We've heard the standard advice for lifting ourselves out of a mood funk, like going for a walk or practicing gratitude. Here are some specific and novel ideas for when those seem trite or unappealing.
We all sometimes discover activities we enjoy but then inexplicably stop doing them. Rediscover a forgotten pleasure. This could be, for example, getting takeout from a restaurant you like, visiting a park you used to like to walk around, taking a yoga class, tending a plant you've previously grown, doing a hobby you've previously engaged in, having a "parents' night out" you used to do, visiting a library with an art gallery you used to pop into, going to a venue you used to enjoy going to for after-work music on a Friday night, or using the steam room at your gym.
We all have stories that get us down. For instance, "I should've done X better," or "X was my fault," or "I let someone down by...."
Often, we have replayed the story so many times we begin to see the story as fact. It's never too late to re-write a story about your own or someone else's behavior, or something that happened.
What gets in the way of people rewriting their stories is an inability to see a story for what it is—a story—not an absolute truth. When we have ruminated about a story, the story will tend to become more sticky.
Expressing your creativity can feel good, but few of us want to add to our schedule. Instead, you can approach something you already need to do in a highly creative manner. For example, my homeschooler needs to learn about the 50 states. A common way to do this is a postcard swap. A more creative way might be to ask people which state they grew up in, engage in a conversation about that, and try to find individuals who grew up in each of the states.
Having hanging items on your to-do list can feel weighty. It can drag down your mood and energy. A way to instantly boost your mood is to identify a much, much simpler way to solve a problem that's populating your to-do list.
This both takes the item off your list and gives you a sense that problems in general are not so weighty.
For example:
We all have "must" thoughts that add to our mental load. For example, "I must clean the playroom before I invite anyone over," or "I must reply to that person I lost touch with."
Throwing out a "must" thought can be a huge mental relief. You can even do this physically. Write the thought on a piece of paper and put it out with your trash! Or type out the thought and strike through it. Then write an alternative sentence. Or do the same, but handwrite the "must" thought on a large piece of paper, strike it out, and then take a photo of yourself holding the paper.
To enable yourself to change your thinking, it can be easiest to start with a behavioral strategy, like tip #1 (Do an activity you typically enjoy but haven't done in the past six months) or tip #4 (Solve a problem in a much simpler way). Behavioral strategies can give us a quick energy lift that helps make our thinking more flexible. Trying to start with a thinking shift is sometimes too hard, especially if feeling low has reduced your activity level (e.g., you're sitting on your couch a lot, or your productivity is way down.) On the other hand, behavioral strategies can feel a bit empty if they're not followed up by deeper thinking changes. Their combination can be the most satisfying and enduring. Having both in your repertoire also gives you the flexibility to use the type of strategy you can manage at the time.
When you need to lift your mood, try these simple strategies that are a little more advanced than some of the standard advice.
5 Uncommon Ways to Instantly Re-energize Your Mood
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19.03.2024
We've heard the standard advice for lifting ourselves out of a mood funk, like going for a walk or practicing gratitude. Here are some specific and novel ideas for when those seem trite or unappealing.
We all sometimes discover activities we enjoy but then inexplicably stop doing them. Rediscover a forgotten pleasure. This could be, for example, getting takeout from a restaurant you like, visiting a park you used to like to walk around, taking a yoga class, tending a plant you've previously grown, doing a hobby you've previously engaged in, having a "parents' night out" you used to do, visiting a library with an art gallery you used to pop into, going to a venue you used to enjoy going to for after-work music on a Friday night, or using the steam room at your gym.
We all have stories that get us down. For instance, "I should've done X better," or "X was my fault," or "I let someone down by...."
Often,........
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