Six ways to make someone feel better

We all have those days when we are not feeling 100%. When we'd rather curl up on the sofa under a blanket, watching trashy TV (usually Friends), eating junk food (usually Ben and Jerry's) and wallowing in our own self-pity. But someone or something usually pulls us out of our slump and we are back on our feet again making other people smile.

When I'm feeling a down I know that it is the little things that go the furthest to cheer me up. I try every day to do small things to make people happy from opening the door or giving someone a smile. It all goes towards spreading happiness.

Viking is running a campaign called #EmergencyHappiness to help cheer people up and put a smile on their face. They kindly sent me a package filled with lots of little things to try to make my day that bit better. In that spirit, I thought of a whole bunch of things that everyone can do to improve other people's mood.

So if your friend, family member or work colleague is feeling down here are a few things that are sure to make them feel better.

> Smile! - Get your nashers out and shoot someone a smile. This is the easiest way to cheer someone up and make them feel better instantly. If you give them a smile they can't help but smile back.

> Send a text/email out of the blue - I love to hear from friends and family when I'm feeling down especially those I haven't heard from in a while. Sending someone a text can be a great way to start an exciting fun conversation. It also allows for people to rant which can help alleviate their stress and make them feel much better. You just have to be a good text/email listener.

> Taking a trip out for lunch - Food is always a great way to cheer someone up. Invite someone to come out for a meal with you to get them out of their environment and to somewhere for some yummy food.

> Plan a trip - Sometimes people can't see past what is getting them down. They forget that it will end and they will be happy again in the future. Getting people excited about what's to come is a great way of getting them out of their slump. You can plan anything from a holiday to a trip out shopping. It doesn't have to be big but it has to make them think about the fun times ahead.

> Being thoughtful - I love being thoughtful and picking up things that I know certain people will like. This could be a little gift, a free magazine I know someone would be interested in or even something as little as someone's favourite chocolate bar. Doing something like this just lets people know you are thinking of them.

> Listening - A great way to start to feel better and put your problems in perspective is to talk to someone about them. Often we can go round and round in our heads, coming up with crazy 'what if' scenarios and without someone to be the air of reason you can drive yourself insane. If you can just offer an ear to someone it will go away to making them feel at ease.

So these are my ideas about little things you can do to brighten up someone's day. Can you think of any other ways you like to be cheered up?

I know these six ways would definitely make me feel happier and get me out of my glum mood.

*In collaboration with Viking Direct

Viking Direct Stationery Review

I love stationery. I like getting new stationery and having the chance to use it. Pens, pads, stickers and post it notes -  I love it all! Viking Direct, part of Office Depot - one of the largest suppliers of office stationery and office products in the world, asked if I'd like to review a few products for them. They gave free rein so I picked some colourful Stabilo pens, Post It page markers and a personalised stamp.

Stabilo Fibre Tip Pen Pack of 6 Assorted Fluorescent Colours - £7.79*
I think everyone will agree they love Stabilo pens. The thin writers, or the chubby felt tip like ones are just amazing to use. I just want to write or colour as soon as I have one in my hand. Picking these was a no brainer as they are gorgeous colours and great quality. These would be perfect for doing revision as you can brighten up your work to make it more interesting.

Post it Index Small Flags - 5 Colours in clear dispenser, 100 flags - £5.49*
I picked these as I am always in need of something to mark pages since I don't like to fold over the edges. These Post It flags come in some lovely bright colours which work perfectly for marking recipes I like the look of. The sticky on these is perfect as it is very precise and peels off with ease.

Both the pens and the Post It flags came straight from Viking in quick time (the stamp came straight from the supplier). I ordered these the Thursday before the Easter weekend and they turned up Tuesday! I thought that was pretty good as everyone else was off during this weekend!

Trodat Self Inking 37 x 13mm Stamp - £22.99*
When Viking Direct let me loose on their website I came across personalised stamps and instantly knew I wanted one. I've always wanted one of these stamps after seeing people use them at work but I obviously had to get something relevant to me so I picked one with a Gingerbread Smiles logo and the URL. The process of making this stamp was pretty easy although picking the stamp was harder. There are so many choices it is hard to know which one to choose but I reckon if you spoke to Viking they would be more than happy to help. As for my design, I blacked out my blog header, moved the text around a bit and saved this as an image. When ordering the stamp online it asks if you want to add the artwork to your stamp and then tells you where to email your image when you have ordered. I had a proof back within around 5 days and it was exactly as I wanted it so I approved it and it turned up pretty sharpish! I am in love with this stamp, I can't wait to use it on blog related things like giveaways or business cards.

I'd definitely recommend Viking Direct to anyone wanting stationery for their business as they are extremely professional, have an easy to use website and quick postage times!

> Please note prices are ex-VAT