May 4th is Great American Grump Out day

Great American Grump Out Day?  A day to be grumpy?  At first, this is what I thought this day was all about, but boy was I ever wrong. 

 Actually, the Great American Grump Out Day, is a day that we should all try to go 24 hours (or more) without being grumpy, crabby, or rude.  For some, this is quite a task, am I right?  BEWARE!  Choosing to be un-grumpy could result in strengthening your immune system, diminishing tension in your central nervous system, relaxing your body, improving circulation, reducing your stress hormones and, possibly, making new friends.  Here is a list of things that you can do to ward off the grumpiness:

Wear anything that you think will make someone laugh or smile: clothing, hat, buttons, your face. 

The obvious. A smile. Give the gift of your smile.

Add one or two smile breaks to your day. [If you hate smiling, call in grumpy and take the day off.

Send a funny email to friends. Encourage them to forward it.

Make smile cards. Give them to hospitals, nursing homes, or our military. They need a smile.

Pick 5 names at random from the phone book. Mail them a smile card.

Make joy baskets.

Call or write someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time, just to say you care.

Visit a lonely person. [Adult or child]

Deliver fresh baked cookies to city workers, senior centers, police stations or shut-ins.

Collect goods for a food bank.

Make a pizza and use toppings to make a smile face.

Sew, knit or crochet comfort items for the police trauma unit or a children’s hospital. Pediatric patients appreciate small quilts or stuffed animals for cuddling.

Include a note or joke in your child’s lunch box or slip a note or joke into your spouse’s pockets. 

R