The first ‘lesson’ will be more of a tip, one which I have found a game changer once I consciously started applying it. It is simply:

– Allow yourself to be inspired by anything.

Once I started doing this (consciously) I noticed I enjoyed a lot of things a lot more, and generally remembered things that inspired me better. The level of inspiration is irrelevant, I can be inspired for only a few minutes by something someone says or something I hear/see on tv, yet it might be all I need to kickstart a thought, idea or simply my motivation. Once you let go of some of the barriers you set for yourself when it comes to enjoying things, you open up and allow yourself to be inspired and enthused a lot more. I’m not saying you have to enjoy everything, that is impossible and not even beneficial, I’m saying that things you usually take for granted (whether you enjoy them or not) can be inspirational too. Like your favourite comedy show, a beautiful sight, seeing a loving couple in public just to name a few. Try to think of the achievements of others as an inspiration to help you achieve yours.

Try this; next time you’re a in a bar on a night out, or at home with a bunch of friends (a busy social setting), pick a spot you can lean/sit comfortably and simply look around you, try to enjoy the fact that people around you are enjoying themselves. Don’t force it, but if you do see that people are having a good time, try and ‘feed’ off that (for a lack of a better word). Don’t be shy about adding a smile, even if there is nothing specific to smile about. This activates certain chemicals in your brain like serotonin, which add to your general feeling of happiness. People around you will notice you looking happy (including that person you fancy). They’ll most likely wonder how much you had to drink, and then ask what’s up. Simply saying “I’m just enjoying the moment” with a smile and they will feel the energy you’re giving off. I’ve been doing this recently and it helps me loads. Not that I’m not happy being in a bar with friends, it just amplifies the feeling and kickstarts my mood to enjoy that moment/evening even more.

As with a lot of these lessons/exercise, you have to purposefully engage in them at first, but they become part of your routine later on, you’ll find out you start doing them unconsciously.