BEFORE you throw out old magazines, grab a pair of scissors and go through the pages again. When you spot an image or article that interests you, cut it out. Is that print ad on a Mediterranean cruise appealing to you? Do those arms of Jessica Alba’s make you wish yours were as toned? What about that new laptop you want so bad but is currently out of your budget? Cut, cut, cut! When you’ve got your cut-outs, organize them in a way that you can always see them. Ideas are to prepare a journal dedicated to all these cut-outs, stick them on your ref door or have a special area in your work desk for those images. What are these for then? These are your dream cut-outs. These could be the things you dream of having, experiences you wish would come soon. By having them near you, by being reminded of them, you may somehow work for them subconsciously. Better yet, actively work on those dreams. The “Field of Dreams” famous quote is, “If you build it, they will come.” In this case, if you visualize it, they will come to you too. Take a look at your dream images everyday. Visualize yourself having them already. This visualization exercise can help you realize that you could be steps away from achieving these things and experiences. Sometimes it’s as simple as being reminded of them, so that we don’t lose our way claiming them while we go about our every day.

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“PLEASE get ready for the morning exercise,” the student’s sleepy voice would say through the gymnasium’s speakers. My schoolmates and I would assemble at the gym every morning at 7.30 to sing the national anthem and morning prayers, and do the morning exercise.

Why, we would silently wail, why do we have to do this so early in the morning? My exercise grunts were just met by stern glares from the teachers. Perhaps if Elle Woods of “Legally Blonde” had been my classmate, I would have better appreciated that “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.”

As I aged though, I did learn the value of exercise. In the beginning, it was for vanity reasons. My metabolism was slowing down, and I had to stay fit to look fit. And then there was the health reason. I knew my sedentary lifestyle was taking a toll on my health, so I hit the gym. My friends would also exercise to tone their bodies, make new friends at fitness centers, lose weight. Valid motivations. But have you ever heard of anyone saying, “I exercise to be happy”?

Think about it. After a workout, you feel a certain high. I can describe it as a mix of relief (”Good thing I got my butt off the computer chair.”) and pride (”Good thing I got my butt off the computer chair!”). There’s that emotional boost, that spark of happiness brought about by a job well done and I guess, endorphins.

Perhaps that’s a good push to start exercising again. We know we’ll feel better after a workout. So why not use happiness as your end goal? When you see you’re ten pounds less, you’re happy. When your skin glows after a workout, you’re happy. When you’re able to run an extra lap, you’re happy. Happy, happy, happy.

Why not kick the morning off with some happy movements, and turn those exercise grunts into grins? Get that butt off your chair and move to be happy!

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WHEN was the last time you opted for a conversation face-to-face over a phone call or an e-mail? Admittedly, keeping in touch with friends through text messaging and e-mail is more convenient. You don’t need to set a date to converse. In between meetings, in between chores, you and a friend can swoon over your latest celebrity crushes or talk about current events. All it takes is punching in letters, numbers, and the “Call” or “Send” button.

Nothing compares to having that conversation for real, though, catching those words as you see them pour out of your friend’s mouth. Nothing compares to seeing your friend’s eyes glisten as she talks about her wedding, or going for high fives in between talks with your buddy. Then there are the hugs and kisses, the handshakes and gestures. So much emotion can be conveyed without the use of words.

With face-to-face time, there’s also the fact that you both made time to meet. It shows how you value each other’s presence even more. Even with all the rushing and the work, sharing a cup of coffee with a friend is a welcome breather, a much-needed reconnecting with your loved ones, even yourself.

Think about it — how do we really know how someone is if we don’t see them? Words can say a lot and can mean anything. While words can express thoughts, they can also be used to mask emotions. Seeing someone right before your eyes can help do without those word masks. See for yourself, and believe.

True, we can’t be face-to-face with our loved ones all the time. But do make the effort and see the difference. Much can be said without words, and only being with your friend in the flesh can help you understand that.

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POSITIVITY is a frame of mind. There are people who are cheery and optimistic by nature, while there are those who immediately resort to cynicism in a situation. I’ve always believed that happiness is a choice, so optimism is a choice as well. How does one see the glass half-full?

Some folks are innately cheery. Like they were born smiling, with sunshine streaming out of their body. You can sense this about them. It’s not an energy that they get through pills or sports drinks. It’s a naturally peaceful and positive vibe.

There are also those who have learned from experience. Stress may have gotten to them and they realized that maybe they do need to take it easy. Perhaps there’s more to life than cramped schedules and being tired all the time. And so they change the way they see their everyday. They begin to find joy in small things, share more of their selves and slowly find their way to their own happy nest.

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ONE mark of a good friendship is reliability — knowing you can depend on each other no matter what. There are friends we hardly see because of distance or conflicting schedules. But when we do make the time to sit down with them, it feels like we just saw them yesterday. The conversations flow smoothly after “how are you’s” are exchanged. There is no hint of awkwardness despite not seeing each other face to face in ages. Have you ever felt this way? That when you meet up, BOOM!, you are reminded of why you clicked so well in the first place.

