Little Mood Boosting Tips

Introduction Your own mindset is very significant. Many of these things require an open-mind & a willingness to let things work. Sometimes every bit helps, even if minor, temporary, or placebo effect. To some, this page may seem obvious, unhelpful, condescending, or a similar. This information has been passively placed here for people to observe or ignore at their own discretion. The information is based on experience, observation, and opinion. None of this content is intended to represent professional, official, or absolute information.

Atmosphere / Surroundings Your surroundings can make a difference. Sitting in a dark room might not be the best way to feel enthusiasm toward the day. Allowing light, reducing/organizing clutter, and having things around that bring feelings of positivity may make a difference to you. (I added some links to the bottom in case they're helpful). Scent Orange = Cheerfulness / Invigorate / Mornings Grapefruit = Concentration / Day Lavender = Relaxation / Night There are plenty of others (such as mint and lemon), this is just to give a quick idea. Be very careful of essential oils and research before use if you have pets or allergies. Colour Pink / Orange = Cheerfulness Green, Blue, Purple = Relaxation Natural light and White light during daylight hours = mood and circadian rhythm. Sound Music may be helpful (bearing in mind the style and rhythm etc) in helping you feel more cheerful, energized, or relaxed. I also recommend natural sounds, such as: Thunder / rain: https://www.rainymood.com Natural sounds and scenery: https://www.youtube.com/@johnnielawson Sometimes monotonous sounds / white-noise can help, especially if your overwhelmed. (one common choice is turning on a fan at night to aid with sleep). See what works for you, don't worry if it seems unusual. Touch Touching something soft can have a calming effect, especially stroking a pet. Pressure from weighted blankets or massages may also help with relaxation. If something such as hugging a plush animal while wrapped in a blanket helps you, then go ahead, and don't waste your time feeling silly for trying to help your mindset. (I also think it's also good to touch things like leaves and tree bank, even if it makes me sound like a hippy. Try whatever might help). Plants House plants can add some life, colour, and improved air quality. Actively gardening is even better, even if it's just potting up a new plant (it can be good to get your hands in the dirt). If you are concerned about neglecting your plants, these are a few that I have found easier to care for and capable withstanding neglect: Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica), Snake Plant (Sansevieria), Jade Plant (Crassula ovata), African Violets (Streptocarpus streptocarpella saintpaulia). Please be aware that many plants are not considered pet or child safe. Please conduct additional research to ensure whatever plants you select are safe for everyone your household. Outside Fresh air and some sunlight are almost always beneficial. Even just sitting outside can be helpful. Better still if you can partake in physical activity such as walking or cycling. If you're able to garden, you can use it as an opportunity to get fresh air, exercise, as well as contribute to the colour, scent, and nature of your green space. For planting, I recommend researching native plants, as they will typically require less specialist care, and be more likely to benefit your local wildlife. Animals / Pets If you have a pet, perhaps take some extra time to interact with them (it might mean a lot to them too, as you might just be their everything). If not, consider tagging along with a friend while they walk their dog, volunteering at a shelter, going to a cat cafe, or even just going outside to enjoy viewing and listening whatever nature you might encounter. Fish can also be calming to watch. Some Links Amazon links to some of the things mentioned above: Colour Changing Light Bulbs: https://amzn.to/3PDZJRQ Light Therapy Lamp: https://amzn.to/3jeGja4 Badger Balm: https://amzn.to/3FXcVga Essential Oils: https://amzn.to/3G04SjQ Diffuser Lamp: https://amzn.to/3BMCKOR Fluffy Things: https://amzn.to/3jEs2nh Weighted Blanket: https://amzn.to/3Ww3yLC Rubber Plant: https://amzn.to/3FDBjn0 Jade Plant: https://amzn.to/3j3YM94 African Violet: https://amzn.to/3hxt1oL

