1: would you like to cross over to the sunny side?
2: are you willing to let go of whatever is keeping you prisoner on the darker side?
3: are you willing to practice being happy?
If so then continue and read on.
First imagine a walk to the middle of the street so that you can see both sides. Give yourself the opportunity to contemplate that you could cross over but you may have some very good reasons and feel full justified in being unhappy and therefore stuck on the unhappy side. You believe that the circumstances of the moment have dropped you there.
The five major categories that can keep you prisoner are
1. wanting more of something that you do not have or wanting less of what you do have;
2. being angry about something and feeling justified about it;
3. feeling restless and antsy;
4. feeling bored; and
5. doubting that you can change your view.
Once you have moved to the middle of the street and have identified which category is holding you prisoner just relax and take a breath or two. Explore your body and relax some more. For a moment let whatever you feel to be there without trying to change anything.
Next, recall the practice of building your “happiness well” (described below). Hold the thought and feelings of your happiness well in mind along with the thoughts and feelings of being in prison. Try to equally balance the intensity of both sides; the happiness well and the prisoner. Hold both in mind at the same time.
You can practice balancing two thoughts for this with a simple exercise. Close your eyes and touch your right thumb and index finger together. Get a sense of what that feels like. Now release those fingers and touch your left thumb and index finger together. Get a sense of how that feels. Now feel both sides touching at the same time. It may feel a bit like balancing when riding a bicycle.
It is interesting that you may find with this exercise that the circumstances do not change but your interpretation or need to hold on to the unhappiness dissolves away seemingly all by itself.