We all have days where we feel down in the dumps. Some days it can be difficult to face the constant challenges. Any negative thing can make it hard to achieve anything. People criticise you for the smallest things and sometimes this will bring you down. When this happens it can be tough to not think of yourself as a loser who cannot achieve your goals. Or that you are a failure. And when you have mental health challenges, down days can be more common.
How often do you feel this way? Days when you feel unmotivated to do anything. Times when you feel no one loves or cares for you. Everything feels pointless. Days where you are miserable and are behind in what you need to achieve. So how do you cheer yourself up?
Cheering yourself up is about recognising how you feel and choosing to change it. It is not about avoiding it. It is about showing yourself love. Recognising your self-worth.
Instead of focusing on the negatives, find ways to turn them around so you feel better. Here are some tips to use to change your mood and cheer yourself up.
1. Change your negative self-talk
Your senses send “11 million bits per second to your brain for processing but your conscious mind can only process 50 bits per second”. So if all that is negative of course you will think that everything in your life is negative. And you will feel down on yourself.
Consciously notice your negative thoughts. Acknowledge them to start changing your negative self-talk. Recognise your negative self-talk has no real basis in reality. Once you can do this, you can change how you talk to yourself.
2. Be grateful for everything in your life
Be grateful for everything in your life. Feeling gratitude will instantly lift your mood. Sit down and make a list of at least 10 things you feel grateful for—a roof over your head, food on the table. Get the idea? Everyone has countless reasons to be thankful, no matter how insignificant they can seem. Even say what you are grateful out loud to give it more power. Do this every time you feel yourself slipping into a bad mood or feeling down. When you activate feelings of gratitude you disempower the stress and worry you feel.
Here are some samples:
- I am grateful for the rainy weather. It is an opportunity to snuggle up on the couch and watch a good movie.
- I am grateful for my mobile phone. It keeps me connected to the world.
- I am grateful for my pets and their unconditional love.
- I am grateful for my gardener. He saves me the time it takes by keeping the garden neat and tidy.
Every little thing matters. Be grateful these things exist in your life and be thankful that you exist.
3. Power of positive affirmations
Saying positive affirmations has the power to cheer you up. Repeating them can reduce your stress, increase your confidence and boost your mood.
How often do you see your worst fears come true? It is usually because your negative thoughts and fears about what you do not want becomes self-fulfilling prophecies. But the reverse is true too. You can use positive affirmations to cheer yourself up and bring about what you really want in your life.
Choose affirmations that fit in with your interests, goals and desires. Make sure they uplift and inspire you. Repeat your positive affirmations once or twice a day.
Here are a few affirmations that can inspire, motivate and cheer you up:
- I am not afraid to be wrong.
- I can achieve my every desire.
- I am happy, healthy and focused.
- I no longer have negative thoughts about myself and my abilities.
- Today fills me with positive energy.
- Today I choose to be happy.
4. Play music that boosts your mood
Music can affect how you feel and can alter your mental state. When you feel down play your favourite music to cheer yourself up. Play music that lifts your mood and makes you feel better about yourself.
Everyone has a different definition of what music feels good to them. Maybe you need to fight through your emotions or negative feelings or need something to lift your mood. Make a personal playlist of songs that are easy to access when you need them.
Here are a few suggestions to lift your mood:
- Dance Monkey — Tones and I
- Walking on Sunshine — Katrina & The Waves
- Good as Hell — Lizzo
- Ironic — Alanis Morisette
- Happy — Pharrell
- I Gotta Feeling — Black Eyed Peas.
Use music to create whatever mood you want — productive, to get you moving or to inspire and motivate, for example. It affects your mind, soul and emotions so use music to create the mood you need.
At Blissiree Pty Ltd, we\’re about to launch our new Membership program which has access to over 65+ audio programs which could help you to achieve your ideal mental well being.
5. Take time out to meditate
Spend a few minutes meditating. It can completely change your mindset when you live in the moment. Relaxing your mind can chase the blues away. Over thinking things causes depression and anxiety. Meditating allows you to let it all go and to reconnect with yourself.
There are a lot of ways to meditate. Take a walk, use breathing techniques and mindfulness. Meditate in any way that works for you.
Just a few minutes meditating can reset your mood. It can reduce your stress and leave you feeling calm, relaxed, focused and motivated.
6. Spend time basking in the sun
When the sun is shining, spend time basking in the sun. Soak up the vitamin B from its rays and enjoy its warmth.