Take Care of Your Body Healthy Diet A balanced diet, containing a good amount and range of vegetables, and fewer processed foods, will contribute positively to both mental and physical health. Making your own meals from scratch is often the best option, because you know exactly what is in it. Unfortunately, cooking healthy meals from scratch can be difficult when you aren't feeling positive. It may help to chop indigents in advance, prepare larger amounts in batches, cook when you're feeling most active, and to try and enjoy the creation process. The more you get into the habit of making healthy food, and feeling the benefits of it, the easier it will be to continue doing so. Sometimes, you may not be able to cook a meal entirely from scratch, but anything you can do to increase your nutrition is going to help. At the very least, try including vegetable drinks (eg. V8) in your diet, or adding extra vegetables to your meal (eg. add frozen vegetables to simple foods such as soup, noodles, or leftovers). If you want to stop snacking but can't, you may want to experiment with different things to see if you can eat less of it (eg. substitute foods, portion control, or keeping snack foods out of sight). It may also be worth drinking water, and trying to eat more nutritious and filling foods (eg. nuts) when you do snack, as this may help fill you up. Try not to develop self-loathing over unideal food choices (feeling bad won't help you or change anything). Instead, try to balance things out a little by adding nutritious foods and being active. I would only recommend something like a nutritional shake if you are struggling to eat anything at all. Be sure to read the label of what it contains. I don't know enough about supplements to speak about those. Generally I prefer to get nutrients from foods, but by all means speak to a doctor about nutrition and supplements. A few foods associated with happiness: Chocolate, Bananas, Blueberries, Nuts, Vegetables. Stay Hydrated It's an obvious thing to say, but it's also easy to forget to stay hydrated. Drinking water will help reduce any problems associated with dehydration, and it'll help you stay feeling your best. (Ideally by drinking plain water & eating vegetables foods with high water content). It's probably best to keep stimulants to a minimum, but if you need something to help get you going, I recommend tea over coffee or energy drinks, as is less likely to increase anxiety or interfere with sugar levels. Exercise Staying active is also good for body and mind. And there are other ways to keep moving if a workout doesn't appeal to you. You may find that doing productive things around the house or garden is more appealing; just remember that it all helps. It may also help to dedicate a specific amount of time on a regular schedule, so that it becomes a habit. But experiment to see what works best for you. A few things to consider are walking, yoga, gardening, small weights, and swimming. YouTube can be a good place to look for exercise videos, although you may want to check with your doctor if there are any activities or movements that you should avoid. I recommend taking a look on YouTube for yoga and home exercise to get you started. Example: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolineJordan Stretches Similar to above, but just taking a moment every now and then to do some simple, slow stretches, may help to reduce tension, help blood-flow, and keep your posture in check. I recommend taking a look on YouTube for yoga and stretching videos to get you started. Example: https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene Good Posture Good posture can help you feel more confident, promote good breathing, and reduce the discomfort that poor posture can bring. [If you aren't sure what to do, here are two small suggestions: try making sure to face forward (not down), and keep your shoulders back (try to move your shoulder-blades closer together). Obviously don't do anything that is painful or may cause injury)]. Breathing Breathing well can help to keep you calm and energised. If you can, take the time to breathe not only with your chest, but also with your abdomen/belly to help expand the diaphragm. This, combined with good posture, will help your lungs to fill more fully when breathing. It can also be helpful to breathe in with your nose, hold the breath, and breathe out slowly through your mouth (taking longer to exhale than inhale). A Short List of Breathing Exercises: https://www.verywellhealth.com/breathing-exercises-for-anxiety-5088091 Rest Try to give yourself good amounts of rest, especially ensuring you get enough sleep. Reducing usage of electronics in the hours before bed, and utilising some of the tips above, may help improve sleep.

