It's a great feeling to witness the joy and surprise on their faces. It can be little things, like: Smiling Saying Good morning Offering your place in line to a harried fellow shopper Bringing a cup of coffee to your office mate Doing a task for a coworker Over-tipping at your favorite restaurant Taking time with someone who needs it Being a fully present listener It doesn't take much to create a joyful moment. Scott Ringwelski writes an essay each week called Positive Pause. Last week s issue starts . . . No Problem actually is. No problem. It seems natural, easy going, off the cuff, casual. It s a throwaway line for a disposable world. However, how does your throwaway line and casual attitude translate to those you say it to? Maybe you learn that you haven t been invited to your uncle s friend s sister s birthday party and you behave as if it s the slight of the century. Sometimes even the most minor snafu can send us storming out of the room, slamming down a phone, or just shutting down entirely. It s like we just can t help it the reaction is as automatic as a mallet to the knee. Whenever we see the possum Noah always mentions his grandfather and whenever they speak on the phone he updates his grandfather on the status of the corpse. Just think about these stories. Noah was showered with gifts and lavish outings but his favorite memory is a simple walk to the local airport and checking out the sites along the way. All of us expect to get fooled, and try to save ourselves from making others laugh at our expense. Are all of us not fools even otherwise? This may sound shocking; so let me tell you why I think so. How about politicians and leaders? They make fools of us all through the year. Isn't correct? They invent fantastic excuses and give more implausible promises. Figure it out from afar or sit them down for a chat. Learn from the best stress managers and copy what they do. 4. Practice socially acceptable heavy breathing This is something I've learned from a gym instructor: You can trick your body into relaxing by using heavy breathing. Breathe in slowly for a count of 7 then breathe out for a count of 11.