BE (A LITTLE) FULL OF YOURSELF

Confidence matters! When you know who you are and what you want, you carry yourself with courage, determination, and integrity. You trust your feelings, opinions, and decisions, because you believe in your intentions, judgment, and ability to keep moving forward. Most importantly, you see your own worth and accept that you deserve happiness. You are “full of yourself” in all the right ways.

So, how do you become more like Oprah? Start by embracing your own worthiness: Make a list of what you’re good at, recent wins where your strengths really shined, and any challenging situations that you managed to resolve. Now give yourself a hand for how awesome you are! Keep this list in a place where you can reread it anytime self-doubt creeps in. Revisit it whenever you feel yourself worrying more about getting praise (and receiving attention or rewards from others) than about whether you feel proud about what you are doing.

READ A NOVEL

Reading anything is good for your brain—a fun whodunit, the biography or memoir of a pop icon, or a collection of essays all challenge your memory and improve critical thinking. But picking up a novel specifically gives you a little break from facts in favor of exercising your imagination. Following fictional characters opens your mind to unique perspectives and encourages you to think outside the box. It also reduces stress by redirecting your focus, and leads to better sleep. Plus, it’s just fun! Think of it as a way to travel to new worlds—without spending a dime.

SET UP A “HAPPY FUND”

When you think about saving money, you probably zero in on the necessities: an emergency fund, a down payment on a new car, paying off loans, etc. And those are important expenses. However, not all your money needs to be untouchable! A little bit of discretionary spending can lift your spirits and give you something to look forward to. Start setting your spare dollars aside in a dedicated “fun money” fund, where you can budget for the things that make you happy. This fund can be put toward little pleasures like a delicious latte on a chaotic Monday morning, and/or bigger items like tickets to see your favorite band.

NOTE WHAT’S GOING WELL

We are all wired to pick up on anything that goes wrong. It’s not our fault! However, when you do find yourself going down that path, you can beat out negative thoughts by refocusing on the things that are going well. Recognize the ways life is good, and you’ll feel good.

WATCH A CARTOON

Throw back to your childhood by enjoying a beloved cartoon you haven’t seen in ages. When you’re feeling stressed or a bit down in the dumps, cartoons are an easy way to lift your mood and release your worries. Animated films also do the trick!

TAKE A B₁₂ SUPPLEMENT