Easy Ways to Improve Your Mood

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Taking an extra moment for yourself will make your day brighter and give you a healthier outlook on life. Here are some simple ways you can bring a little happiness into your life right now:

    Go for a walk.

    Grab your dog, best friend, or your significant other and head out on a brisk(轻快的) walk. Just a little bit of exercise can improve your mood and give you a fresh perspective on problems that have been bothering you. Think walks are boring? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Take a trip to the mall, or even walk to get some frozen yogurt. Make it a fun trip and you'll surely make it part of your routine.

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    After all, laughter is the best medicine. Pick up something that makes you laugh like a funny picture, book, magazine, or a DVD of your favorite comedy. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Giving yourself time to laugh increases feel-good endorphins(胺多酚).

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    Take a photo of yourself doing something you enjoy, like roller skating, skiing, swimming, playing an instrument, or being with friends and family. Place the picture on your desk to remind yourself that you lead an amazing life and have lots to be happy about.

A. Model behavior.

B. Buy something silly.

C. Ten minutes of relaxation can do wonders.

D. Try walking to a place that seems exciting to you.

E. You could even plan a date night out to a comedy club.

F. Tell someone that you're guaranteed to brighten their day.

G. Even the most optimistic people can use a mood boost every once in a while.

    Mark felt that it was time for him to take part in his community, so he went to the neighborhood meeting after work. The area city council (委员会) woman was leading a discussion about how the quality of life was decreasing. The neighborhood faced many problems. Mark looked at the charts taped to the walls. There were charts for parking problems, crime, and for problems in vacant buildings. Mark read from the charts, “Police patrols(巡逻) cut back, illegal parking up 20%”. People were supposed to suggest solutions to the councilwoman. It was too much for Mark. "The problems are too big," he thought. He turned to the man next to him and said, "I think this is a waste of my time. Nothing I could do would make a difference here."

    As he neared the bus stop on his way home, Mark saw a woman carrying a grocery bag and a baby. As Mark got closer, her other child, a little boy, suddenly dashed into the street. The woman tried to reach for him, but as she moved, her bag shifted (滑落), and groceries started to fall out. Mark ran to take the boy's arm and led him back to his mother. Then he picked up the groceries while the woman smiled in relief. "Thanks!" she said. "You've got great timing!" "Just being neighborly," Mark said. As he rode home, he glanced at the walls of the bus. On one of them was “Small acts of kindness add up.”, Mark smiled and thought, "Maybe that's a good place to start."

    “Fast fashion” means clothes that are inexpensive but look like the latest designs. One reason for the success of fast fashion is social networking. A report by the investment research firm Bernstein found that millennials — people born in the 1980s and 90s — wanted to wear a variety of clothes in the photos they posted on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. As a result, many businesses that offer trend, low - cost clothes are growing.

    But the situation is changing now. Maxine Bedat, a woman who is in her early 30s，looks in her closet full of clothes, but she has nothing to wear. She says she hates always shopping for what is in style . Instead，she says, she wants to buy fewer clothes that she can wear over and over. Other people want the same thing, she says.

    So Ms. Bedat and a business partner, Soraya Darabi, started a “slow fashion” clothing company calltd Zady. “Slow fashion” means clothes that last a long time. They are often classic colors and shapes, and are made from natural materials that are biodegradable (可生物降解的) over time.

    The terms “fast fashion” and “slow fashion” are related to “fast food” and “slow food: fast food is still popular in the US, but many restaurants increasingly offer higher - quality, more expensive and relaxed meals.

    Like slow food，slow fashion also aims to use sources that are good for the environment and 、 workers. Maxine Bedat says people in her generation want to know where their clothes come from and who is making them. To answer millennials'demand for information about the products they buy, Ms. Bedat's company, Zady, includes details about the history of the brands. It also describes the process in which the clothes are made. Ms Bedat says Zady aims to tell shoppers where their clothes come from, where they go, and how they impact the world.

    For a long time being happy was considered something that just happened, and there was nothing special about it. Now we know that getting along with other people is something that we can work at. It is possible to act in such a way that other people will like us better. One way is being unselfish, not wanting everything from our friends. Another way is to look for good points, not bad ones in other people. It is surprising how successful this treasure hunt can be.

    You don't have to be spineless (软弱的) in order to be popular. In fact, you will be liked and respected if you are not afraid to stand up for your rights. But do it politely and pleasantly. Being friendly and polite to your group, to other people and to strangers and especially to those who do not look important or do not interest you is one way to develop a good character.

    You can not expect to be perfect, and so you must learn not to be unhappy when you make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, and no one is to be blamed (责备) unless he refuses to learn from them. Many young people become discouraged when they know in themselves qualities (品格) that they do not like—selfishness, laziness, and other unpleasant qualities. Just remember that we all have some of these faults and have to fight against them.

    At the same time, it is important to remember that, while you are probably no worse than others, the best way to be happy is to think yourself above other people. When something is wrong, it is good sense to try to make it right. Perhaps you don't like a teacher or a classmate. Try to see why, and look at yourself, too. To be sure that you are not doing anything to make that person dislike you. Some day, things may turn out all right, then you will have to learn to get along the best with situation, without thinking too much about it. Worrying never helps in a situation you can't change.

    Eight years ago, Special Olympics Georgia Forsyth County was introduced to Britt Hall. Britt Hall is a Special Olympics Georgia athlete. "The first sport I started competing in with Special Olympics Georgia was softball. I was with the Forsyth Golden Gloves, and we were a pretty good team," said Britt as he looked back upon his first state game.

Since then, the athlete has competed in much more than softball. Britt has gone on to compete in bocce, basketball, athletics, table tennis, volleyball and flag football during his Special Olympics Georgia career (职业生涯). And he performed well in these games. "Athletics has always been one of his favorite sports to compete in," said Britt's father. "He likes the different competitions within athletics, especially the races (赛跑). "

    "I like athletics, but I am excited for flag football this year. We are going to play just as well as the Falcons," Britt said. This year, Britt and his teammates will be returning to Emory University as the Special Olympics Georgia Forsyth County Mean Machine, one of the two flag football teams from Special Olympics Georgia Forsyth County. Despite the word "mean" being in their name, Britt says that their aim is not to be mean to their competitors. "We want to win the gold, but we want to be nice to the other teams and encourage them. They are our friends and have worked just as hard as we have for the state competitions," Britt explained.

    While athletes are encouraged to try their very best and go for the gold, Special Olympics Georgia centers on sportsmanship and friendship during competitions. Britt has always been a good team player, but he is also very competitive. Special Olympics Georgia has helped him gain confidence as an athlete, which shows him how to cheer on his teammates and the opposing athletes.

    "I've learned a lot from being in Special Olympics Georgia. I think there is a lesson for everyone who competes," said Britt.

    Why is it that many people who have suffered a major shock, such as divorce or death of a family member, seem to be weaker against a variety of major and minor illness? One common idea among psychologists has been that people could deal with suffering more effectively if they were able to understand and accept it. Indeed, many experts stress the value of expressing thoughts and feelings connected with upsetting events.

    Recently, a team of medical researchers studied the links between describing psychologically painful events and long-term health. In one experiment healthy college students were asked to write about either personally disturbing experiences or ordinary topics over a period of four days. In the months afterwards, students who had chosen to show their inner thoughts and feelings in their writing visited the health center for illness much less often than those who had written about everyday topics.

    In an experiment that followed, another group of healthy students were given the four-day writing exercises. Some chose to write about highly personal and upsetting experiences (including loneliness, problems with family and friends, and health). When questioned immediately afterwards, they said that they did not feel any better. However, their blood samples(样本) taken before and after the experiment showed evidence of an improved resistance to illness. The white cells that fight off bacteria and viruses had increased their reaction and sensitivity to these "invaders". This trend continued over the following six weeks, when another blood sample was taken. Individuals who showed the best results were those who wrote about topics that they had actively kept from telling others about.

    The researchers suggested that failure to face up to painful experience can be a form of stress itself, and can increase the possibility of illness. It follows, then, that actively dealing with a major shock makes possible its understanding and acceptance. The answer is not to suffer in silence. It may not always be possible to talk about personal problems, but writing them down will help the body to fight disease in the long run.