Sometimes you get into a rut or just have a bad day, then you get even more down on yourself for not getting enough (or anything) done.
But beating yourself up never works.
You just make yourself feel even worse and can end up taking it out on the people around you.
Just because half of a day has been wasted doesn’t mean that you should go ahead and waste the second half too.
What you need to do is turn your bad mood around.
Hi, hello there. I’m Jade and I wanted to remind you how important it is to take care of yourself.
Take a break if you need a break.
So what can help you turn a bad mood around?
Quick Access
Feel What You Need To Feel
Your emotions are not bad things.
You are allowed to feel them.
Let yourself embrace all of it.
Then release those bad vibes.
Those negative emotions are no longer serving you.
Holding onto negativity never leads to anywhere good so try to let it go and put it behind you.
Go Outside
Spend 10 (or more) minutes outside.
You can walk, run or just sit and breathe in the fresh air.
Just 10-15 minutes spent in a “green space” can lower your stress levels.
Walking alone has been shown to improve your mood, if you take your walk outside in nature it can improve it even more.
Cry It Out
Tears are not a sign of weakness.
Like exercising, the act of crying literally produces endorphins.
It’s not in your head that you usually feel better after a good cry – it’s science.
Maybe some tears is just what you need to wash away your bad mood.
Journal
For times when you’re having a bad day or you’re just in a bad mood I recommend doing a brain dump.
Put your thoughts and feelings down on paper to get them out of your head.
Just the act of this can benefit your mood and help you manage any anxiety you may be feeling.
I’ve been journaling for years and I would recommend it to anyone.
There are a ton of different ways to do it and a bunch of benefits to doing it.
If you don’t want to save it for later reading, (safely!) burn the pages instead.
Meditate
You already know that so many people swear by meditation as an effective form of stress release.
You don’t have to go anywhere or buy anything to do it so why not try it?
Just sit still with your eyes closed for a few mindful moments.
Take some deep breaths in and out. It may just improve your bad mood.
Social Media Detox
I think most of us know at this point that it’s really not healthy to spend as much time on social media as most of us do.
And.. we also do it almost out of habit.
Studies have shown links between the amount of time spent on social media and developing depression.
So take some time off – turn off your notifications, log off or even delete the apps.
You will find that this cuts back on the feelings of comparison and competitiveness.
It will also be easier to live in the moment and you will also get a surprising amount of time back in your days that you previously spent scrolling mindlessly.
Reach Out to Someone
Not over social media, actually text or call someone.
Reach out to a friend, family member or significant other.
If you have someone in your life that makes things seem better by talking to them, reach out to them.
Just make sure that they are willing and able to handle any venting you might do.
Be Alone
Alternatively, maybe you just need to spend some quality time with yourself.
Being alone doesn’t have to mean being lonely.
Get to know yourself a little better.
Take time to take care of you and remember that self-care is not selfish.
Take A Nap
A brief power nap of about 25-30 minutes can be an effective way to refresh yourself by letting your conscious mind shut off for a bit.
You can set an alarm to wake, or just sleep until your body is ready to wake on it’s own.
You may find that you wake up in a better mood than you went to sleep with.
Lose Yourself
Get lost by watching a movie that you love or a new one that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
You could watch a motivational video, pep-talk or just cute animal videos.
You can also get lost in another place and time by just listening to your favorite songs.
Read
Another good way to get lost is deep inside a good book.
A nice fantasy or something inspirational. Read motivational quotes or pull out a physical book and curl up with a warm beverage.
Reading helps our memory, empathy and more importantly (for this post at least) can reduce stress as well as boost your mood.
So go over and pull something off of your bookcase, or head to your local library.
Freshen Up
Wash your body and wash away your worries.
Taking a nice soak can relax both your muscles and your mind.
Take a long bubble bath or just a quick warm shower.
Try taking a cold shower if you want to get a major energy boost!
Clean Up
How is your space looking?
If you’ve been feeling unmotivated and in a bad mood for a while, your physical surroundings probably reflect that.
Take time to tidy up.
Clutter creates a lot of visual distractions and generally makes it more difficult to relax.
Cleaning up your messy space can have an almost therapeutic effect on your bad mood.
Gratitude List
When we’re having a difficult day it can be easy to focus on all of the things going wrong.
But that only feeds the negativity.
Instead focus on all the things going right in your life.
Shift your perspective by focusing on gratitude instead.
At first you may not think there are many things for you to grateful for, but once you put your mind to it – you’ll find so many things to be grateful for in your life.
Cuddle A Pet
If you’ve ever cuddled a furry friend before, you already know the magical powers of it!
Seriously, multiple studies have shown that pet ownership generally increases your well-being.
But it doesn’t even need to be your pet if you don’t have any of your own. Borrow your friend’s!
Eat Well
Cook yourself (or treat yourself) to a nice nutritional meal.
Being hangry, or angry because you’re hungry, is a real thing.
Fuel yourself with good healthy foods.
If you want to eat some dessert too, let yourself.
Just don’t overdo it and only eat dessert.
In Conclusion
We all have those days sometimes where we’re just in a really bad mood and it feels impossible to get anything done.
But you can do something to pick yourself back up and turn your bad mood around into a better one.
A half wasted day doesn’t have to turn into a full wasted day.
I hope this post gave you some tips to help you feel better and get back to living your best life!
Bookmark this page for the next time you’re having a bad day and let me know which of these techniques helps you out the most!
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