Be Happy.. Simply!
This post is just a typed-up version of my go-to list whenever I’m feeling low and blue. Since I have been reading the amazing new eBook 7 Ways to Feel Better, from Feel Gooder, (review coming up shortly!) a site by Darren Rowse and others, I was inspired to share this list with you.
Please note this list is not in any particular order and is just stuff that puts a smile on my face and a song in my heart when I’m down in the dumps!
1. Listen to a favorite song.
2. Sing a song.
3. Read a much-loved book.
4. Read a funny book. Erma Bombeck is a hot favorite with me. Laugh-out loud funny!
5. Read a spiritual book. If it is quiet introspection that you’re looking for, reach out for your favorite spiritual writer. Mine include Sheila Walsh, Patsy Clairmont or any of the Women of Faith writers. They’re beautiful.
6. Eat some chocolate. Good quality, dark chocolate. Yum!
7. Bake a cake or a batch of cookies.
8. Cook. Everyone talks about retail therapy. I think kitchen therapy rocks way more!
9. Hug your husband.
10. Hug your toddler.
11. Play rough and tumble with your toddler.
12. Use affirmations. My favorite is “I’m happy, healthy and whole.” from one of Louise Hay’s books.
13. Dance to your favorite music
14. Call a friend
15. Call a family member
16. Write in your journal
17. Write a letter expressing (or venting) your feelings
18. Organize your closet/desk/cabinet. Trust me, this works. Looking at a neat surface does wonders to the spirits!
19. Clean something. Kitchen cabinets, the toy chest, bookshelves. Anything. Just take a cloth and some of your vinegar-water solution and wipe it clean. Ahh.. Feel better?
20. Go for a drive. Just you and your set of wheels and some good music. Take a peaceful route if possible. Enjoy the drive, the wind against your face and come back feeling refreshed and happier.
21. Go for a walk or run.
22. Do some aerobics, yoga or Pilates. Basically, get up and get active. Exercise is known to be a mood-booster because it releases all those endorphins or happy hormones.
23. Eat some fruit. Again, like exercise, fruit gives you a boost of natural sugar and helps lift your mood.
24. Do a jigsaw puzzle or a crossword. Firstly, I find that it absorbs me enough to get me to stop moping. Secondly, when I finish it, the sense of achievement gives me a real high.
25. Play a board game. Something that is stimulating and fun too. Favorites of mine include Scrabble and Scotland Yard!
26. Have a cup of hot chocolate or coffee. The warm aroma wafting through the kitchen itself will make you feel a lot happier.
27. Have a cup of green tea sweetened with some honey. Peace-inducing bliss!
28. Call on a neighbour.
29. Buy some flowers or if you’re fortunate enough to have a garden, pick a bunch from there and put them in a vase on your dining table. Never fails to make me smile.
30. Put on some makeup and some really smart clothes. You know that outfit you’ve kept away for a special occasion, bring it out and wear it.
31. Put on some of your favorite perfume or piece of jewelry.
32. Take a nap. Chances are you’re low because you’re tired so, sleep it off.
33. Take a shower. Nothing like cold or warm water to freshen the spirit and make you feel nicer.
34. Make a to-do list. Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed with life, I sit down and make a to-do list of everything that I think needs to be done. Puts me back in control instantly.
35. Cross something off that to-do list. Next, I try to do at least one thing, if not more, and cross it off my list. Feels good, right?
36. Make a bucket list. I love making lists of things I’d love to do. Lift up your blue mood by making a fun bucket list. Read it and laugh!
37. Get a massage.
38. Get your hair done. While you’re at it, get the hands and feet done too. Throw in a facial and you’re a new person!
39. Tackle something work-related. But don’t do anything that can impact your business critically, like letting your mood dictate your emails.
40. Smile. ‘Nuff said.
What makes you feel better, happier and stress-free?
Photo Credit:D. Sharon Pruitt
What a beautiful list! I am going to work on the feet in #38 today
Thanks for sharing the names of the spiritual writers you like. Have a great day!
Wendy Irene recently posted..Parenting: Power Struggles
Hi Wendy! Thank you. Reminds me I have to work on my feet too.. Not because I’m blue just ‘cos I have to! LOL. And I do hope you get the time to read either Sheila or Patsy. I adore them both. In fact, have another Sheila Walsh review coming up in July:-)
Hii Prerna,
Your list is really nice….I too feel great when I play some boisterous games with my toddler…he laughs so much that I too cant help laughing …..it is a sure way to lift your mood
The cleaning and cooking also works great…..it makes you shift your attention on to something for a while and the feeling of accomplishment takes the place of depression…..now that’s a nice feeling !!
Thanks for sharing ur list with us…..it motivates me to make my own “go-to list” for lifting my mood….so the next time I am down in the dumps I will just have to look at the list and pick out one of them to cheer me up.
Ranjeetha recently posted..Looking Back
Hi Ranjeeta, thank you! I’m glad you liked my simple stuff. Do remember to share your own go-to list when you make it!:-)
Hii Prerna,
Will surely let you know when I make one of my own “go-to” lists
I read ur comment on my blog…thanks…but I am not on twitter…you can follow my blog through the follow button on the right hand side of the blog…
Ranjeetha recently posted..Looking Back
It’s sad when something makes me laugh, and I mean, REALLY laugh and I realize that I haven’t done just that in a day (or more!) Yes, #40 is def a winner
Great list Prerna.
Thanks, Kelly! I agree. It is sad and strange that we often forget something so basic as laughing or smiling. My toddler has recently started cheering me up when I get annoyed with her by saying, ” Smile Mama!”. Never fails to work.:-)