Depression can be more common during winter as the weather is depressing when it rains, and the fog rolls in and every day is overcast. This is why depression can hit harder and more often in winter. There is little sun to spark positive feelings. So when the sun shines, step outside, take a few deep breaths of fresh air and enjoy the sun’s warm rays. It will not take long before you notice its positive effects.
7. Give someone a hug
Give someone a hug. It can improve your mood and it feels good. Hugging releases your feel good hormones and neurotransmitters such as cortisol and oxytocin so it reduces your stress. A hug will leave you feeling much better. And, if there is no one around to hug, try hugging your pet to get a similar benefit.
8. Work it out
Work it out by going for a walk or a run, take a yoga class or go to the gym. Staying active and exercising instantly lifts your low mood. It helps you to unwind and relax. Working out gives you a break from your usual environment and can really help chase away the blues.
9. Achieve one thing on your to-do list
Most people have a long list of things to do. Sometimes feeling low can relate to the overwhelming amount of things you need to achieve. Try challenging yourself to complete just one thing on your list. Moving forward can give you a sense of achievement and lift your mood.
When you do not feel motivated to start anything at all, doing even just the smallest thing can help. Take a small step just to get you started. Open the documents you need to work on, clean out one cupboard or make a start in the garden. It does not matter if you do not complete the task. But starting can inspire you to keep going. Even keep a list of what you need to do next.
Making a start allows you to move forward even if it is only a little bit. And it will make you feel better.
10. Call someone who cares
Call someone who cares about you when you feel blue. Call your mother or someone close to you who understands how you feel. Talk to them about how you feel and they will help you realise your self-worth. Chatting with someone close to you is the best medicine when you feel down. Do not feel embarrassed about calling someone close for help. It is the people who love and care about you who want to be there to help you through the hard times. They want to help you feel better about yourself.
11. Pamper yourself
When you feel down, pampering yourself can instantly cheer you up. Take time out to meet friends for lunch, go to a spa, have a massage or get your hair and nails done. Buy a new outfit or shoes, or spend time doing something you love. There are so many things you can do to pamper yourself when you feel blue.
12. Do not be too hard on yourself
Sometimes we are too hard on ourselves. Does this sound like you? Do you expect too much from yourself? Do you try to get too much done? You are probably doing the best you can with what you have. But life can throw too many challenges at you at a time which can bring you down.
When life becomes too overwhelming, it can be time to take a break. Give yourself time to recover and do not be too hard on yourself. Unless you have an immediate deadline, take time out for some self-care. This can be more productive than pushing yourself over the edge. And, remember to tell yourself that everything will be alright because it will be.
13. Put a smile on your face
Smiling can cheer you up even if you have to force it. It will flood your system immediately with feel good endorphins. Even though your heart may not be in it, just the simple use of the muscles in your face moving into a smile will release endorphins. This will improve your overall happiness and release the stress reducing hormone cortisol. Endorphins are the neurotransmitters that can make you feel better so smiling, even when you do not feel like it, boosts your mood when you feel blue.
14. Enjoy your achievements
When you feel down, write down all your achievements. Write everything down no matter how small — receiving praise at work, your child telling you they love you, a thank you from a neighbour, cleaning the house. These are all achievements that should make you happy. Put the list somewhere you can see it easily. Read it every day. Add to the list as you have further achievements. Feel happy about every single thing you achieve no matter how small or large.
We are here to help
When you are down in the dumps it can be hard to overcome especially when you struggle with mental health issues. When you have depression, cheering yourself up can be tough. Even when you have support, you may feel people do not really understand or it is not enough. And even if you are taking medication, sometimes you need something more.
If you are struggling, consider reaching out. When you are not coping, contact us to find out how we can help get your life back on track. But, if you reach crisis point, call us immediately. We are here to support you through a crisis and can help you quickly deal with things better.
We can work with you over the phone, via Skype or in our Spas. Book in today for my Emotional Empowerment Program. I have an introductory offer for just $79 so you can start taking back control of your life. We can support and help you cope with the challenges of anxiety or panic attacks. With our help, you can soon reduce the anxiety and look forward to a future filled with happiness and joy.
Let me help stop the effects of mental health issues
My Emotional Empowerment Program has helped many people like you deal with all types of mental health challenges for more than a decade. We can help you move through and deal with stress, depression and anxiety which can be the root cause of mental health issues. I can help you replace these with happiness, peace and contentment in weeks not years so you can see a positive future. Listen to what Alicia has to say about my program after only a few sessions.