We've all been put through the wringer this past year. 2020 was a tough one and 2021 didn't start any better. Here's what we're doing to stay positive.
Moods are tricky.
One moment you could be smiling from ear-to-ear, only to frown a few seconds later. Or it could be the other way around, tears of sadness turn into tears of joy. It’s not that you’re crazy, it’s just that we live in a world full of factors that we can’t control. As much as we want to be in charge of our mood, sometimes, it just gets the best of us.
Don’t worry though! You can still get back your reins and turn bad moods around. Here are some mood lifting tips you can get started with today.
Get Some Sunlight
Sunlight, according to studies, prompts the brain to release serotonin, a hormone associated with making a person calm and focused. Exposing yourself to a good amount of sunlight, even for just a few minutes, can immediately have a positive effect on your mood.
You can take a good short walk around the office or the block. Or you could also stand or sit in front of a window for a few minutes, just basking under rays of sunshine.
Along with a few deep breaths, you should be in a better mood in a few minutes.
Listen to Nature
Open your favorite music streaming app and listen to sounds of nature. Whether it’s waves crashing on the shore or birds chirping in the woods, natural sounds have been discovered to boost a person’s mood and help them focus. In fact, whenever nature sounds were played in offices, employees tended to perform better on their tasks and exhibited improved cognitive abilities.
So browse through Spotify or Apple Music and find a playlist with sounds that you want to hear. Give it a minute or two and you’ll be right on track again. Or, how about this... go outside. Take a walk in the park, listen to what the birds have to say.
Talk to Someone
Talking to someone helps you process your feelings and gives you a better grasp of your current situation. Once you open up about how you feel, it’s much easier to let it go and focus on the things that you have to do.
You might want to talk to a loved one or a close friend whom you know can help you get through these challenging moments.
Just make sure to allow yourself to let go of your feelings and move on from the situation as soon as you can.
Eat Something Healthy
This literally means to go grab good food to have a good mood.
According to several studies, certain foods have the ability to lift up your mood. Foods like nuts, berries, dark chocolate, yogurt, and oats are some of the things that you can reach for whenever your mood starts a downward spiral. These bites of happiness aren’t just to get you up on your feet again, but they’re also a healthy fix for a bad day.
Sweat It Out
Break a sweat when it’s starting to feel like a really bad day. You don’t have to hit the gym or run a mile; it could be as simple as going up and down a few steps on the stairs or doing enough jumping jacks to make you perspire. Exercise, as many vouch for, has a scientific effect of uplifting your mood and making you feel relaxed. As you exert physical effort, your brain releases endorphins—feel-good chemicals—throughout your body.
So you’re not just feeling energized, you’re also feeling literal happiness from head to toe.
Take a Quick Nap
Ideally, you should take a nap in the afternoon. This short break from the rest of the world isn’t for you to escape, but for your body to recuperate and improve your emotional regulation. You’ll find that waking up after a 10- to 20-minute nap works better than coffee.
Energized and in a better mood, you can conquer the rest of the day with no problems. You’re also less likely to be irritable and negative when another roadblock or challenge occurs. Keep in mind that for naps to be effective it should be short and done early in the afternoon, around 1:00PM to 3:00PM. Napping after that will only affect your sleeping time.
Meditate
Stress and other negative emotions have a way of controlling your moods, making you less productive throughout the day.
Research suggests that meditation gives you the power to focus and redirect your thoughts into positive ones. You become more aware of your surroundings and you increase self-awareness, making it easier for you to improve your mood.
Meditation, however, comes with practice. You need to develop good habits on focusing your mind during meditation to see the benefits of it.
