11 Secrets To Being Happy In Southern Utah

I hear it all the time -- "I have enough (money, family, things, etc.) but I'm just not happy."

So to help chase the blues away, here are 11 surefire ways to make yourself happier.

1. Sing a happy song -- A religious song (Sunshine On My Soul Today) or a secular song (Don' Worry, be Happy) will change your mood almost instantly.
2. Spend time with uplifting people -- might be family or friends or even happy strangers, but happiness is definitely infectious.
3. Meditate -- Clear your brain, forget the world and go to the happy place inside your imagination.
4. Practice smiling -- Find a mirror and literally practice putting on your best smile. Once you do it, you'll start to feel it.
5. Make a gratitude list -- It's easy to wallow i9n what we don't have. Instead, focus 0on what you do have and write it down.
6. Serve someone else -- Study after study has shown that losing yourself in the service of others lifts your spirits.
7. Sleep more -- Not all day, but just make sure you're getting enough sleep -- seven hours a night at least -- and you will find the blues gone before you know it.
8. Work out -- OK, running or doing jumping jacks sound horrible. So find an exercise you do like (pickleball, basketball, softball, cycling) and go for it.
9. Cut down your commute -- Driving a long way to work sucks and eats up your free time. So move closer to work -- or better yet, work from home if you can.
10. Visit the great outdoors -- You don't have to go to a National Park or monument, just go outside and enjoy some fresh air.
11. Check off items on your list -- Make a list of easy things to do (make your bed, answer emails, etc.) and then check them off when you do them. The X mark when you accomplish something provides a tremendous endorphin rush.

Happiness is a state of mind and these easy tricks can help you get there faster.