – and let me stress upon the fact that the spell needs not a cluster of happy memories but THE HAPPIEST MEMORY – in order to save myself from these soul-sucking fiends, is close to impossible.
Why is that, though?
I know that I have had a happy childhood. I have a wonderful family and I surround myself with amazing people. Then why is it so hard for me to come up with a really happy memory that could probably make my entire day better?
Is it because I’ve taken my comparatively “problem-free” life for granted? Do you perhaps feel like you do the same?
I might be able to help, if you do. Because today, I have little tips for you that might help you keep a positive outlook on life.
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The first tip is the most obvious one, which is, to keep a journal.
But don’t do what I do. Which is to write only on the days where my anxiety ramps up to such unimaginable levels that it makes it impossible for me to be productive. I only end up with a journal that is nothing but a jumbled up mess of rage and self-doubt and incomprehensible thoughts.
Instead, what I suggest is to keep two separate journals, one for the good days and one for the bad days and to make sure to record the good times as soon as they occur. When the memory is still fresh in your mind, the positive vibes will automatically translate to blissful words of contentment that you can look back at whenever the need strikes.
Another thing you can do is to keep a jar of happiness. I saw this on Tumblr once and it really piqued my interest. All you need is bits of paper and any container or box lying around your house.
You just jot down when something good happens on small bits of paper and put it in the jar. It could be a compliment someone gave you that day. It could be a joke that made you laugh out loud. It could be practically anything that made you smile or made you appreciate your life, even just for a few seconds.
And you can open it up and read through the bits of happy memories either at the end of each year or whenever you really need that little boost to keep you going. It’s like a piggy bank of happy memories!
And what’s more, doing these little exercises will actually sub-consciously train you to focus more on the good things that happen every day, no matter how small.
So go on, tackle the new week with a new and positive outlook!
Image Credits: Google Images
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