10 Ways to Turn That Frown Upside Down

1. Be less virtual, more 3-D.

Indulge in some human contact. Even time with strangers ramps up your sense of well-being. You laugh much harder when you're with other people in a theater than when you watch a movie at home.

2. Making a list of things you're grateful.

Count your blessings, not your worries.

3. Rack 'em up.

Think of every positive experience during the day as a bead on a string, and see how they add up. This simple exercise makes you focus on even the smallest positive moments, like a fellow driver waving you to go first at a four-way stop, or an e-mail from an old friend in a spam-filled inbox.

4. Think memorable, not material.

If you have to choose between, say, a new car and a family vacation, pack your bags. Even the sexiest sports car becomes routine over time. But the memory of a good time with friends and loved ones will last forever.

5. Go to the funny side.

Try to smile at the absurdities of life.

6. Escape to your stress-free zone.

Think of a place where you always feel calm and happy. Then, when you're tense and miserable, call it up mentally, with as much detail as possible. Smell the suntan lotion. Feel the sun. Hear the sea. Play this video in your mind when your spirits slump.

7. See the glass as half full.

Always look at the bright side. You might be feeling like your life right now is one giant downhill slope. But if you stop and assess it honestly, you'll see you actually have it pretty good.

8. Find your inner artist.

Think back to when you had time for creative expression. Were you in a rock band? Did you write poetry? Did you love tinkering with cars? Remember feeling so engaged that you lost track of time? Joyful expression can bring happiness.

9. Do good.

Acts of kindness, however small, deliver as much pleasure to the giver as to the getter.

10. Seize the moment.

Rather than waiting to celebrate a big event, why not do it today? Bake a cake just because. Take someone out to lunch. Raise a toast to a good day. Go ahead, be happier.

- Reader's Digest July 2008