“… feelings can actually be created by the way we think (attitudes) and behave (actions). We don’t have to wait for the positive feelings to descend.” – Attitudes of Gratitude in Love 

I’m a true believer of this philosophy. So, knowing I can change how I feel anytime I want, and being the kind of guy that loves to feel good, I’ve come up with a list of the Top 10 Ways to Feel Good. Aside from staying sober and attending meetings, here are mine (let me know if you have any other methods to share with me):

1. Yell out “I LOVE MY LIFE!” as many times each day, starting right after awakening. 

2. Decide to have a higher power, figure out what that looks like, and talk to HP as often as you can, just like you would a friend. PS. It’s ok to pretend. 

3. Make a gratitude list and share it with others, encouraging them to share theirs with you. 

4. Read out of at least three uplifting, gratitude based books that feature wisdom on how to get fear-free and feeling good. Feel free to take a photo of a passage and share it with someone. 

5. Exercise and stretch everyday, starting in the morning and doing a little here and there throughout the day. 

6. Eat small portions of healthy foods and have some small cheats that don’t make you feel tired, bloated, fat or guilty. (My cheat is a small piece of dark chocolate or jelly beans). 

7. Have a hobby, or multiple ones, that you really love. Insert hobbies into each day. These days mine is playing guitar and singing. I even have guitars hanging on the walls at work so I’ll be reminded to stop and play periodically during the day. 

8. Take some time out of each day to be helpful to others who need a hand, and clearly appreciate it. Sometimes I just pick up random trash on a sidewalk to be of service to my community. 

9. Be loving. Send out a random text to people you love letting them know you love and appreciate them. Buy your loved one flowers just because. Say hello to strangers in the elevator. Practice loving. 

10. Get a journal and write in it everyday. Start with today’s date and time. Then your physical location. Then talk about what’s happened since your last entry, how you feel. List the great things that you’ve done and have happened, and the things you could have done better. Make immediate amends if you discover you may have hurt someone (cell phones are great for this). Taking an inventory, discovering yourself, and clearing away the wreckage of the past builds us into more wonderful people, people we can be proud of being. 

I’ve discovered that it’s extremely rare for me to ever feel bad for long when I’m doing all 10 things listed above everyday. The actions give me a better attitude, and that attitude makes me feel better. And then, no matter what’s going on around me… ILML! 

– JamieQ