Not feeling happy? Feeling depressed and in a funk? Here are some great quick fixes to boost you into a happy mood fast!
Be happy like her!
The Walk and Greet
My #1 Happiness Quick Fix. I will be doing a separate article on the massive amount of positive psychological and biological benefits of this quick fix. The concept is simple, go outside for a walk and say hi to everyone you encounter. Not everyone will return your greeting but that’s on them. When you find people that do return your greeting you will feel the positive. The positive will keep increasing as you say hi to more people. Bonus points if you can have a conversation exchange. I’ve made many friends simply by doing this activity. If you can add some nature to your walk that is a major plus.
Creating
Any kind of creating helps immensely. You don’t have to be an artist either, even simple stick figures will do. Drawing, coloring, painting, writing, building something out of blocks, etc all helps. You will be amazed how quickly you’ll be engrossed, and happy.
Journal Writing
My personal favorite. I use a password protected word document to vent. I also like to write down any happy events that have happened. It helps a lot to translate my thoughts into a tangible form and express emotions into reality. It also feels nice to know that I have happy memories saved so I don’t have to worry about forgetting them. Revisiting recorded happy memories is another great way to improve your day.
Exercise
Any kind of exercise you can get is great. Even simply going for a walk has a massive amount of physical and mood benefits. I personally recommend joining some kind of sport whether it be a pickup game or league. Sports are a great way to get a workout without even feeling like you are working out since you are having so much fun.
Connecting with a friend
Call, text, e-mail, hang out with a friend. Connecting with friends is a key component to a happy life that I will be exploring in greater detail in a future article.
Meditation
Almost every article and study I come across mentions the vast amount of benefits meditation provides. I will be covering it extensively in a future article.
Singing
Bust out in song! It doesn’t matter how good you are. A little song can go a long way in boosting your mood!
Dancing
I can’t dance to save my life but I find that trying certainly improves my mood!
Comedy
Laughter can instantly boost your mood. Find a funny movie, youtube clip, comedian, joke site, etc and once you start getting in some laughs you’ll notice a real change in your levels of happiness.
Listening To Music
Listening to music is a great way to ease your mind especially listening to classic. Heavier music might be a good way to vent energy and emotions though I haven’t looked into the psychology of it. There are many studies that demonstrate the mental and mood boosting powers of classical music.
Make Music
Making music is a fun and easy way to improve your mood. You don’t have to know how to play an instrument to make music. Singing as I mentioned before is one way, but also even using boxes as a drum set is an option. Learning an instrument is also a path you could take.
Gratitude
Gratitude is another concept that appears frequently in research and articles I come across. Most talk about making a gratitude list of 5 or so things you are grateful for. You can go beyond that and write or say what you are grateful for about yourself. Even thanking your body parts and your positive qualities helps. Also you can send a message to your friends telling them how grateful you are for their friendship and what is special about them. If you want to really improve someone else’s day, and your own, that is a great way to go.
Small Accomplishments
Focus on small accomplishments towards a larger goal, vs focusing simple on a larger goal. Take pride in the accomplishments you make towards that goal. This is a very important subject area that will have its own article.