What can we do when our mood turns gloomy and our everyday life seems too gray? After all, we’d like to rediscover the joy of living, but our gaze only focuses on the negative side of our lives. That’s why I’m sharing with you 100 good reasons to read and reread to say stop to the blues!

Why and how to stop feeling down?

Because being depressed doesn’t suit us at all. Our faces look grey, our shoulders are hunched, we walk as if we were carrying the weight of the world… It’s high time to say stop to depression!

Depression is just a perception of reality. In fact, it’s our eyes and our hearts that no longer see the good and the beautiful in our lives. Too often, by complaining too much, we contaminate ourselves with negativity.

This article is for you, to remind you how beautiful your life is.

Not all of the 100 reasons will apply to you, but read on. Pick out the ones that speak to you, that make your heart beat a little faster.

What’s more, I invite you to list in a notebook the 100 good reasons you have for smiling. If 100 is too many, start with 10 and work your way up.

Stop being depressed: 100 good reasons to smile again!

1 – Our partner. Sometimes we let ourselves be blinded by everyday worries, but when we let love shine back into our hearts. Yes, we do love that person.

2 – Our family. There are ups and downs, but above all there’s a lot of love.

3 – Our friends. Life has placed on our path people who are sometimes very different from us, to our great delight. In fact, we learn an enormous amount from our friends: tolerance, kindness… not to mention shared laughter.

4 – Our home. It’s our nest, a unique living space, a witness to our loves and sorrows.

5 – Our money. Money is wonderful, but even if we feel we’re always short of it, it already allows us to take care of ourselves and others. And that’s the most important thing.

6 – Our health. Breathing well, a heart that beats, it’s an opportunity, a miracle. Let’s not forget it.

7 – Our city. We live in a modern world. There are sidewalks, street lights, stores to satisfy our needs, our garbage is collected, there are schools, libraries, cinemas… everything within easy reach.

8 – Our eyes. What a joy to see a sunset, a loved one. Life is full of color, and we have eyes to savor the spectacle.

9 – Our hands. They are wonderful tools, enabling us to do just about anything. Our hands are always there when we need them.

10 – Our mouth. Place of a thousand and one flavors. What an explosion. Taste is a wonderful sense.

11 – Our nose. We only realize the value of our nose when we have a cold, which is a shame. Our noses allow us to breathe with delight and smell the best perfumes: a cake in the oven, the ocean, freshly cut grass…

12 – Our legs. Our best means of locomotion. They’re always there to take us where desire calls. They’re wonderful.

13 – Our voice. It allows us to communicate with our loved ones, talk about our loves and even sing.

14 – Our ears. To hear sweet words, the wind, a bottle of sparkling water opening…

15 – Our telephone. A marvellous invention that allows us to have our loved ones always within reach.

16 – Running water. You only have to have your water turned off to realize how lucky we are to have running water. It’s precious.

17 – Electricity. It’s all the same. All we have to do is press a button and the lights come on.

18 – The ocean. There’s nothing more beautiful than that distant horizon, the sound of waves coming and going and that salty taste on your lips.

19 – Birds singing. Birds sing to the delight of our ears.

20 – Children’s laughter. There’s no prettier sound than a child’s laugh.

21 – Pets. They give us so much love in their eyes. Stroking them is a real pleasure.

22 – The air we breathe. We like to forget it, but air is vital. It’s when we take deep breaths that we get the best taste of life’s delights.

23 – The sun. Its light and warmth warm our hearts.

24 – The moon. So beautiful, so mysterious.

25 – The stars. Countless and so magical.

26 – The wind. It plays with our hair, tousles our hair and sings in our ears.

27 – Our heart. It beats for us every moment. It never stops. It’s our most faithful companion.

28 – Our stomach. It also works hard for us. What goes on in it is magical and allows us to live.

29 – Our favorite movie. That film we’ve seen again and again. Images that speak to our hearts and make us feel good.

30 – Our favorite music. The one that transports us and fills us with emotion.

31 – Our favorite dish. The one that makes us melt with pleasure.

32 – Our favorite piece of clothing. The one in which we feel so good and beautiful.

33 – Our favorite book. The one that makes you forget everything and take you on a journey.

34 – Travel. To discover new things.

35 – To swim. Let yourself float in the water and become unattached to anything.

36 – Run. Feel our powerful body and let it run.

37 – Dance. Madly, gently or rhythmically. Dancing makes you feel good and happy.

38 – Laugh. A powerful ingredient for happiness and a long, healthy life. Laugh at everything, laugh at yourself and laugh every day!

39 – Crying. Crying is so good for body and soul, for healing wounds and letting go of stress and sadness.

40 – Blue skies. We have a sky over our heads, we’re alive and it’s wonderful.

41 – Clouds. They pass by, taking many forms. A feast for the eyes and the heart.

42 – Food. What a joy to have to eat. Flavors, textures. A way to please yourself and others.

43 – Flowers. Gifts from nature.

