Mood Lift: A 7 Day Challenge
Can you change your emotional state without medication? I discovered a few tips, which helped me after I stopped an SSRI. Here’s my recipe!
Ever had a day where you wish you could roll back the hours and start fresh? I spilled coffee on my clothes, dropped my keys in the rain, and dropped my sheet music. Drenched and tired, I still had a concert to prepare for, and as I went into the building, the door slammed shut before I could open it.
I stood there, rain mixed with tears on my cheeks.
While the experience brought frustration to me, I also realized stuff happens at random moments across life. Usually, they come individually, but what happens when they arrive on the same day? Like getting terrible news, upon horrible news, and then you get locked out of the house in a blizzard.
So, what can you do to turn things around when you ended up cranky, moody, and irritated at the unfortunate moments in life? Sometimes, life’s junk happens. It affects you for a prolonged period. Moodiness can wreak havoc on your relationships. It can also make it challenging for you to be productive.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to try and change your mood as soon as possible.
If you’re interested in achieving a mood shift, you can achieve it without medications or gimmicks. And the best part is that you can do it in just seven days.
Note: If you already take medication, the ideas below can only enhance and increase your health. This article is by no means meant to discount medical care from your doctor or prescriber.
Consider the tips below for boosting your mood:
Exercise regularly. Movement is highly underrated. It’s good for physical fitness, mental wellness, and peace of mind. Working out regularly helps to release your “feel good” hormones. As a result, you automatically start to experience happier feelings.
If you’re inactive now, start simple with walking. Perhaps you can take a walk around your neighborhood and enjoy the beauty of nature. Time outside has a way of automatically elevating your mood. In Autumn, the colors are a bright palate.
Squeeze some form of exercise each day. Add movement to your life; make it as essential as it is to eat or cleanse yourself.
Be “scent-sational.” You’d be surprised about the impact simple things can have on your mood. For example, consider your sense of smell. By being in an environment where pleasurable scents exist, your spirit is automatically elevated.
What are some of your favorite scents? Identify those smells that you can tie to positive feelings. Is it the aroma of fresh-baked bread or pastries? If so, start baking more often!
Lavender is a scent that promotes relaxation. Place a few droplets in your bath water or on your pillow slip. You’ll be amazed at a simple aroma, which creates such peacefulness.
Citrus or grapefruit essential oils clear your mind and can energize you. Add it to a diffuser and allow the scent to fill your room.
“Studies link citrus essential oils that contain the same compounds as grapefruit oil to calming and anti-anxiety effects” (7Trusted Source).
Spend quality time with family. If your family is safe to be around, allow them into your inner circle. If not, surround yourself with whomever you consider to be family. It doesn’t have to be blood relatives. A family consists of those who have your best interests at heart. Having loved ones nearby helps to boost your mood tremendously.
For at least four of these seven days, reserve time for your “family.” It could be an hour each day chatting on the phone or meeting one of them for a cup of coffee.
Sharing your feelings with your loved ones can help lift the weight off your shoulders. Often, the best way to get past an undesirable mood is to share your emotions with a trusted friend or family member.
Take up a new hobby. Learning something new is an excellent distraction for a sour mood. Focus your energies on anything other than what might be upsetting you. Pretty soon, you’ll realize your mindset is positive more often than it’s negative.
Choose an activity, which engages your mind and body. Getting your brain and hands involved helps you to be more focused and engaged. Pay attention to the details, and your mind lifts from the self-depressing thoughts and emotions. Some people create paper crafts, others build models, and even begin writing. Maybe you like to bake or cook.
Experiment with a hobby in alignment with your passion. The more you work in sync with your purpose, the higher the opportunity to smile, feel fulfilled, or engage in life appears.
Creative activities allow you to expand neural connections in your brain; this has been linked to releasing feel-good hormones such as dopamine. Spending as little as two hours per week on a task, you enjoy such as music or photography, can help you lead a more positive life.
It does sound simple, right? Boosting your mood doesn’t need to be complicated. We’ve all had those moments where wallowing in negative feelings felt natural. A little downtime doesn’t hurt. However, immersing yourself in the abyss of unhealthy and counterproductive negativity impacts your life.
If you follow these strategies for one week, let me know what you feel the day before and at the end! A little boost and a simple challenge to yourself might begin a healthy change. I am sure you’ll feel the difference. I can’t wait to hear how the tips helped you!
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