Happy Days Are Here Again

But we rarely take this kind of approach when it comes to our thoughts and feelings. Spending just a few minutes every day on that kind of emotional discipline—deciding to accept and let go of the crappy things that may have happened—can change not just how you feel, but also how quickly you get over something.

Put on a Happy Face

We've all heard variations of this: Try to smile. Just laugh it off. Turn that frown upside-down. It turns out that's actually good advice. Marshaling positive reactions to counteract negative ones is a simple, focused way to retrain our brains. Smiling and laughing releases mood-boosting endorphins, even when you force it.

So the next time Uncle Steve tells you he's gambled away half your inheritance, try simply laughing. Who knows? Maybe you'll suddenly see that family bank account as being half full.