Improve Your Mood

Depression is hard. In many ways it is all up to you. And that can be difficult, tiring, scary. One way to try to combat depression is to find interruptions to the cycle that occurs. To interrupt these patterns takes time, strength and perseverance. A good place to start is by doing things that can change your mood.

Studies show negative emotions – including anger, hostility and pessimism – are linked to a higher risk of heart disease and lower chance of recovery from events such as heart attacks, as well as poorer cognitive health.

30 Ways to Improve Your Mood

If you’re looking for suggestions, you may find these helpful:

1. Step back and self-reflect. Whenever you start feeling depressed, try to stop, reflect, and get to the root of the feelings.

2. Reach out to someone. You may bottle up feelings out of fear that you would be judged if you talked about them. Reach out to a loving, understanding person is one of the best things you can do.

3. Listen to music. Music can heal, put you in a better mood, make you feel less alone, or take you on a mental journey.

4. Cuddle or play with pets. Spending quality time with a loving pet can instantly make your heart and soul feel better.

5. Go for a walk. Walking always helps clear the head and shed negative energy. It’s especially therapeutic if you choose to walk at a scenic location.  

6. Drink something healthy and reinvigorating.  There are many health and mood benefits of drinking orange juice and other fruit juices.

7. Write. Writing can be the first thing to do when your feeling down. It always helps me get thoughts and feelings out in front of you.

8. Take a nap. Sometimes we just need to recharge. It always feels better after getting some rest.

9. Plan a fun activity. Moping around never helps to feel any better, so it usually helps to plan something fun to do if your feeling up to it. It can be something as simple as creating your own vision board or something as big as planning a trip.

10. Do something spontaneous. Some favorite memories entail choices you made spontaneously. We should all learn to let go of routine every now and then and do something exciting and unplanned.

11. Prioritize. Sometimes we feel depressed when priorities are out of balance. Try to make sure your giving a fair amount of attention to all the priorities in your life, such as work, relationships, health, and personal happiness.

12. Look through old photographs or snap some new ones. Sorting through old memories or capturing new ones usually puts a smile on ones face.

13. Hug someone. Be a hugger. Hugs are such an easy way to express love and care without having to say a word.

14. Laugh. Watch a funny movie or spend time with someone who has a good sense of humor. Laughing releases tension and has a natural ability to heal.

15. Cry. I don’t like crying in front of people, but whenever you have an opportunity to slink away and cry by yourself, we always feel better afterwards. Crying releases pain.

16. Read back over old emails or text messages, or listen to old voicemails. Whenever you feel dejected or bad about yourself, read kind emails and comments. Doing so reminds that you are loved, thought about, and appreciated.

17. Reconnect with someone. Get back in touch with an old friend or a family member that you haven’t spoken to in awhile. Reconnecting with people almost always puts one in a good mood and fills the heart up with love.

18. Write yourself a letter. Try to separate yourself from the ego and give yourself a pep talk every now and then. Cicero said, “Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself.”

19. Try a deep breathing exercise. There are all kinds of deep breathing exercises out there. Find one you like and do it whenever you’re feeling stressed or overly emotional.

20. Cultivate gratitude. Practicing genuine gratitude on a daily basis can be a major source of healing in your life. When you step back and notice everything you have to be grateful for, it makes you feel like you have everything you need and that nothing is lacking.

21. Re-watch a funny or inspiring YouTube video. There are so many funny and inspiring videos online.

22. Bake something.  Plus, you can eat whatever you baked and share it with others afterward.

23. Get out of the house. Make a point to get out every now and then, whether it’s to get some fresh air or go out to eat with a friend.

24. Focus on what truly matters to you. Sometimes we forget what matters to us and what isn’t that important. Some things just aren’t worth getting too upset over.

25. Take a negative comment or situation and look for something positive about it. If someone says something negative to you or you get stuck in an unpleasant situation, sometimes it helps to look at it from a different angle. Perspective is everything.

26. Daydream. Take a mental vacation. Let your mind wander for a while.

27. Let some natural sunlight come in. Opening all the blinds and curtains and letting natural sunlight flood your home can help elevate your mood.

28. Take a mental health day. Sometimes we just need to take a day to clear our heads and nurture our souls. Mental health has a history of being a bit erratic, so nurturing it is a priority in life.

29. Let go. This is a very simple mantra. Say it to yourself multiple times each day, which is very liberating and empowering.

30. Read Tiny Buddha. There is a category for almost every universal theme or emotion.