Comments on: An Experiment in Cheerfulness

By: brad

brad — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:28:30 +0000

I like the idea of not forcing it when you’re not feeling it. Maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong. Hmm. ::chinscratch::

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:09:27 +0000

This is such a good idea. When I ran more I loved saying hi to people as I ran by, for some reason it made me feel good, and forget that I was running. It’s so true how it can change your mood.

By: sleepyjane

sleepyjane — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:11:38 +0000

You know what this reminds me of? You know how (in the books and series) Sookie Stackhouse just randomly smiles, mostly when she’s nervous or something and how demented she looks? LOL TOTALLY had that image in my mind just now. :)

I’m excited to hear how this experiment pans out. :)

By: ExMi

ExMi — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:09:57 +0000

something i realised recently: happiness is a conscious decision you HAVE to make. you have to find the happy in everything – it’s not going to find you. much like your Project Cheerfulness, I have a Project Happiness going on – and it’s helping. Really, really helping.

So go you!

By: SillyJaime

SillyJaime — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:27:10 +0000

I always find that things look brighter when I’m walking, I’m always in a brighter kind of mood mid-walk. Strangely enough, I hardly ever go for walks anymore. I am so lazy.

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:25:12 +0000

This is a fantastic idea. I may start my own chapter of Project Cheerfulness, especially because lately I find myself frowning way too much.

By: nicopolitan

nicopolitan — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:30:42 +0000

One thing to keep in mind is that while you’re remembering to stimulate the parts of the brain that do make you happy and cheerful, that you still have to recognize where you are and what you’re doing.

It’s tougher being a daydreamer than people think, and I’m saying that without any sarcasm since I am a daydreamer.

Looking forward to Project Cheerfulness and the ensuing statistics. This will include statistics, right?

By: MinD

MinD — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:10:01 +0000

Don’t we all take a few moments each day to think about Timberlake? I surely do. =)

By: Hannah Katy

Hannah Katy — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:45:27 +0000

Great post and I love the idea. I will try to insert smiling more into my daily life as well. Need a way to boost the mood especially during these winter months. Love the blog, adding it to my reader!

Best,

Hannah Katy

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:06:53 +0000

I’m looking forward to reading more about your results. I love that you said you are not only concentrating on the positive or pretending to be happy. I think that’s important: we strive so much for happiness, sometimes at the risk of being fake.

Good luck!

By: Stephany

Stephany — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:48:26 +0000

Once, I read in a magazine, that exercise is easier when you smile throughout it. So I’ve tried it before and it really works. Maybe because I’m more focused on how ridiculous I must look and less on the pain my body is going through. But I totally believe that a good attitude and smiling more makes you feel happier.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:25:20 +0000

Haha. I think this is actually true. That you typically do have a better time, if you are genuinely cheerful. I don’t know about when you’re not though, when its fake. I mean, there are many a comedian that make everyone laugh, and then go home depressed. Eh?

By: Allison Blass

Allison Blass — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:24:38 +0000

I’m kind of exactly like this. Which is funny and weird at the same time. I use the fake it til you make it principle when public speaking. I actually hate it (shhhh don’t tell anyone!) but people always say I do a great job. I pretend I’m not nervous just to get through it.

By: Sophia

Sophia — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:14:13 +0000

I did this little experiment where I smiled the entire 7 minute commute to work in the morning every morning for a week. It felt dorky and a little forced, but the simple mechanical action of smiling really did help set my mental state for the morning, I think! I need to remember to do that more.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:46:14 +0000

Project Cheerfulness sounds like a very worthy undertaking, though I don’t know if such a life change/big project would be possible for me. But things are definitely better or easier when you take on that cheerful approach though getting to that point isn’t easy. Sometimes we forget how hard it can be to remain cheerful when you’re aware of the “other” things. That takes some strength and is not just ignoring the “non-cheerful” things, whatever they are. So I applaud you for your undertaking of Project Cheerfulness and wish you the best of luck!

By: liz

liz — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:39:21 +0000

I’m too much of a realist to be cheerful all of the time, although I always have so much more fun when I am in an overly good mood.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:10:48 +0000

Quite a few people have misjudged my facial expression before so I made a similar decision to you, to make sure I smiled more and to make my smile happier at times when I generally would anyway. It didn’t take long for it to feel natural and I’d like to think it’s changed people’s opinions of me too.