When you wake up in the morning do you jump out of bed or is it all an effort and you’d rather not have to get up and go to work or do whatever it is you have to do that day?
And when you do get up and start your day, how is your mood? Irritable? Despondent? Gloomy? The list could go on and on!
Whatever word you would use to describe your mood there’s always something you can do about it. There’s something to be said for a Positive Mental Attitude but how do you go about achieving that when things are a bit bleak?
Here are 3 ways to improve your mood right now. Try them all and see what happens.
1st step to improve your mood right NOW
Smile! Yep, that probably sounds awfully simple and you may not feel like smiling but just do it. Go on – smile. 
OK – now smile again.
Have you ever caught yourself in the mirror or in a shop window and noticed how serious you look? Well, that’s a good moment to smile.
Now look around you and find something that you could smile about. A flower, a nice picture on the wall, something you made, a tidy desk – whatever it is there must be something in your surroundings that you can smile about – and SMILE.
Now just keep smiling!
2nd step to improve your mood right NOW
If you’re inside, go to a window and look out. If you have a garden and it’s not pouring with rain go outside. If you’re already outside then go ahead and….
Look at something at least 10 feet away. Now look in a different direction and look at something at least 20 feet away.
Now look at something at least 50 feet away.
If you’re surrounded by trees look at the tops of the trees. If you’re surrounded by buildings look at the top of the buildings. If you can see the horizon look as far as you can.
If you can see the sky then look up.
Keep doing this until you feel your mood change.
3rd step to improve your mood right NOW
This one is very simple – BREATHE.
Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4
Hold it for a count of 7
Breathe out through your mouth for a count of 8
Do this 4 times in a row if possible but no more. When you first try this you may find it hard to hold for 7 so try cutting the times in half – in for 2, hold for 3.5 and out for 4.
Use this technique to help reduce anxiety and bring about a sense of calm and improve your mood. If you can do it outside it’s even better because you will get more oxygen into the body which is many benefits.
Try these 3 things one after the other and see how your mood improves.
You may also be interested in the Healthy Body = Healthy Mind article.
