Adar is here! And Purim is around the bend. This Purim might be a little different from all of the past Purims, it’ll be a Covid Purim.

But that doesn’t mean that we should feel any less happy, maybe in a way we should even be feeling happier! Because it’s something to look forward to in this whole Covid hullabaloo.

Being happy is subjective. I can’t force someone to be happy if he doesn’t feel like being happy. But there are still many ways to feel good that work for many people.

What are some ways to feel happy this Adar?

1. Smile! Can you feel me smiling as I write this? (I am.) If you feel down in the dumps, put a smile on your face. It can be fake at first, but if you keep on smiling you’ll start to feel better and better!

2. Laugh! Just like smiling, laughing is really the best medicine. Find some old joke books, and of course, get someone to laugh with! It’s much better to be with someone when you laugh, you just feel way better and you’ll keep on laughing for longer.

3. Stick around the people that always seem happier. Their happiness will probably leak onto you, too. And come on, no one like beings around someone who is too serious and can’t seem to ever be happy…

4. Find the good! Finding the good will help you to see everything in a better frame of mind, it will help you to find the positive. Thank Hashem for all that you have! When you eat, savor every bite, think about where it is coming from. Have kavanah in your brachos and davening.

5. Judge favourably. If you don’t find the blame and try to find the good instead, it will help you to feel way better. Play the maybe game- if you are about to judge someone, instead think- ‘but maybe…’ and fill in the blank. Who knows? There may be a million reasons why your friend came late, why your brother broke your headband, why your mother wants you to eat your vegetables. (Because she wants you to be healthy…) It may be hard, but you can do it!

6. Engage yourself in something that you like to do, something that you feel good about doing. If you don’t have a specific hobby- find one! Turn something that you like doing into a hobby. Whether it is reading, writing, drawing, crafting, biking, doing sports, playing with friends, playing a musical instrument, decorating your room, looking after the baby, gardening, sewing, knitting, making hairstyles, photography, listening to music, designing on the computer, baking, cooking, candlestick making (ok, just kidding about that one), going on trips (even around the block), talking on the phone, calling your grandparents, and so much more! I’m sure there is at least one things from that list that you like to do!

7. Changing the things that you don’t exactly like doing into fun. If your mother asks you to sweep the house, first of all smile (even if you don’t like sweeping. You’ll feel better, your mother will feel better, and you get a much bigger Mitzvah that way). Then make it fun! Turn on some bouncy music that you love listening to, make it into a race against the clock (or against a sibling), and focus on how clean the house will be when you finish! You can use that tip for anything you are doing.

8. Be flexible. If there is a change of plans, if the milk spills on your skirt, if there isn’t any ice cream left for you (ok, even for me that one would be too hard to feel happy about!), don’t throw a tantrum. Instead let things flow, try to fit into other people’s schedules. You’ll both end up feeling better. And of course, put yourself into Hashem’s schedule! Because he wanted it to happen!

9. And of course (how could I end without saying this???)- daven to Hashem! As well as the formal davening, ask him during the course of the day to let things go well. To feel good. Because he is the only one that knows the future, and he will listen to you if you talk to him!

Good luck, and… start flashing those smiles!