7 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mood Right Now

We all feel a bit down at times. Perhaps you’ve had a stressful day at work, or you’re juggling a lot of different tasks at home. Maybe your plans haven’t gone as smoothly as you’d hoped, or you’re struggling to find your path in a complex world.

When you’re feeling low, it’s easy to let your mood get on top of you: by snapping at your partner or kids, or procrastinating on your work, or even turning to drugs or alcohol. There are plenty of simple ways to boost your mood, though – so next time you feel bad, try one of these:

#1: Walk

Walking is one of my all-time favorite activities. It combines healthy exercise and fresh air, and it’s almost guaranteed to make me feel better about whatever’s getting me down.

Even if you just walk around the block, you’ll be getting your blood pumping and your body moving. You’ll put some space between yourself and whatever’s bothering you. Within just a few minutes, you’ll often find that you feel much calmer.

#2: Laugh

You might have heard the saying that “Laughter is the best medicine.” You’ve probably experienced this at time when you’ve felt upset or annoyed – a good laugh can instantly make you feel okay again.

Whether it’s a silly website or a video on YouTube, your kids’ antics or a humorous novel, think of something that’s pretty much guaranteed to make you laugh – and keep it on hand for the next time you need to boost your mood.

#3: Chat

Talking to a good friend can make you feel much better, especially if you’re a bit lonely or worried about something. You might not need or want advice on a particular situation – but a sympathetic ear can make things seem much better.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to people and let them know that you’re struggling. Maybe you feel that you have to put on a strong front for the world – but your friends and family will want to be supportive.

#4: Write

One of the best ways to work through worries or other negative feelings is to write about them. The process of writing helps you to clarify and structure your thoughts, and it can be more effective than simply talking about what you’re feeling.

If you’ve been feeling a bit low over several days or weeks, you might want to keep a journal to help you analyze your mood. This can help you spot patterns (perhaps you feel more positive on some days than on others) and you can also try brainstorming ways to make life happier.

#5: Shower

A long, relaxing shower (or a bath) can make a huge difference to your mood. It’s often invigorating, especially if you’re struggling to focus on whatever task’s at hand – and it can be a much-needed chance for some peaceful time alone.

You might even like to buy some nice shower gel or bath bubbles to save for when you need a pick-me-up. Giving yourself a small treat can help you feel better about things.

#6: Eat

If your blood sugar drops too low, you’ll find yourself getting tired and cranky, and struggling to focus. When you’re fighting your way through a long to-do list, you might forget to eat, or end up grabbing something sugary in a hurry – which usually leads to an energy and mood crash.

A healthy snack or meal can lift your mood instantly. Keep some snacks on hand at work (perhaps oatcakes or fresh fruit) and make sure you’ve got a few simple, healthy, fast recipes on hand for busy evenings.

#7: Breathe

This is one of the simplest things you can do, in any circumstances: take a few seconds just to breathe. Concentrate on the breath going in and out of your body. You might want to close your eyes. With each exhale, feel the tension leaving you. As you inhale again, think of the life-giving air that sustains you.

This is a great technique if you’re stressed out about a difficult task, or if you’re getting angry. It helps you draw your focus away from the rush of the present moment so that you can see things from a broader perspective. Often, you’ll realize what seems vitally important right now won’t even matter in a month’s time.

Written By Ali Luke

5 Things That Will Transform You From The Inside-Out

Self improvement

 Where we are in life is based on our identity. Our beliefs about ourselves are based on that identity. Our future worth and opportunity is based on that identity. Many people think that if they change their circumstances (e.g. getting a new, higher paying job), that their identity will follow suit. Actually, this approach is backwards; in reality, we change our identity from the inside out and the change in our circumstances follows.

Here are five things that you can start doing today to change your life by transforming identity:

 1. Change who you hang around. Plato said that “People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.” For better or worse, we become more like the people that we hang around. Your associations have a lot to do with where you’re at in every area of your life. Your friends are going to influence you either way, so why not pick the friends who will be a positive influence? Create an “ad­visory board” of friends who will lift you up, challenge you, inspire you, and hold you accountable.

2. Read more. Reading allows you to shape your identity independently of your current circumstances. You internalize the wisdom and knowledge of the authors who you read. They say that there are two types of experiences that we can learn and grow from: personal experience and the experience that we borrow from others. Reading allows you to learn from mentors who you don’t have access to in your daily life. Learning from other people’s stories of chal­lenges and triumph is far less painful and time-consuming than going through those challenges yourself. That is why most of the world’s greatest leaders have been avid readers. 

3. Keep your word. Are you a person that keeps your word to others? What about the promises that you make to yourself? If you make your word your bond, both to yourself and to others, you will turn yourself into a person that shapes your own identity through the power of your pledge. Becoming a person that keeps your word starts with doing the little things, like calling someone back when you say you will or arriving to an appointment at the time agreed on. Once people know that they can count on you, you will be seen as a person whose words come to pass. You will come to see yourself that way too. Eventually, if you make a promise to yourself and others to make some change in your life, you will feel bound to keep your word.  

4. Challenge yourself. Just like great athletes have to constantly push themselves physically, we all have to take on challenges outside of our comfort level to become champions. If you find yourself in a place where you live your life on auto pilot, going through the motions and never really stretching yourself, chances are you will be in the same spot five years from now that you are in today. Challenges keep us fresh, give us energy, and most importantly, turn us unto stronger people capable of more than we were previously able.

5.Get crystal clear about your why. For the past ten years I have said that mankind is lazy until something catches his heart. Your why is what fuels your life. If you don’t have a clear picture of your why, you will never stay motivated through the how. Our natural state is to be lazy and to take the path of least resistance, unless we are motivated by the why in our heart. What’s your why? Really meditate on it, write it down and read it often. You will find that you have more energy and more passion. Why is transformative. 

If you dream of changing your life, you have to first become the person who can bring about that change. As Albert Einstein wisely pointed out, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

Written by Patrick Bet-David

www.pick-the-brain.com