We all get bad moods, and they come along for a variety of reasons. Bad days at work, unexpected bills, arguments with family members and friends – they can all cause a person to feel grumpy, down and irritated. If you’ve been feeling down in the dumps lately, here are some things you can do to help cheer yourself up.
Picture It
Sometimes, looking at images that make you happy can help to put you in a better mood. Whether it’s looking at nostalgic photos of your children when they were younger, searching for photographs of your dream vacation destination or scouring the web for funny pictures and memes to make you laugh, don’t underestimate the power of imagery.
Say Thank You
Expressing gratitude can often be an instant way to uplift our mood. When we feel down it’s natural to forget the things that we’re thankful for in life. Making a list of things that you’re thankful for can help you to feel better, put things into perspective and ease stress and worry.
Ask for Help
Many people don’t like to feel like they are burdening others when they need a little help cheering up, but sometimes it’s just what the doctor ordered. Speak to a trusted friend, family member or even a therapist if you need to. Reaching out to the right person can help to restore your confidence and uplift your mood.
Clear Your Mind
If you’re in a bad mood, sitting and stewing over your problems might only make them worse. Instead, try to distract yourself by participating in an activity that’s good for clearing the mind such as going for a walk, relaxing in the bath, doing yoga – there are many different ways to meditate and practice your breathing and mindfulness. Choose a way that works best for you.
Rock Your Body
One great way to move past negative thoughts is to move your awareness somewhere else and inspire some positive energy. Put on your favorite tunes and get your groove on – dancing can release all kind of feel-good hormones, helping to minimize your bad mood and get you flowing with positive vibes from head to toe.
Slow it Down
The non-verbal part of the brain processes around eleven million bits of information per second compared to the verbal part which only processes about forty bits of information. So, when your mind is the one telling you that everything sucks, it’s not basing it on very much. Simply knowing that your mind is telling you things that aren’t entirely true can help to slow things down and make you feel better.
Feel It
Finally, feeling our emotions rather than suppressing them can help us to get over them better. Whatever you’re feeling – anger, upset, frustration or sadness – allowing yourself to feel it can help you to let it go and get over it more quickly. So, go and punch that punch bag if you need to!
This article is intended for people who are experiencing a temporary bad mood – if you are suffering from depression or persistent feelings of sadness, please speak to your doctor.