HACKS TO HELP SHIFT YOUR MOOD

things to do to shift your mood

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Need hacks to help shift your mood? Our day-to-day life can be very demanding. We have to have so many mood changes and be a different kind of “on” at varying intervals throughout the day. One hour we have to be chill, next we have to have patience with people we work with or we have to be motivated to complete some work or errands/chores or get a workout in. Sometimes we just feel off and want to feel happy.

There are a few things we can plan to do to set ourselves up for the mood we need to shift into. These little hacks are easy, typically fit into a regular daytime routine, and can make a major impact on the way we feel in a short period of time. Here are some modes we may need to shift into, and how to get there.

Upbeat and motivated:

When we’re feeling in an energy slump, whether that’s physical, like from lack of sleep, or emotional, like we are just overextended, these tricks can help get our brain into action.

A cold shower: Even if you’re not a cold shower person, a cold rinse of about 30 seconds to two minutes, will be like a cup of coffee for your lymph and circulatory systems.

Solo dancing: I recommend a good 10 minutes, but if you only have time for one song, that’ll do. Music carries vibrations, and vibrations can totally manipulate the way you feel. Just think of spa music—there’s a reason Slipknot or Diplo aren’t blasting while you get your massage. Listen to an upbeat tune and let yourself dance around and get that blood flowing—studies say it can even boost interpersonal and cognitive skills.

Happy:

While as a nation we are predisposed to many mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, we don’t always have to be categorically depressed to be simply sad, or even just blah. To turn that frown upside down, try these:

Cardio: The endorphins we get from a cardio workout (anything from a super-intense HIIT workout to just a brisk walk around the block) chemically boost those happiness hormones, so we don’t even have to think about it. 

Journaling or drawing: 30 minutes of a free practice like this that has no real goals or expectations, just flowing and having fun, can totally alter the funk you’re in. If journaling is your thing, kick it up a notch and try listing some things you’re grateful for.

Cute Happiness Journals:

*one can even be personalized with your name throughout the pages

Calm:

Hacks to move into a state of calm should be in anyone’s arsenal, no exception. We can’t function reasonably or optimally, mentally or physically, when we are in a serious state of stress and duress, so regulating our minds and bodies is the first order of business.

Grounding: If chronic stress feels like it’s an embedded part of your lifestyle, make sure to ground at least once a week. Grounding practices you can do at home are great, but be sure to get out in nature at least one time per week.

Breathwork: breathwork is incredibly effective, transformative, and available to us all. Try five minutes of box breathing—inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, exhale for four counts, and hold the out-breath for four counts. Your cortisol will plummet.

You may also like this post:

How to fight fatigue and supercharge your mornings

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *