Helpful Tips for Improving Your Mood

Last Updated on January 8, 2020 by Katherine

Full disclosure, I’m not a doctor or a psychologist, so these tips are not to be taken as medical advice in any way. However, if you’re just having an off day, these tips should help you get back to being your awesome self. I use these tips whenever I’m feeling stressed and overwhelmed and they do wonders for my mood.

As most of us in the Northern Hemisphere are experiencing winter and shorter days and longer nights. As a result, our mental health can start to take a hit. A little bit of moodiness is healthy, but if you find these tips just can’t shake negative feelings, please consider seeking professional help. A mental health professional can help you manage your illness so you can get back to living your life.

Check Your Posture

Think tall, a study (From San Francisco State University) has shown that those who walk tall tend to have better moods.

Stretch It Out

I have been practicing yoga for years, ever since I developed a terrible back from a desk job. Did you know you don’t have to hit up a studio for a class? There are dozens of Youtube personalities who have happily shared their practice with the world. My favorite is Yoga with Adriene, she approaches yoga from the standpoint of you should seek to move in a way that feels good. Whenever my back starts causing me problems, I do one of her videos and I notice an immediate improvement.

If yoga isn’t your thing, find an exercise that works for you. Just exercising three times per week can do wonders on your mood. Exercise releases endorphins, which are great mood improvers. Exercise also distracts you and can help you sort of reset your day and banish the negativity. Moderate exercise is best for most people, so you don’t need to try and kill yourself in the gym to reap the benefits!

Start small. I force myself to work out by remembering how freaking good I feel after doing so. Works like a charm every time! Another tip I’ve heard is to tell yourself you can quit after five minutes.

Commune with Nature

You don’t need to go all out and plan a massive hike, just a simple walk around your neighborhood can be beneficial. Even just a 20-minute walk can do wonders on my mood. I start off by telling myself to just walk around the block, simple right?

Be Grateful

Adopting a grateful attitude can drastically change the inner monologue. It seems a little hokey and I was skeptical at first, but I’ve noticed my general attitude has changed since I started noting what I’m grateful for. The more you do it, the better you are at recognizing just how plentiful your life is. Start with picking 3-5 things you are grateful for and go from there.

You Are What You Eat

Sugar will mess with your system, so cutting that out or down can do wonders for your mood. Also look at grabbing some berries as they are natural stress busters. Lean proteins like chicken or fish can also help you feel good.

Socialize

Humans are social creatures, even if you are an introvert like me, you still need to get out and interact with people. Sometimes even just heading to my local coffee shop for a cup can do wonders for my mood. Meeting up with a friend or family member can be even better.

Rule Of Five

When I’m feeling particularly challenged, I immediately cut my daily to-do list down to just five items. It immediately kills the overwhelmed feelings and reduces my stress.

Hobbies Will Save Your Sanity

Hobbies are activities we enjoy doing and it turns out they are super vital to our well being! In addition to helping you relax, they can also provide your brain with a challenge. Some studies have shown participating in hobbies can have a similar benefit to meditation and ward off age-related memory loss.

Whether you love to read or have taken up a craft like scrapbooking or jewelry making, be sure to schedule a time to do these activities as they can greatly benefit your mental health!

So Take Care Of You

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful, if you have, please pin this content to Pinterest or share on your favorite social media platform and spread the love.

If you’ve tried these and it just isn’t helping, please speak to a mental health professional, there’s nothing wrong for asking for a little extra help if you need it at times. Depression, anxiety and other mental health issues are very real and these tips might help alleviate those symptoms a little bit, but getting proper healthcare will work even better for you.

Next week will be all about helpful tools for bloggers, so if you are an aspiring blogger or want to be, be sure to tune in. Until then, happy crafting.