Our emotions can be a rollercoaster, changing from moment to moment. Sometimes we can easily pinpoint the cause of our mood, and other times, it sneaks up on us unexpectedly. If you’re feeling stuck in a low mood and want to make a shift, here are ten simple ways you can start to feel better right now. These small actions can help you create space for a more positive state of mind. Stick around until the end for a free relaxation download.
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Go for a Walk and Look Up 🌳
Take a walk outside and be observant of the details around you. Notice the trees, the sky, or small things you might usually overlook. It helps shift your focus and refreshes your mind. Have you ever noticed when you feel sad you tend to look down more? This is because it engages your feeling part of the brain, looking up access the visual representation system and takes you out of feelings mode. So, look up when you are out and about on your walk. I also like to really pay attention to the smaller details like becoming aware of the leaves and if they are showing signs of autumn yet or to really look at the different types of flowers around me, its amazing how many different kinds of wildflower are out there.
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Put on Some Music and Dance it Out 🎶
Choose music that matches the vibe you want to create, whether it’s uplifting or calming. Singing and dancing can instantly lift your mood and release pent-up energy. I find that asking Alexa or Spotify to play something to sing along to is a great request for finding good energy music because you are likely to know the song straight away, and don’t we all love to imagine we are some superstar with the stage all ours whilst singing in to a wooden spoon in the kitchen, or it that just me?
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Stressed? Take a Soak in the Bath 🛁
A warm bath with bubbles or Epsom salts, and a few candles can do wonders for stress relief. If a bath isn’t an option, try a long, relaxing shower with the water aimed at different parts of your body for a mini massage. As you wash yourself be really attentive and mindful about it, paying great attention to your body and the process of washing and cleansing.
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Deep Breathing with Gentle Stretches 🌬️
Spend a few minutes doing deep belly breaths combined with gentle stretching. It calms the nervous system and releases tension in the body.
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Listen to a Relaxation or Hypnosis Audio 🎧
Taking time to listen to a guided relaxation or hypnosis audio can help you turn inward and release mental clutter, promoting calm and focus. If ever my batteries are running on near empty this is my go-to action. Hypnosis makes me feel like I’ve had a full battery re-charge and leaves me super calm afterwards.
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Gratitude Journaling 📝
Write down three things you’re grateful for. Focusing on the positive, no matter how small, can shift your mindset and bring clarity in stressful moments. This step works best as part of a daily ritual- usually first thing in the morning as it sets you up for a positive start to the day. Sometimes it can initially be really hard to find 3 things especially when in the deepest of funks, but once you get to three you will often find the mind looking for other positives so if you choose to write down the rest that come through too.
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Quick Mindfulness Exercise 🧘
Spend just five minutes focusing on your breath or observing your surroundings. Mindfulness helps ground you in the present moment, giving you a break from stressful thoughts. Mindfulness is all about slowing down and being completely in the present moment – no thoughts drifting to the food shop or picking the kids up. Just being in the here and now. So, stop what you are doing close your eyes and breathe and focus on the breath and how it feels to breathe, then become aware of the sounds you can hear, notice how those sounds make you feel, perhaps you can hear schoolchildren on their break and their squeals of having fun bring a smile to your face. Then expand your awareness into smells, what can you notice in terms of smells around you, if you really focus can you smell a slight whiff of your deodorant or shampoo? And now open your eyes and look around you, what can you see and pay attention to textures, shapes, colours. End this on 3 deep breaths as you focus on letting it go letting it out. Ahhh doesn’t that feel better now?
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Laugh it Out 😂
Watch a funny video, read a few jokes, or think of a funny memory. Laughter is an instant mood booster that can lighten the heaviness of stress or a bad mood. I once attended a course and at the end of the course the instructor asked if we were willing to be comfortable with being uncomfortable for a while. Intrigued we agreed. We were then instructed to just start laughing…wait what? There’s nothing funny happening. It’s ok, he assured us just start fake laughing. So, feeling rather foolish we all began to fake laugh, after a few moments we were all in hysterics at the ridiculousness of it all, but you know once we started it became so easy to laugh and laugh and laugh, we had tears streaming down our faces, our jaws ached from laughing so much. I’ve never finished a training feeling so good though. So, there is definitely something in the power of laughter.
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Cook or Craft Something 🍳🖌️
Engaging in a productive activity like cooking a new recipe or crafting gives you a sense of accomplishment and helps redirect your energy. Plus, it’s fun! I also think that this is because cooking and crafting keep you in the present moment, you are fully immersed in what you are doing.
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Connect with a Friend or Loved One ☎️
Sometimes, all you need is a quick chat with someone who understands you. Sharing how you feel or simply hearing a friendly voice can lift your spirits. I think its super important here to highlight the importance of calling someone who is uplifting in spirits rather than someone who is an energy vampire. I don’t think talking about problems necessarily solves them and can often keep people stuck but as long as if the conversation doesn’t stay stuck around whatever is bumming you out you can often find it leading to funnier moments that become much more light-hearted.
Dealing with moods isn’t always an easy thing to do, especially when they come to hang around for a while. Just remember that moods are transient, meaning they are always moving and flowing through us, soon enough the next emotion will come along. Self-care is so important to our emotional and mental well-being and when in the depths of despair its often easier to take small manageable steps rather than attempting big changes.
BONUS: Free Relaxation Audio 🎧
As a special gift for my readers, I’ve created a free guided audio to help you breathe deeply, relax, and reset your mood. It’s not hypnosis, just a calming way to take a few moments for yourself. You can download it here: Click here to download. Enjoy a few minutes of peace as you focus on gentle breathing and calming thoughts. ✨
