We all get into bad moods—and, eventually, we snap out of them. The main reason we have trouble extracting ourselves from them more quickly is that we can't shake a bad mood if we're not aware of what's causing it.
The next time you get into a funk, don't just wait for the dark cloud to lift. There are steps you can take to improve your mood, and the first is to figure out what’s causing it.
- Pray. In a poll of 1000 people, religious practices rated as the most effective way of relieving depression.
- Act happy. Putting on a happy face always doesn't make the problem disappear but it does improve your moods.
- Treat yourself. Indulgences—big or small expensive or not—can bring you up when you’re feeling down. The reason: They make you feel special.
- Focus on the future. Although you can’t rewrite the past, you can learn from it. Resolve to try harder and do better the next time around.
- Set limits on self-pity. Tell yourself, “I’m going to feel sorry for myself this morning, but this afternoon, I’ve got to get on with my life.
- Exercise. In various studies around the world, physical exertion ranks as one of the best ways to change a bad mood, raise energy, and reduce tension.
- Review past success. Remind yourself of what you've already accomplished to motivate yourself to accomplish more in the future.
- Listen to music. While many forms of distraction help, at least temporarily music is one of the most popular and effective mood boosters.
- Accentuate the positive. Think of the parts of your life that are going well rather than mulling over what’s not.
- Volunteer. A third of the world’s population gives of themselves through volunteer work. By doing the same, you may feel better too.
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