We all have those days when we just feel a little depressed, unmotivated, or just plain old blah. I have a few things I know that work for me when I’m in one of those funky moods and I’d like to share them with you.
1. Turn on some music. Put something upbeat on your ipod or radio that makes you want to dance or sing along. No ballads! Music that reminds you of a good time will get you smiling and energized!
2. Don’t spend the day in your sweats or pajamas. Get showered, groomed, and dressed. Making yourself clean and smelling good will boost your mood and as a side affect, as long as you’re dressed and ready, you might as well do something!
3. Do something for someone else. This is an instant mood lifter. A good deed doesn’t have to cost a dime. A phone call to someone you know needs encouragement or who is facing a challenge will put you in the position of comforter and coach which will make you feel good about yourself. Take some coffee over to chat with a friend. Clean out your closet and give your overflow to a charity. Look outside yourself and give.
4. Eat a snack that is rich in Omega-3′s. Scientists from the University of Pittsburgh say that foods like walnuts, and salmon, which are loaded with Omega-3 have been shown to decrease the propensity for depression. As an added bonus, you’ll be boosting your bone health when eating these types of foods.
5. Exercise! Put on an exercise video and start moving! Take a brisk walk. Swim. Exercise stimulates your brain to release the ‘feel good’ endorphins, seratonin and dopamine. Exercising regularly can be as effective as taking pharmaceuticals like prozac or zoloft.
You don’t have to be 900 years old like Jedi Master Yoda to come up with great advice, but it helps.
This lesson is a vital one. You don’t “try” to quit smoking , you either quit or you don’t. If you start again, you didn’t quit, you only paused. We are a society that applauds effort. Our children get positive reinforcement even if their teams loses during sports. So, if you try and fail, you actually ‘do not’.
I’ve practiced lines for a part in a high school musical. I’ve practiced the piano. I’ve practiced my golf swing. What are you practicing? Joe Schultz tells us:
You’re practicing something all the time.
Whatever you practice, you get stronger at. You can be practicing procrastination, and getting stronger and better at it.
You can practice taking action and you’re getting stronger at it. You can practice anything you want and you’ll get better at it.
So be conscious of what you practice because you’re getting better at it.
Practice being polite, practice being on time, practice finishing what you start, practice doing what you say you’re going to practice.
Whatever you practice, you get stronger at it – and you’re practicing something all the time!
What a great way to think about things! Let’s all practice making this world a better place. Let’s be conscious of our surroundings, pick up litter, respect the earth. Let’s be kind. Let’s be generous. Let’s become engaged and involved. Let’s practice being happy!
A positive attitude will make your day progress a lot easier. I’m not saying you should put your hair in braids and be Pollyanna, but looking at the bright side is not only a song, but a great way to live your life.
A positive attitude can manifest itself in a multitude of ways, aiding you in becoming more creative, more inspired and more inspirational, choosing to be happy, growing your self esteem, making your goals attainable.
You are the person responsible for your attitude. You can wake up and decide to be positive and have a great attitude. You’ll even be pleasantly surprised to see how contagious a great attitude is!
A positive attitude can take what would ordinarily be considered a negative, and turn it into a positive. You will find blessings and good things in even what you’d usually think are problems or stumbling blocks.
Here are some great quotes about attitude.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright, quoted in Reader’s Digest, June 1995
Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day. ~Author Unknown
Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same. ~Francesca Reigler
Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don’t count on harvesting Golden Delicious. ~Bill Meyer
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surprised to see how contagious a great attitude is!