Mindset Sometimes it can help to adjust your mindset to help dig out of negative thought patterns. Here are a few things that may be worth trying. But mindset is tricky, as we're all different, so if they don't sound/feel right for you, skip them. Smile This one is both body and mind, since smiling supposedly does help release feel good hormones. So if you take it upon yourself to smile more, even if you don't really feel like smiling, it may help you feel more positive. Try to create a genuine feeling smile, and smile with your eyes as well as your mouth. As a bonus, a genuine smile can sometimes help others feel at ease too. Act Happy If needs be, force some positivity and pretend you are happy and confident. It can help set a trend in your behaviour. It's a short-term measure though, just to get you going. If you feel you're having to bury your feelings or it's stirring up negativity in you, skip this one and try something else. Create This could be engaging in any sort of skill, hobby, or activity. Physical tasks may help to reduce tension, and artistic expression may to help release your emotions. You may be able to utilise your negative motions in a positve way. It's important to try and avoid perfectionism, not put pressure on yourself, and feel good that you're doing something positive with your time. Try to enjoy the process. Some examples: Drawing, painting, writing, exercise, tidying, cleaning, cooking, gardening, building, mending, crafting, sewing, writing, learning a language or new skill. Help Helping can help bring positivity to you. And sometimes that positivity does pass on from person to person as well. You can help friends, neighbours, volunteer your time to help with a charity, or take up your own good cause. You may also get additional benefits from the physical and social aspects of helping. It's possible that in some cases, people might misunderstand or not appreciate it, but don't let that put a downer on your positivity; see if you can learn from what happened and move forward. Additionally, don't let people take advantage of your kindness. Give Yourself Time Rushing causes stress. Unexpected things will always crop up, so if you can, give yourself extra time, as well as to be calm and understanding of things that may hold you up, rather than feeling angry (especially if you are driving). There's no harm in being a few minutes early for things; somtimes it can allow for a bit of extra time to get yourself settled and find your bearings. Take a Moment It's sometimes good to take a moment to stop what you are doing and allow yourself to approach everything with a calm, clear, and logical mind. Being tense tends to make things harder, and more likely to go poorly. If you can, take some time time to unwind, appreciate, and enjoy the small things. Manageable Goals Sometimes problems can pile up on top of you, and it's possible that you may feel guilty that you are doing too little. It is not your duty to save the world, putting such pressure on yourself will only make it harder for you to do any good at all. Nobody can fix everything, and certainly not all at once. Try to focus on manageable goals, taking steps at a pace you can manage. Feel good about the small achievements, because they all matter, and build into larger progress. Try a Dash of Arrogance It's best not to waste too much time on other people's thoughts and opinions. If people are going to make negative assumptions about you, it says more about them than it does you. If they can't give you constructive criticism, then their opinion is not worth your time or energy. Instead, be happy in the knowledge that you aren't so needlessly negative and judgemental. If anything use it as a reminder to not be that way yourself. If you feel proud about something, don't let the opinions of others diminish that feeling. Often you are the only one that has a proper understanding of yourself, your challenges, progress, and achievements. It doesn't matter if other people don't quite understand, that does not diminish your achievement. Patience & Forgiveness (both to others and yourself). Taking the time to be more patient and understanding of others may help you reduce your own stress, and be more forgiving of your own mistakes. We're all human. If you are hyper-critical of yourself, you may want to try judging what you are doing as though someone else (such as a friend) is doing it. You might find you are a little less harsh on yourself. Less Thinking, More Doing It is no bad thing to be thoughtful, and it's a good thing to take the time to feel prepared. But by itself, thinking generally doesn't get things done. Sometimes it's best to turn off, ignore, or interrupt your thoughts, because sometimes worrying is the worst part of doing something, so try not to get stuck in that stage. Once you start doing what you have been dreading, it likely won't be as bad as your worrying thoughts were leading you to believe. Trust yourself to deal with things as they arise, the challenge can sometimes benefit you. It's also logical to analyse past actions to see what can be learned. But there is no benefit to repeatedly going over the past and punishing yourself, it only produces stress. Try to be considerate of yourself in the present. Failure Shouldn't Be Feared Typically, failures can be built upon, and can actually be one of the best ways to learn and gain experience. There's also no use telling yourself that you can't do something without actually trying. Trying will provide more of a result than doing nothing will. Don't Compare Yourself to Others The achievements of others don't diminish your own. It's good to feel inspired by others, but find your own goals, and your own way. We are all unique and have our own challenges, nobody's journey is the same. Be Accepting of Yourself Focusing too much on appearance, popularity, or creating an image of success may actually set you up for feeling worse. People shouldn't hold back from enjoying themselves because of how they might look to others. Don't allow other people's negativity run your life or diminish your freedom. Be accepting of your vulnerabilities and imperfections, they are natural. You are human, and you are not less because of these things. It can take courage to do truly be yourself, but this action might just help you get more out of life, and encourage the same in others. Consider Reducing Usage of Social Media I recommend against relying on social media to improve your mood, as it's possible for it to also have a negative effect on mental health. Endless scrolling and waiting around for little mental boosts from others (such as people to contacting you or reacting to your content) might actually be bad for you. If you're able, try seeking that boost yourself in other ways to help put you back in control of your emotions. Be Careful of Negative Thought Spirals Unfortunately, sometimes our own minds can be our worst enemies, and it's possible to fall into negative thinking. These negative thoughts can feed on themselves and spiral endlessly downward. Often these thoughts relate to feeling over-critical of yourself, or feeling that nobody cares. I don't know why the human brain even allows itself to do this, because it's harmful, untrue, and of no benefit. I suspect it stems from mental exhaustion. It can be very difficult to turn these feelings off. I can only recommend to treat yourself with patience, consider some of the things I mentioned above (if you're feeling up to them), try not to set too many goals or put too much pressure on yourself, and hope to have more drive the following day. If this continues long-term, do not wait on others to help you (as obvious as your suffering may seem, chances are that people are either oblivious or don't know what to do). Instead, remember than your mental pain is as real as phyiscal pain, and if you're in pain, you reach out to people who can help. (see below). Reach Out If you can't find anything to break the negative cycle, your best bet is reaching out to a professional. It can take some courage, initiative, and energy to do this, but it is important. Your doctor or social/case worker should be able to help you, and there are helplines & similar resources for you to reach out to (such as crisis services). Friends/family may also be able to listen to you or give you recommendations, but please remember that the average person is not trained to assist with what you are going through (sometimes even the most well-meaning person can give terrible advice). It's okay to reach out to professionals, that's what they are there for. Judgement and Stigmas are Nonsense Do what you need to do to stay healthy. Counselling, therapy, medication, meditation, rest, or whatever else, are personal decisions that should be between you and your doctor (or other relevant medical professional/s). These services exist for a reason. The average person's judgements on such things are of limited value. It is Not Rude to Not to Listen to Bad Advice Although people often mean well when they give input, chances are they are making assumptions and may not be giving good advice. It can be good to remember that there is nothing rude about not listening to bad advice. This is why I recommend professionals. If you feel a professional is giving you unsatisfactory input, please seek another who is a better fit for your needs. Ensure whatever support you receive is something you are comfortable with, and that they are not asking anything unreasonable from you. Don't feel bad about leaving your method of support for something else. (I also recommend caution with regards to telling others how to behave or deal with their emotions. Please remember that people have different experiences, different mindsets, and different methods of coping. It's very possible that someone may not appreciate your well-meaning advice. (It will depend on the circumstances of course, but merely telling someone to "smile" or "cheer up" because they look sad almost never comes across well)).

If none of this has been helpful to you, but you would still like to find some help, please consider reaching out to a professional. Additionally > this page may help find recources <