How to Lift Your Mood When You Feel Down

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There are times when our emotions or feelings get the best of us. In general, though, people who use their thinking to help manage their emotions, experience a smoother well-run life. Learn how to lift your mood with these 5 quick ways to feel better fast.

When you believe you are at the mercy of your emotions, you will probably struggle more with feeling down. But if you believe you have some power to lift your mood; you can take positive action to feel better.

The first step is to BELIEVE that you do have some control over your feelings. The second step is to take action to have better feelings.

This doesn’t mean our feelings aren’t important or that we shouldn’t feel what we feel. I love the whole range of emotions! None are bad either. Yet there is a cost to feeling down for too long.

Learn to Boost Your Mood

If we feel anger or sadness and we get bogged down, it can be more difficult to make good decisions and you might miss some great opportunities. I have known people that stay angry or sad, not for days but for years.

Learning to boost my mood when I feel down has played an important part in my life. I work hard to actually FEEL better. And in return, the quality of my life and my emotions has steadily improved over the years.

And if you are feeling temporary overwhelm from being too busy, click here for Self-care ideas for when life gets too busy. to find some tips for dealing with that.

One thing to note. You don’t have to go from feeling heartbroken to feeling joyful or from furious to playful.

Think instead, sad to hopeful. Angry to optimistic. Below is a list of feelings. There is a huge range and even going up a little bit can give you some relief.

Here is My Think Big Life's Feeling and Energy Scale. You can use this to help you reach for feelings that are better at any time!

This chart shows you a range of feelings. None are “bad” but some definitely feel better. Any improvement will help you feel better!

Lift Your Feelings a Bit

It’s more important to just lift your feelings a bit and give yourself some breathing room. In a place where you have room to breathe and feel a little better; you have access to more choices and opportunities.

I’ve found that different things work at different times. However, I’ve used all of these to lift my spirits.

Even if it doesn’t initially seem to help—the intention to feel better seems to set something in motion.

So, let’s set something in motion for you. Here are my favorite QUICK ways to lift your mood when you feel down.

I’ve included links to the original blog posts if you want more detail. However, I’m giving you enough detail here to get the gist of feeling good–right this minute!

How to lift your mood when you feel down

How to Lift Your Mood with Gratitude

One of my favorite ways is to find things to be thankful for.  Remember, you rarely overhaul your life in one session.

However, a good gratitude session can give you some immediate relief. And over time, it becomes a whole new way of seeing the world!

You don’t even have to have a formal practice to do this. Sometimes when I’m commuting to work, I’ll start listing in my head, all the things I’m thankful for. Often at night in bed, I’ll do the same thing.

Or if something seems to have gone wrong, I will look for something in it to be thankful for. A gratitude practice can truly be a way of life!

The Five-Minute Gratitude Practice That Will Change Your Life

How to Boost Your Mood by Finding Things to Look Forward To

I discovered this next one by accident. It was about a year ago and I was looking towards the holiday season feeling a little blue, I decided to make a list of fun things to do over the next month.

My thinking was that if I had something pleasant planned for each day—then the holiday season would be enjoyable as well.

To my absolute surprise, simply making this list skyrocketed my mood. I felt almost blissful at the end of writing out my list. Not only that—but I felt better for quite a while. Looking forward to things is incredibly powerful.

How to Feel Happy Fast

Use Love to Lift Your Mood

This next process came to me courtesy of my granddaughter. My daughter told me that she starts her day by listing all the things she loves.

I tried it myself and it felt deliciously wonderful. No matter who we are, we have things/people that we love. Listing them out loud all at once is super effective at improving your mood.

This is similar to a gratitude list but it’s not quite the same. Sometimes when I’m down, it’s hard to find gratitude. However, when I think about certain people or even pets, I can feel love. Love is powerful folks!

How to Supercharge Your Day

How to Lift Your Mood With Forgiveness

Learning to forgive has probably been the most effective process for helping me let go of painful thoughts and feelings. A dear friend, a therapist and coach, helped me create a guided meditation.

I have used this meditation often to help me move on from any person or situation that is painful to think about. Over the year since, once I really began to get serious about forgiving, I’ve experienced more balance, contentment, and happiness than I can ever remember feeling.

The Gift of Forgiveness

How to Forgive When You Don’t Feel Like It

Lift Your Mood With Walking

Walking is another of my secret weapons to improving my mood. Walking is so powerful, not just as an exercise but as a mood improver and overall health booster.

Many exercise fads come and go but walking has never lost its universal appeal.

There’s a reason most doctors highly recommend walking. Walking not only provides a way to keep you weight healthy but it provides a way to relax your body, mind, and spirit.

Why Walking is the Ultimate Exercise

Lifting Your Mood Can Change Your Life!

These practices have not only lifted my mood and spirits; they have changed my life for the better. Some days I feel like I need to pinch myself because I can’t believe how good my life is.

I’ve found that consistent and intentional practices make a big difference in my life over time.

Sara

Small incremental changes add up!

I’m committed to sharing whatever I find that works. Keep showing up my friends!

Here is the Video Recap of How to Lift Your Mood

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Keep showing up my friends,

Sara

Sara

I'm a certified life and weight loss coach who helps women feel better and get the most out of their lives! The process of life coaching teaches you to love yourself and gain self confidence in a safe effective way.

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12 Comments

  1. Devid on December 20, 2018 at 4:00 am

    Thanks for sharing, This is such a great list.

  2. Cathy on March 13, 2018 at 12:19 pm

    This is such a great list! I find myself lifting my mood with gratitude and walking often. It really does work!

    • Sara on March 13, 2018 at 6:55 pm

      Thanks and yes, these simple things really do work!

  3. Misadventures with Megan on March 13, 2018 at 7:30 am

    Walking is such a great way to lift your mood! After my first was born and I was having a hard time I would just put her in the stroller and walk for miles. It helped so much!

    • Sara on March 13, 2018 at 7:04 pm

      I used walking after each of my babies to not only feel good but get off my stubborn baby pounds. Walking is pretty much my cure for every thing!

  4. Heather Gilbert on March 12, 2018 at 9:21 pm

    Wow the perfect post for the Monday blues!

    • Sara on March 13, 2018 at 7:05 pm

      Ah, hope the week gets better!

  5. Ayanna @ 21FlavorsofSplendor on March 12, 2018 at 12:05 pm

    Such a great list of tips! My favorite is Finding Things to Look Forward To. This is such a great way not only to lift your mood, but to also set new goals.

    • Sara on March 12, 2018 at 12:17 pm

      It works so well! Right now I’m planning a little trip to NYC and I’m having so much fun looking at Air BnB’s and thinking of things to do.

  6. Katie@MySweetHomeLife on January 2, 2018 at 2:57 am

    Love the idea of writing a list of things to look forward to, especially focusing on one thing a day to get you through an otherwise challenging time. Hope your holiday season this year was full of simple pleasures!

    • Sara on January 2, 2018 at 3:54 pm

      Thanks Kate! I also want to do a round-up from other bloggers, featuring you, with ideas how to feel better fast. Best holiday in a long time!

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Hi, I'm Sara Garska and I'm so happy you're here! Big changes can happen with a shift in thinking. Over time, you transform your life into the one you always dreamed of having. As a certified life and weight loss coach, I can help you create a life you love. Click here to schedule a free 50-minute coaching session.