How to Brighten Up Your Day
How to Brighten Up Your Day With TV, Films and Music – Author: Lianna Champ
Sometimes, we find ourselves overwhelmed by the stresses of life and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.
We can get so caught up inside our heads that we go to bed preoccupied with our sadness, and wake up in the same mindset. This can make it seem impossible to find a spark in our day.
When we feel like this, we may think that we’ll never feel ‘normal’ again. Not knowing what to do, it can be so easy to hide how we’re feeling, and we can end up in a downward spiral.
Trying To Heal The Pain
Anything that hurts needs something to make it feel better. This is balancing the scales of nature. We need to find something that works for us that gives our hearts and minds respite, even if only for a few minutes, that lets us come up for air. We need to find brightness in our days no matter how fleeting it is.
“It is the lifted face that feels the warmth of the sunshine.”
There’s always light, even in our darkest moments. But we must do our part; we must look for those beams of light.
Watching Old Movies
Watching old movies — from an explosive action film to a lovely feel-good film. I have an artillery of things I turn to when my losses overwhelm me and I need a boost.
Top five films to brighten up your day:
The Sound of Music — it takes me right back to my childhood. As one of five children, there were never enough chairs for us all, so we would scatter all over the floor with cushions and sing along. Such a happy film with a lovely ending.
Elf — I adore this movie. It’s a real escape from your thoughts, and I can’t help but smile all the way through. This one really can brighten up your day!
Mamma Mia 1 — Who doesn’t know and love all the old ABBA hits? Meryl Streep and the cast play their roles brilliantly. This film draws you in, and the songs are so familiar that you can’t help but tap your feet.
Bridget Jones’s Diary — The lovely thing about this movie is that it reminds me that we all have our worries and our trials. It reminds us that we are human, and never to lose our sense of humour or hope. I love this film!
Love Actually — I always love a happy ending at the end of a film, and this one does lift your heart. We must always stay open to the possibility of a happy ending.
This choice, of course, depends on your likes and taste, and also how you’re feeling at the time. Comedies are a great way to brighten up your day too, and watching a couple of episodes of Fawlty Towers or Only Fools and Horses can be as good as a huge spoonful of medicine.
Listen to Music
Music is also helpful and poignant and can evoke so many memories shared over the years.
Top five albums to brighten up your day:
Michael Buble — Any Album! I love his sad songs, and I love his happy songs too. My favourite song by Michael is ‘It’s a Beautiful Day.’ I listen to this in my car — it always helps if I have a challenging day ahead.
Kacey Musgraves — Golden Hour. I love the easy melodies and sing-a-long feel of this album. The lyrics are catchy and clever too, sometimes carefree and the music is a real ear-worm. This album never fails to brighten my day!
Dire Straits — Brothers In Arms. This is a real golden oldie of mine and serves various moods. I find the relaxing songs — Your Latest Trick and Why Worry? — absolutely stunning, really calming.
Chris Rea — The Road To Hell. This is quite deep, but when I’m feeling down sometimes it feels good to listen to something deep — it helps work through my low mood, and somehow things don’t seem so bad.
Chris Rea — Shamrock Diaries – This album takes me right back to very happy times. Listening to any of these songs really brightens up my day.
When I need a brightening lift, I always play ‘Beautiful Day’ by Michael Buble. It makes me feel that there’s something positive — I just need to look for it.
Listening to your favourite songs and music can be so therapeutic, it can help re-ignite emotions you’ve felt in the past.
Read A Book
Reading is a wonderful medium. My mum always used to say, “You can travel the world without leaving your armchair” and this is so true; we sometimes forget that we can lose ourselves in literature with the right subject material.
Top five books to brighten up your day:
Light From Many Lamps — Lilian Eichler. My absolute favourite book and one that I have dipped in and out of many times over the years, not only in my moments of need but also when I am feeling good. The philosophies are wonderful to read and absorb, and they give me something to ponder.
It’s good to work things out for ourselves, and this book does provide a really good prod. It’s a beautiful book full of inspirational philosophies. Reading philosophies and being receptive to new ways of thinking can make you see things differently and let some light shine through.
Sometimes we look for a ‘quick fix’, but we must not lose the art of patience and perseverance. We have to do things more than once for change to happen!
Winnie The Pooh — A A Milne. I love the simple wisdom that reminds us of our inner child, before we complicated things, when our thoughts were literal, pure and honest. Winnie The Pooh is an absolute star to brighten your day.
The Little Prince — Antoine de Saint-Exupery. A children’s storybook written for adults. A book about life and human nature, how we see things through our own eyes and they may be something completely different to someone else. An absolute favourite of mine.
Louise Hay — You Can Heal Your Life. This book reminds us that our negative thoughts can create physical ailments in our body and what they signify. Filled with positive affirmations this book helps to centre and heal emotionally, physically and spiritually.
How To Grieve Like A Champ — Lianna Champ. Where can we go when we feel so sad and lost? Written from the heart, this easy to digest guide for grievers is filled with wisdom and lets you discover what works for you. This book makes a wonderful gift.
How to Brighten Up Your Day With TV, Films and Music by Lianna Champ
Further Reading: 21 Comforting Quotes on Grief to Help Your Grieving Process
