Tag Archives: laurie

How to cheer yourself up

Look on the bright side. Keep your chin up. See the glass as half-full. Feel better yet? If these bumper-sticker mantras fail to do the trick, follow the surprising advice from experts who know all about keeping spirits high. Related: 25 Easy Instant Energy Boosters Do the Chicken Dance “Adults sometimes forget what kids intuitively understand: that moving your body helps release negative emotions. I’m a big believer in doing that myself.  “Once, I had a confrontation with one of my band members before a performance. We resolved the argument, but there were residual hard feelings—I still felt upset. And so I changed the set list to begin with a loud song of ours called “We Are the Dinosaurs.” That way, I was able to roar and stomp around on stage and transform my bad mood into something else.  “Try some variation of this yourself the next time you’re down. If you don’t release your emotions, sadness and helplessness will continue to pile on top of each other.” - Laurie Berkner is a best-selling children’s recording artist and a co-creator of “Sing It, Laurie!” an animated musical series for preschoolers on Sprout. She lives in New York City. Related: 10 Tips for Becoming a Morning Person Look Out the Window “When I’m having a trying moment, I walk over to my office window and gaze outside. Maybe I’ll spot a family of quail enjoying the suet cakes I’ve left them. Or a silly vehicle will drive by:  “One day I was ecstatic to see a bright pink kiddie-amusement-park ride breeze past on a huge flatbed trailer. We tend to view our burdens as more intimidating than they actually are. Taking a moment to stop and simply observe the world in all its beauty and strangeness is one of the best ways I know to get perspective.” - Elizabeth Fournier is the owner and operator of Cornerstone Funeral Services, in Boring, Oregon. Related: Are You Tired All the Time?