Life can be great. Life can be not so great. And sometimes, life really just sucks.
Unfortunately, we don’t always know what to do to change how we feel in the present moment. Emotions are heavy and not too easy to shake off. We’ve all been there before, and we all have our different ways of cheering ourself up. Some more effective than others.
To help those out who might me struggling with changing their mood, I’ve composed a quick list of 8 instant mood boosters that I use daily.
Make a cup of tea
Personally, I believe a nice warm cup of tea is like a hug. It makes you feel warm from the inside out. And depending on what your tea of choice is, you can also feel extremely relaxed. I’m a big fan of chamomile, especially before bed. If you have trouble falling asleep at night I highly suggest it.
Have a snack
Does the word “hangry” (hungry and angry) sound familiar? I know I experience this more times than I can count. I can become extremely caught up in whatever I’m working on and not snack or eat a meal when it’s time to. This leads to one hangry Nani that will snap at the smallest most minuscule thing. So do everyone a favor, including yourself, eat! Take the time to sit down and eat a snack, trust me, you’ll feel so much better.
Cuddle up
Now there are multiples ways that cuddling can change your entire mood.
As a single woman, my Maltipoo gets all the cuddle time from me. Luckily for me she enjoys every minute of it. Twenty minutes snuggled up with her on the couch can really make a bad day better.
However, if you’re in a relationship, cuddling with the one you love is just as good. (If not better). If you’re unable to see your significant other in that moment this next idea may be just as good. I’m sure you have at least one article of clothing they’ve left behind, or you’ve stolen (because that’s what we do). Take the article of clothing and take a whiff. You may think “ew,” but think about it. You can’t physically be with the person who makes you happiest at the moment, but you CAN smell them which more often than not brings feelings of love, security and happiness.
Get some sun
Sunshine boosts your levels of serotonin. If you didn’t know, serotonin is thought of as the chemical that helps maintain mood balance. If your body does not produce enough serotonin, you’re more susceptible to suffer from depression. Besides all that, it’s good for you to get out and get some fresh air.
Smile, even if you don’t feel like it
I’m not too big of a fan of the phrase “fake it ’til you make it” but I’ll make the exception this one time. You may feel like a fool, or like you’re pretending. You may even feel fake. But more often than not, just by smiling when you don’t feel too hot can actually lead you to feeling better.
Take a cleansing shower
Not only is taking a nice hot shower relaxing, it’s also very cleansing. It gives the illusion of washing all the stressors of the day off of you. I personally do a lot of my best thinking in the shower. I come out of the shower feeling rejuvenated and ready for whatever comes my way.
Get physical
In the words of Elle Woods, “Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands. They just don’t.” Go on a run. Try out a yoga class. Go swimming. Just get up and get active. The high after a workout is incredible and highly effective in having a great day.
Get organized
As a child, my mother always used to tell me to clean up my room. That it would make life seem better, and easier. I always believed that was just a scam to keep my room tidy. But now that I’m older I find myself cleaning when I’m stressed or just feeling in a funk. For whatever reason, cleaning seems to have a positive affect on mood. Like my life is in order when my room and house are in order.
Hopefully this list will be of some help to those looking for a quick pick me up.
