This week, we chatted with Donna Easton, the founder and head of Joyology, for her One Good Thing. 

Hi, Donna! If you could recommend one thing we can all do to improve our mental health, what would it be?

As a joyologist, I layer so many little joyous things into my day, but the one thing that I do daily that has an instant effect has to be ‘dialling up my fizzy’! I imagine I have a SodaStream button on my tummy and press the button to allow a huge burst of fizz and a kaleidoscope of colour into my system. 

Why is this your One Good Thing? 

I’ve not always been this happy. I have alopecia, so battled crippling self-doubt, and I have suffered with disordered eating and childhood trauma. 

For 25 years, I worked in the corporate world. I commuted daily and was often so disheartened at the way we trudge to work, not daring to look up for the terror of catching someone’s eye. I would live for those beautiful moments when a train driver made a joke or some musicians would hop on the Northern line and whip everyone up a jump jive frenzy. I would see people snap back into themselves, smile, notice other people, look up from their phones for a spell. 

I decided to head into that commute with my fizzy dialled up, a spring in my step and joy in my heart, and guess what? I started to see not only the shift in myself but in how others respond to me too. 

How does ‘dialling up your fizzy’ work?

Firstly, it shows us how we can have control over our own energy and vibe. It pulls our shoulders back, puts a smile on our face, connects us with the world around us and allows us to feel present and mindful.  

And what benefits can it bring us?

Connection with others raises our oxytocin, which gives our immune system a good old boost and makes us feel safe and calm. Then there’s good posture, which has myriad great benefits, such as raising your energy, decreasing tension and increasing self-confidence.

Joy, smiles and good feels are not only good for you, but you’ll notice quickly how contagious they are. Isn’t that the kind of energy we want to be putting out into the world?

We can certainly try. Where might we go wrong?

We are human beings with human stuff going on, so sometimes we just aren’t feeling it. That’s cool. Don’t beat yourself up. It’s OK to sink into the background sometimes, but let’s just try to not spend our whole lives there.

How do you personally do your good thing?

I play nostalgic music, then I imagine effervescence filling my system and an iridescent glow emanating from my body. I pull my shoulders back, I smile and it shifts the way I walk out of the front door in the morning. It feels like I am in my own musical!

How has doing your one good thing changed your life? 

The amazing thing for me was the realisation that approaching life in this way has shifted everything. My business is thriving, I chat to people wherever I go, I notice beautiful things about the world around me, I feel happy most of the time, opportunities open themselves up to me, I feel confident and my world just feels, well, more sparkly.

Frame Of Mind is Stylist’s home for all things mental health and the mind. From expert advice on the small changes you can make to improve your wellbeing to first-person essays and features on topics ranging from autism to antidepressants, we’ll be exploring mental health in all its forms. You can check out the series home page to get started.

Main image: Getty; Stylist