The blues overtake all of us from time to time. Here are 25 quick ways to pick up your spirits.
1. Keep a running list of inspiring quotes and uplifting jokes. Refer to them when you need to.
2. Call a friend and ask her to tell you her favorite joke.
3. Think about how things would look if your life were perfect. Now imagine your life is just that way, and live out the rest of the day with that awareness.
4. Drink two glasses of water. Many times, what I thought was sadness was really just dehydration. Sounds simple, but it's true.
5. Fake a smile for 5 or 10 minutes.
6. Read an uplifting devotional or meditation.
7. Close your eyes for a few minutes.
8. Call your mom.
9. Look through old scrapbooks or personal journals.
10. Go outside. A few minutes of fresh air can do wonders for your mood.
11. Go for a very quick jog.
12. Keep a gratitude journal, in which you write down things that you are thankful for. This is a great way to start and end each day. For a quick "pick-me-up," write as many gratitudes as you can in one minute. Don't think; just write.
13. Make something. Use your creative mind, and create something with your own two hands, whether it is a piece of jewelry, a scrapbook page, a pretty floral arrangement or a batch of cookies.
14. What is your biggest goal (or your biggest problem)? Do one thing that will contribute to its completion (or its solution.)
15. Keep a running list of things you enjoy doing. This sounds funny, but sometimes, when we're in a funk, we can't think of anything. Do something that you enjoy doing, just for the sake of doing it.
16. Think thoughts that make you feel just a little bit better. Find the best part of your situation and focus your thoughts on that. Repeat.
17. Eat something healthy and fresh. You could be feeling blue because your blood sugar has taken a dip. Eat a bowl of fresh fruits or vegetables.
18. Buy yourself a simple bouquet of fresh flowers.
19. Pour a cup of hot cocoa or a cup of coffee and read a favorite magazine for a few minutes.
20. Make lists. It makes us feel so capable when we can cross things off our to-do lists.
21. Turn on music. Your favorite tunes can really lift your spirits. Use classical and jazz to calm; rock and roll or hip hop to energize.
22. Write down what's bothering you, as quickly as you can without stopping to think about it too much as you write. You can achieve a huge amount of clarity from this simple exercise.
23. Mark Twain said, "The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up." He's right, and it doesn't have to mean a big time investment. Just do something thoughtful for someone, right now.
24. De-clutter a part of your home or office that needs it. These little jobs can be really uplifting as they give us a sense of accomplishment throughout the day.
25. Set a new goal. If I'm feeling down in the dumps, sometimes all I need is something new to accomplish.
If your mood doesn't brighten right away, go with the flow, and accept your mood just the way it is. It is okay to be feel blue every now and then. Let yourself rest, and give yourself time to restore your own happy mood in your own natural time.
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