Do you ever feel like you wake up on the wrong side of the bed more often than not? And that “being happy” is just not something you experience on the regular?
Although it might seem like this sometimes, being happy isn’t something that some people have and others don’t (so don’t worry that you somehow got ripped-off in the mood department) … it takes a little bit of work! But just know that there’s a LOT that you can do to boost your mood each day!
So where will you start? What tips grabbed your attention the most? And how can you weave that into you day starting right away? Let me know in the comments below! All my best, Kate.
Here’s a list of things that you can do every single day to put a little kick in your step and boost your mood so that you can get back to enjoying your life!
1. Make Your Bed
Turns out your mom was right. Making your bed each day, while seemingly a boring chore, will set you on a path for the day. It’s almost symbolic of your willingness to create order, calm, and beauty in your day, and a reflection of the intention you have to start the day off right. And really, doesn’t it feel amazing to cruise around a tidy bedroom rather than just shutting the door and hoping the mess will somehow take care of itself?2. Open Up The Blinds
Let the light shine in to your home as much as possible! Light energy is powerful and a very clear mood booster (and energy cleanser). Sunshine can literally “clean” (or bleach) your furniture, clothing, hair, whatever it contacts. So, think of natural light as also capable of cleansing your energy and moving you into a more positive, uplifting headspace. Sitting in a dark or dull space brings your mood down, keeps you in a tired and lethargic state and doesn’t raise your happy-vibes. But when you routinely open up the blinds each morning, you signal to your brain that you’re ready to wake up, get motivated and crush your day with purpose. Plus it feels amazing, so there’s that.3. Get Yourself Ready For The Day (even if you have nowhere to go)
This is a biggie! It’s crucial that you do all the things you need to do to feel ready to greet the world as soon as you can each morning. By getting ready, you cue your brain to think, “ya, let’s do this!” If you schlump around in your PJs you’re basically saying “oh gosh no, please make it stop, I don’t want the day to happen.” But the day always happens, with our without your big-girl clothes. So what mindset do you want to carry with your throughout the day? “I’m ready for this!” Or “Make it stop!” ? This is even more important if you work from home or stay at home with your kids, because the lounge-wear and messy-hair is just. so. easy. But also incredibly mood-dampening. Now, I’m not saying you need a full Friday-night face on by 8am, but get dressed, brush your teeth, and get yourself ready-enough so that you don’t slip into the unmotivated, low energy, blah-zone that we all know too well.4. Practice a “Happy Mantra”
You know what’s cool about our minds? We can literally plant ideas that we don’t necessarily believe to be true, but by repeating them and focusing on them, they become more believable and eventually weave into our stories. This is really good news! So how do you want to feel about yourself, your day, your life? Do you wish you could say that you feel full of joy every day? Do you long to have a baseline of happiness? Do you wish you had more energy and spunk? Well, say it outloud, every single day, and eventually you’ll start to believe it, and truly live it! Sit in silence for a few minutes and focus on your new mantra. Put your hand on your heart, eyes closed, hold the vision of yourself beaming with joy and light and smiles… “I am full of joy…. My life is so good…. I can handle anything …. I love my life” What phrase do you need to hear? Write it down. Stick it on your mirror. Put in on your phone background. Ask your friend to remind you about it.5. Do Something Creative
And don’t you say, “I’m not creative.” You are. Everyone is, we just express ourselves differently. Creativity is getting dressed in a way that lights you up. Creativity is writing. Creativity is cooking. Creativity is decorating your living space. Creativity is singing. How do you fuel your creative drive? How do you express this part of you? See if you can weave some kind of creativity into your days and watch how you mood creeps up into the joy-zone.6. Get In Some Nature-Time
For some of us, getting time outside to soak in the natural world isn’t that easy… especially when you live in the city, or have a schedule where most of your daylight time is spent indoors. But see if you can squeeze in a few moments where you connect with nature, or at least some natural things like plants, a bouquet, fresh air. The concept of “grounding”, while certainly not a new practice, is rooted in some cool science. When you come in contact with the earth (like standing on grass or the beach, or even touching something that’s alive like trees) there’s an energy transfer that takes place. After all, everything has a charge. We pick up a lot of unhealthy energy (from tech devices, concrete jungles, transport, stress) that doesn’t help our mood. Grounding yourself is literally like grounding an electrical wire into the earth to absorb the shock. Mother Earth is such a gem, and always there to help you boost your mood.7. Front-Load Your Day
When you start your day with a spark of energy and productivity, you’re likely to ride that wave throughout the day and feel the mood-boosting ripple effect. But alternatively, when you start slowly, it’s hard to get going, isn’t it? If you can knock a few things off your list as soon as you can (even if it’s just throwing a load of laundry on, or emptying the dishwasher) you’ll feel good about yourself and have a better chance of feeling good throughout the day. Plus, if your energy dips later on in the afternoon, you won’t have that extra guilt of unproductivity weighing on you because you already crushed it in the morning. And, you’ll be more likely to give yourself permission for self-care, relaxation, and fun later on (all good things for your mood!) if you have a productive morning.8. Move Your Body
No, you don’t have to kick your own behind every day, but find a way to move your body for at least 30 minutes. Go for a walk. Have a dance party in your kitchen. Do some stretching on your lunch break. Whatever! Just pick something. There’s mounding evidence from massive research studies that clearly link exercise to your mood, so much so that it’s completely undeniable that the two are linked. So, if you want to feel happy, light-hearted, and in a good mood, then you must move your body. Find something that’s fun, that takes your mind off the challenge of exercise, or that accomplishes 2 things at once (like exercising with a friend). Book it in your calendar. Make the commitment and watch your mood soar to an amazing new place.So where will you start? What tips grabbed your attention the most? And how can you weave that into you day starting right away? Let me know in the comments below! All my best, Kate.
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