Don’t waste a second more feeling bad.
Your bad moods can be turned around quickly by changing the way you look at things. If you’re faced with a challenging situation, rather than run from it or get frustrated, you learn to see it from the viewpoint of a neutral observer. You give yourself a moment to sit with the feelings that you’re having, acknowledge your current mood, and then come up with a solution that best meets your needs. Sometimes, it requires a distraction to become clear-headed. In other cases, you know what you need to do right away.
Here are ten incredibly easy ways to improve your mood instantly:
- Name three things out loud that you’re grateful for. A lot can be said about gratitude. It allows you to get out of your head and see things for what they truly are. It makes you focus on the positive and see what you have in the way of blessings in your life. When you do this practice long enough, it becomes natural for you. It’s a great way to pick yourself up when you’re feeling down.
- Do a random act of kindness and don’t tell a soul about it. There is no better feeling in the world to do something nice for someone anonymously. Your ego isn’t involved in the process. It’s about putting a smile on someone else’s face which ultimately puts one on yours. You can do a RAK at the gym, at the drive-thru of your favorite healthy restaurant or even at the supermarket. There is no limit to what you can do, either, because some random acts of kindness cost nothing while others are significant in cost but create a big ripple effect in the community.
- Eat foods that boost serotonin levels. Purposely choosing to eat certain foods can help you feel better fast. Food is the best medicine there is. Serotonin helps regulate mood. You’ll increase the body’s production of it by eating things such as salmon, eggs, cheese, tofu, nuts, and even pineapple. Create a feel-good shopping list for yourself for the next time you head to the supermarket. You’ll be able to pick up the items easily and come up with ways to incorporate the ingredients into your meals and snacks.
- Go for a walk and pay close attention to everything around you. Being mindful about things you wouldn’t ordinarily notice helps you still your mind and train it. Rather than be bombarded with a thousand thoughts at once, you learn to look at things with an objective eye, notice their every detail, and move on to the next thing you encounter. In today’s fast-paced world, slowing down can be the answer needed to improve your mood for good.
- Watch a funny video. Having a laugh out loud moment does your body good. Laughing burns calories and helps release stress hormones. If you laugh so hard that you cry, it’s even better because the tears that you secrete help reduce the number of those toxic hormones in the body. Watch something ridiculous and laugh until your stomach hurts.
- Contact someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time. Allow yourself to get lost in the conversation. Be fully present. Think about how good it feels to reconnect with this person. Promise not to let so much time go by before reaching out to them again. Better yet, schedule a time where the two of you can get together face-to-face. It will make you feel incredible to see them and be in their presence once again. You’ll likely lift their spirits, too, just by showing up and being with them during the time you set up for a visit.
- Work up a sweat. Release as many of those endorphins as you possibly can. The feel-good chemicals in the brain affect mood. By getting physically active, you can literally sweat out those negative emotions. You gain a clear head and better perspective, too. It may be best for you to try an exercise you don’t do often or have never tried before, too. That way, you don’t get lax doing it because it has become so routine for you. Pound pavement, climb that rock wall or pass that basketball. You’ve got options that will make you feel much better more quickly than sitting around.
- Offer to help someone in need. Doing something selfless for others is a great way to boost your self-confidence. It makes your life feel like it has purpose. The more you make it a habit to help others in need, the better you’ll feel all the time. It could be as simple as signing up to be a fitness buddy for someone just starting out on their fitness journey or bringing food to a friend who is not well.
- Do something nice for yourself. Get a massage, go on a weekend getaway or buy that new piece of gym equipment you’ve been looking forward to using. You’ve got options that allow you to make the most of your situation. Choosing a reward that has long-lasting results helps extend that feeling of happiness for longer than a few minutes, too.
- Focus on the one thing you can do right now to change your situation. Stop thinking about all the things that cannot possibly happen in the moment. Instead, focus your attention on the one thing you can do this minute that helps you feel better. Then, without hesitation, do it. You’d be amazed how quickly it empowers you. The next steps in the process become easier because of the new frame of mind you now have.
Improve your mood instantly by applying some of the suggestions listed above to your current situation. If they don’t make you feel better fast enough, try something you know will uplift your spirits. By shifting your perspective away from the things that seem out-of-reach and impossible to do and instead focusing on what is attainable, you improve your level of positivity and quickly feel better than you did before.