After decades of sporting a downtrodden expression and generally gloomy air, Nate Brigsby of Nashville, Tennessee, decided to switch up his go-to emotional garment, and, instead, don a cloak of happiness each day.
"It's figurative," he explained. "Not an actual cloak. That would be a little weird."
According to Brigsby, he realized that the convenience of not having to decide what to emotionally wear every day and simply grabbing the easiest option available, his well-worn cloak of depression, had become outweighed by the lack of fun and spontaneity in his life. At the same time, though, he still didn't want to have to figure out what to emotionally wear every day. And, so, he decided to implement a new "feelings uniform" in the form of a cloak of happiness.
"I like to call it the 'joy jacket' for short," said Brigsby. "That makes it seem less intimidating."
In addition, beneath his 'joy jacket', Brigsby generally dons a base layer of gratitude, which makes any outer garment feel that much more comfortable.
"It's a nice buffer in case the fabric of life gets a little rough," he said.
According to Brigsby, while initially a bit stiff, his new cloak of happiness was soon broken in and quickly became one of his favorite garments - and one he now feels quite comfortable wearing.
"I would recommend it to anyone seeking to get a little boost or just mix things up," he said.
And what has become of his old cloak of depression?
"I was going to donate it to Goodwill, but it was so raggedy I didn't want to impose it on anyone else," he said. "Some things are best discarded."