Sometimes I take this for granted. I think, know and feel that my truest of friends will be there for me no matter what. I understand that they’re immensely busy with their own lives, as I am with mine, so meet-ups get rarer. At the back of our minds, we all know that when we need each other, we’ll be there. No doubt about that.

But why wait for that time of need? Pick up your phone and give that friend a call. Make those “how are you’s” more frequent, even if it’s just over the phone, or a quick e-mail. A 5-minute chat or a 5-minute e-mail is a fast but thoughtful way to keep each other feeling extra cared for within this already special bond of yours.

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” one quote says. But another also goes, “Out of sight, out of mind.” While the truest of friendships takes less maintenance than others, it needs the most nurturing.

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ESCAPING to the movies is one way I cope with a hectic day. Whether it’s getting settled in the theater seat with a bucket of popcorn on my lap or eating ice cream out of the container while I press “PLAY” on my DVD, watching a movie always puts me in a happy zone.

Your happy quotient for the day will of course be affected by the type of movie you see. It all depends on your personal taste too. My husband enjoys horror flicks. Even if they scare him sometimes, he finds humor in them. I, on the other hand, abhor them. I suppose it’s my hyperactive imagination. It’s the evening after that scary film I’m more worried about actually.

And so I gravitate towards lighthearted comedies, romance flicks, those with stories about the triumph of the human spirit. Throw in a bunch of chick flicks there too. They usually have happy endings anyway. If your day doesn’t seem to end very happily, then at least watch the happily ever after movie and hopefully it gets a little cathartic.

If it’s a movie theater I am in, I prefer sitting way back and smack center. The magic of the movies still has an effect on me — the dimming of the lights, the trailers, the crunch of popcorn… it’s thrilling! I’ve also seen some movies just by myself and it was one of the best ways to deal with a crazy day. Now if only cinema authorities would do something about those noisy viewers! And when I’m home, I just put on my pajamas, grab my junk food and get ready for a marathon. At least I escape into the world of film in my own home.

These movies, old and new, have uplifted my spirits — “Dan in Real Life,” “White Chicks,” “Love Actually,” “Before Sunrise,” “Before Sunset,” “Amelie,” “Sleepless in Seattle”… ah, so many!

What movies put you in your happy zone?

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DESSERT is happy food, but it often is the most banned part of the meal. Isn’t desserts spelled “stressed” backwards after all? Truth is you can have dessert. Why fight a happy (if not THE happiest) part of your meal? Here are ten reasons why you should get dessert:

1. The more you resist, the more you’ll end up crashing into it. Go ahead and eat a small amout. Depriving yourself of that craving could build up your desire for it, and if not managed well, you might end up gorging on dessert. So why not give a small portion a go? And be a good girl or boy by keeping it in moderation.

2. You end the meal on a satisified note. After having a great or not-so-great main course, dessert can help wipe away all traces of that main meal (the “umay” factor) and make you feel more satisfied too.

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WHEN was the last time you sat back and did nothing? A little mindless indulgence, a daydream or two can help make you a little bit happier.

Block out your morning schedule. Sit on your couch. Put your feet up. Gaze into the ceiling and let your mind wander. Do nothing.

When on vacation, resist the urge to pack your days with wall-to-wall itineraries. Checking those must-see sites is indeed an experience, but so will hanging out idly by the beach, watching the waves.

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I KNOW that you know that every cloud has a silver lining, and that there is no day but today. That while the grass is greener on the other side, you’ll never know what’s missing till it’s gone. I’m sure you also know that a smile is a frown turned upside down, and that when you smile, the world smiles with you. You’ve tried and tried until you’ve achieved success, because you thought that if others can’t, why couldn’t you?

You have to admit that one can find solace in classic lines. Quotable quotes may sound absolutely cliche, but I’ve come to discover thirteen quotes that never fail to pull me out of the gutter. Perhaps they can help you when you need some picker-uppers too.

1. The quote for when you need to bring back focus on the blessings you have now or for thanksgiving. In other words, when you feel like the world is depriving you of goodness, you can center yourself with the quote below.

“I live in a space of thankfulness, and I have been rewarded a million times over for it. I started giving thanks for small things, and the more thankful I became, the more my bounty increased. That’s because what you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it.”
– Oprah Winfrey

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“YOU have mail, Sam!,” my cousin Jenny gleefully told her two-year-old daughter.

A look of surprise and excitement came upon my niece’s face. “Mail?,” Sam grinned. “For me?”

She then excitedly opened the letter together with her Mom. She was thrilled because her concept of getting a letter must have been limited to what she saw on “Blue’s Clues” (”We just got a letter, we just got a letter, we just got a letter, I wonder who it’s from!”). Having her own letter to open and read was a big moment for her!

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