By Alisa Bowman
I was emailing with a friend. She was feeling sad and didn’t know what to do about it. I told her the one strategy that works for me whenever I’m depressed. It’s this: make someone else feel better. Depression is a self-absorbed state. If you focus your attention away from yourself and onto others, it lifts.
“Go make someone happy,” I wrote.
She said, “I don’t have anyone to make feel happy.” She was alone in her apartment. The usual homeless guy was not at his usual post. I told her that it’s easier to spread happiness than most people realize. Here are several ways to boost the happiness of others and, by default, your own.
Smile and make friendly eye contact when you see people. Open doors for people, especially the ones who are carrying heavy packages or who... More...