44 – Trees. Centenarians watching over us.

45 – Sand. To keep our feet soft.

46 – Snow. So magical!

47 – The mountains. Beautiful from every angle. What magnificent walks.

48 – Sunbathing. What a pleasure to bask in the sun.

49 – Wrap up in a blanket and lie on the sofa. Just do nothing and enjoy the warmth.

50 – Write. Surrender, share, give and receive so many beautiful things.

51 – Reading. Learning, travelling, sharing, feeling so many beautiful things.

52 – Drinking a hot beverage. What a joy to feel that warmth flowing down our throats.

53 – Stretching. What a delight it is to stretch for a long time.

54 – Yawn. A loud, jaw-splitting yawn.

55 – Smile. A big one, a small one, a bright one, a shy one, with or without reason. Smiling is good for your health.

56 – Stroking a loved one’s hair. It feels so soft under your fingers.

57 – Smell a loved one’s perfume. Breathe it in for a few seconds.

58 – Hugging someone you love. Linger there for more than a minute. Cuddling is good for your health, so let’s make the most of it.

59 – Singing. Whether you can sing or not, it feels so good.

60 – Dreaming. With or without music, dreaming lets us soar.

61 – Take a bath. What a pleasure it is to bask in warm, scented water.

62 – Take a plane. It’s exhilarating to fly above the clouds.

63 – Lie down in the grass and let yourself go to the rhythm of the earth.

64 – Take a nap. It’s wonderful to sleep when it’s light outside.

65 – Make love. A delight for body and soul.

66 – Cooking. An act of love for others and oneself.

67 – Saying I love you. Little words with great power.

68 – Hearing I love you. Such a sweet melody in our ears and hearts.

69 – To love with all your heart. Everything and anything. Take your love with you wherever you go.

70 – Help others. Lending a hand, listening, consoling, congratulating does as much good to the receiver as to the giver.

71 – Give thanks. A heart overflowing with gratitude is happiness.

72 – To look into the eyes of someone you love. Lose yourself in their eyes, say nothing, just enjoy the moment.

73 – To blush. What happiness when life brings us a reason to blush. To blush with pleasure.

74 – Feel your heart beat. Relax, listen to life as it flows through you.

75 – To hear the heartbeat of a loved one. Feeling the life in that person you love so much. It’s breathtaking.

76 – Making your dreams come true. So exhilarating!

77 – Creating things with your hands and your mind is wonderful.

78 – Using things is wonderful too, when you think about it. A pencil, a fork, a blanket, a toothbrush…

79 – Taking care of yourself. Massaging, styling, dressing…

80 – Taking care of others. Dressing your children, preparing a meal for your family, checking on a loved one.

81 – Offer gifts. Surprise others. Use your money to make yourself happy.

82 – Let yourself be surprised by others and by life.

83 – Sleep. What a pleasure it is to close your eyes and let yourself drift off into the world of dreams.

84 – Put your hands in the earth. Smell it.

85 – Do nothing.

86 – Say what you feel. Sharing your feelings feels so good.

87 – Listen to others. Offering a sympathetic ear to the other person also does so much good. Say nothing, just listen, be there.

88 – A drink with friends. What a joy to get together and share a festive moment.

89 – Spend a night playing cards with family or friends. Relax and have fun together.

90 – Jumping into a swimming pool with your clothes on.

91 – Swim naked for fun.

92 – Go to the hairdresser and let the magic happen.

93 – Get a massage and forget everything.

94 – Smell good.

95 – Have children and watch them grow up. The miracle of life is wonderful.

96 – Celebrate Christmas, Halloween, your country’s national holidays… Because it’s delicious to share with the family.

97 – Go to the movies and treat yourself to a big drink and popcorn. Because it’s much better that way.

98 – Walk and just walk. Wander at random and let your eyes wonder.

99 – Play video games, draw, color, play hopscotch… Play like children.

100 – Love. I repeat, because it’s the most important thing. Love everything about yourself, your life and others, and your life will be wonderful. Too often, we lock our love in our hearts, we don’t let it shine out and that’s how our lives become gray. Let your love shine on your life!

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover The 100 most beautiful positive thoughts to bring happiness into your life
Discover The best anti-depression remedy: a magical text to clear the air

I recommend this inspiring book:

The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression Without Drugs by Stephen S. Ilardi

The author offers a comprehensive six-step program for treating and overcoming depression without resorting to pharmaceutical interventions. Drawing on evolutionary psychology and lifestyle changes, the book provides practical strategies to combat the blues, emphasizing the importance of sleep, diet, exercise, exposure to sunlight, social relationships and meaningful activities. Through these holistic approaches, Ilardi guides readers along the path to healing and recovery from depression, empowering them to take control of their mental well-being.

A colleague recommended this book to me and I’m glad I bought it. Lots of useful information in an easy-to-digest form. Well written and easy to read. One of the strengths of the book is that the information and treatment plan described by the author is based on actual research. Lots of discussion of studies.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself