I'm feeling a little down today. I never like to let a bad mood last too long, as I am a strong believer in creating situations with thoughts. Negative thoughts create negative energy and that is not something I want in my life! It's surprisingly easy to cheer yourself up sometimes, and it's always worth a try. Here are the 8 things I like to do to help me lift my spirits when I'm feeling low- you can do them all in one day and go to bed feeling amazing!
Physical...
When you're feeling grumpy it's tempting to just stay in bed all day and wallow. Rest up for sure, but don't spend too long lying in one place over thinking whatever it is that has upset you.
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| Says it all. |
Do something productive
I've chosen to write up a blog post. You could do that too, or apply for jobs, internships, placements etc. Pick something you've been neglecting on your to-do-list and get it done! Distract your mind from whatever has got you down by keeping busy doing something you've needed to do. It makes you feel better because you've done something productive, even though you initially didn't feel like doing anything. It's a small accomplishment and something to feel good about!
Tidy Up
It actually really helps me to do a bit of cleaning or to tidy my room, or any room where you will spending the most time. A clear space will bring clearer thoughts. Plus, cleaning is another way to distract your mind and keep busy. Blast your favourite tunes in the background and sing along. It honestly makes it feel so much less like a chore and kind of fun...or is that just me?!
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| Take a short walk if you don't feel up to a workout! |
Workout
One of the hardest things to get motivated to do, especially when you are in a bad mood. But once you get going, you'll probably find yourself working harder than normal as you channel all that bad energy you were feeling into toning and shaping your body. You'll feel great once the endorphins start kicking in, and by the end of the workout you will feel that sense of achievement again, knowing that you chose to do something really good for yourself rather than lie around feeling crap.
(Invest in a workout DVD like Sixty Second Promise, where you can do fifteen minute interval training workouts- no equipment needed. It's perfect for gloomy days when you just need a quick (but challenging) burst, not a long, gruelling session.)
Pamper yourself!
Make yourself look amazing and the feeling will follow! One of my rules of life is you can't feel bad if you look good! Wash your hair, paint your nails, take a long bath or shower, use an amazing body cream, take your time choosing the perfect outfit... really make an effort. As you watch yourself blossom in the mirror as you get ready, you'll be sending your brain more and more positive messages about yourself and by the time you are done, whatever you were in a bad mood about will be a much smaller, less dominant thought. You'll be too busy thinking about where you should go and show yourself off now that you look so good!
Meet up with your funniest friend
Go out for a meal or to watch a film with a good, positive, happy friend who always makes you laugh. Hit a club if you want, whatever makes you feel good, but getting out for a little while always helps as there are so many things to distract you from your thoughts.
Mental...
Some bad moods can be worse than others and it will often take more than just physical things you can do to cheer up. You have to literally rewire your brain and make yourself feel better by thinking better things.
Allow yourself to feel how you feel
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| All it takes! |
It's natural to feel frustrated, sad, angry, irritated and just generally gloomy sometimes. Without negative feeling you wouldn't know how good it feels to be positive. Don't lie to yourself and tell yourself that everything is sunshine and rainbows when it isn't. False positivity won't last and you'll end up feeling worse than before. Feel what you feel, and accept that you feel that way. Feel it for a few minutes, then let it go and start trying to feel better. In other words, feel, but don't dwell.
Reverse thoughts
Remind yourself that you don't want to build up too much negative energy around your life. Then, start taking whatever negative thoughts you are feeling and squashing them with true, positive thoughts about your life. For example, the thought "I hate not having any money," may pop into your head. Squash it with "but I do have a roof over my head, food on the table every night and close to wear." Find a positive for every negative thought until you feel better. It does work, if you allow it to!
Write a gratitude list
There will be something in your life that you're grateful for. Write it down. Write down every good thing you have going for you in your life, every great person that you know. Make a list of five or ten things, and refer back to it when you feel negative thoughts creeping up on you. Add to it whenever good things happen and keep it handy for down days.
I actually feel a lot better after writing this post. Even thinking back to what initially annoyed me isn't bothering me as much any more. And I haven't even done my workout yet!
Stay happy guys xxx
