7 Ways to Improve Your Mood
Some days we wake up feeling amazing. The sun shines so bright outside and we feel like we can take over the world. Other days, we just want to hide under our bedsheets and be a total hermit. On those days where we don’t feel up to par, there are a few things we can do that may help youget yourself out of that negative mood.
Honor your emotions.
Let’s face it. When we are faced with negative emotions, what is the first thing that most of us do? Besides facing the problem head-on with, “How to get out of this negative mood?”, we simply try to avoid it and distract ourselves from feeling that negative emotion. Whether you’re an emotional eater or you like to drown your emotions with drugs or alcohol, this is extremely detrimental to your health. Temporarily, you may feel better. However, this will eventually catch up to you whether it’s in the form of an illness or a mental break down, and in many cases, a negative mood can quickly turn into a sea of anxiety and stressful thoughts.
Instead of avoiding your emotions, how about facing it and questioning it? Doing so can help you get to know the underlying reason as to why you feel the way that you’re currently feeling. So if you’re feeling sad, take a moment and sit down with this emotion. Ask yourself, why do I feel sad? Is there something that happened recently that has made me feel this way? After questioning yourself for some time and getting a clear answer, ask yourself, “How can I change my perspective so that I feel better about the situation or emotion?”
Release that negative mood.
Now that you know how and why you feel the way that you feel, it’s time to release that negativity. Some people like to journal, others like to meditate, and for some, exercise is key to improve mood. Whatever method works for you best is the way to go. And if you’re new to dealing with your emotions in a healthy way, here are some tips to get you started.
- Do a meditation. Start by sitting or laying in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and begin to focus on your breathing. Focus on the air coming in through your nostrils as you inhale, feel the air as it fills up your lungs and causes your chest to expand. Hold for 3 seconds and release. Repeat this about 5 times. While you’re exhaling, imagine that you are releasing all of the negativity. I usually visualize a dark fog being released from my body.
- Do the Wim-Hof breathing technique. Learn how to perform the Wim-Hof exercise. Get ready to feel tingly all over your body when getting rid of that built-up negativity!
- Write down whatever it is that you need to release and burn this paper afterwards. Doing so gives you a sense that the negativity has been vented and released, especially if that pessimism has been locked up as thoughts.
Self love.
When you’re feeling down, you are constantly feeding yourself negative thoughts. Instead of doing that, how about giving your self some love. Learning to love yourself is an essential part to reducing your negative mood. I know it sounds cheesy but self-love is so important. When a friend is feeling down and depressed, how do you react or comfort them? You should mimic those exact actions for yourself. Self-love and self-care acts can be as simple as taking a nice relaxing bath, or treating yourself to a delicious dinner. You can also do things such as a loving-kindness meditation or reading some affirmations to help boost your confidence which leads to improved mood.
Have some fun.
Think about it. When was the last time you really had some fun? And by fun, I mean the type of fun that makes you laugh and giggle like a kid in a candy shop! Life is short and most of us spend so much time in our heads that we forget to let loose and have some fun. So, take a day and dedicate it to sitting back, unraveling, and simply having fun.
What makes you truly happy? What’s a hobby you haven’t done in awhile that you really enjoy? Today is the day. Go on that bike ride you haven’t done in years. Go on a trip to the amusement park and get on that thrilling roller coaster. Go take that dance class you’ve been wanting to take forever. Give someone a raspberry just because the act is hilarious at any age! Really, anything that sounds fun to you, go on and don’t be ashamed to do it!
Connect with people.
When we are feeling sad, most of us cower away and want to lock ourselves up in our home. This might be okay for the first few days, but the longer you stay cooped up in the house, the easier it is to keep sinking into depression. At this point, I’m sure you are feeling alone and like there is no one out there who is there for you. But this is not true, even if it takes you a few minutes to realize it. So reach out to your friends or family. Give them a call, or even better, set up a lunch or dinner where you can get out of the house. Connecting with people that you really care about really boosts your mood. It also reminds you that you are not alone and that there are plenty of people who genuinely care about you.
Spend time with nature.
This probably sounds pretty generic, but honestly, just being outdoors in the fresh air will improve your mood immediately. So take ten minutes, or if that sounds like too much, start small and take five minutes to walk outside. While you’re walking, really take in what’s around you. This is also a form of meditation, when you’re walking and just really experiencing the beauty of the moment. Instead of being in your head, take a break. Look at how beautifully the sun is shining. Look at how majestic the clouds are. Breathe in that fresh air and feel the crisp breeze against your skin. And be grateful, that you, yes YOU, are alive in this magical place called Earth.
Exercise.
Research shows that exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress and improve mood. Exercising helps you release the ‘feel good’ chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin to break that negative mood. I know the motivation to exercise may be a struggle so again, start small. And do a form of exercise that you actually enjoy.
For me, when I am feeling unmotivated to work out, the first thing I do is challenge myself to do something small like 20 squats. Once you get started, you will build momentum so that you can push yourself even further! So after 20 squats I will be ready to push myself to 30 or 40. And by the time I think about it, I would have already completed 5 minutes of exercising. I would strive to at least do 10 minutes because it won’t sound as daunting. Then slowly increase your time period of exercise.
Alright guys! I hope these 7 tips will help you in one way or another to feel better. Remember that at any moment, you have the choice to start over. So even if you’re in a bad mood, decide that you want to feel better. You’re already reading this blog post so I’m sure you are ready to take the next step to feeling better and developing a better you! As always, I am here for your support and anything that you need, feel free to reach out to me! TheDreamLifeFoundation: The Invitation is here to help you in any way possible to get you kickstarted and on the journey to a new and improved Better You!
References:
- 7 Simple Ways to Break Your Bad Mood: https://psychcentral.com/blog/7-simple-ways-to-break-your-bad-mood/
- Exercise deprivation increases negative mood in exercise-addicted subjects and modifies their biochemical markers: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26812592
- Wim Hof breathing tutorial by Wim Hof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzCaZQqAs9I
- Comparing the accuracy of personality judgements by the self and knowledgeable others: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8656321
- Exercise and mood: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/HealthyLiving/exercise-and-mood
- The Dream Life Foundation: https://thedreamlifefoundation.com/
- The Invitation: https://thedreamlifefoundation.com/travel/lets-find-some-beautiful-place-to-get-lost/
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