Mood Boosters 

We all experience times when we need a positive boost when life doesn’t seem as happy or positive as we would like. There may have been a recent trigger like a disagreement with someone or longer-term troubles in your life. No matter why you are feeling low, it can feel confusing to know how to feel cheery again. We’ve put together some basic things you can do to support improving your mood. 

Reflect on the positives  

Have you had a nice conversation with a friend? Did you see a nice sunset? No matter what it is, no matter how small it may seem, it is always good to reflect on positive things. In fact, it can be a good idea to consider three positive things that have happened during that very day. Did someone say hello to you on the street today? Did you make a nice meal? Did something make you smile today? It doesn’t matter how insignificant it may feel, reflecting upon positives can help to boost your mood and remind you of the good things in life. 

Try new hobbies or embrace old ones 

While it can be struggle to find the motivation, engaging in your hobbies and activities can be a great way to let off steam and distract you from thinking negatively. Depending on what your hobby is, you may be able to engage in it with others, enabling you to meet new friends or to connect with old ones.  

You may want to take up a new hobby instead. Trying new things, as well as engaging in the process of learning a new skill, can be a great way to have fun and to feel a positive sense of accomplishment. You may want to read books, draw or paint, knit, go to exercise classes or enjoy a social game night like bingo. No matter what it is, doing an activity that you previously enjoyed or something that is new to you can be a great self-esteem and mood booster.  

Exercise, daylight and fresh air 

Going outdoors can be a great way to feel better. Spending even just ten minutes per day in fresh air and daylight can help with your levels of happiness. Exposure to natural light helps our bodies to produce Vitamin D and it can also improve our sleep schedules to increase our happiness overall. Being outside, particularly in very natural environments, can improve your mood. This doesn’t need to be in a remote or difficult to get to location. You can experience the wonders of nature in a local park or in a nearby wood. Even just sitting for a few minutes in a green space can help to improve your mood. 

Gentle exercise, even if this is just a very small walk, can also increase our feelings of happiness. The exercise that you undertake doesn’t have to be strenuous or long lasting. There are great options for all interests, such as swimming and walking. Having a small daily routine, such as taking a walk in the morning can give you a sense of structure and accomplishment. Exercise can also help to clear your mind and reduce thoughts of stress or unhappiness, allowing you to feel calmer.  

Talk to someone  

It can be useful to vent about your feelings to someone. While it may feel hard to open up to others, this can be really beneficial. You may feel unsure about who to discuss your feelings with but likely, those that you feel close to will be happy to listen. Others will often be able to connect with what you are feeling, even if they have not gone through the same scenario themselves. This can help to remind you that you are not alone and that others are there to help you with your feelings. 

It can also be useful to have unrelated, fun conversations with someone else to take your mind off things. Connecting with others in whatever way can be a great mood booster. This conversation doesn’t have to be a deep and meaningful one. Even connecting with a stranger in public can be a great way feel positive again. 

Engage in entertainment 

If you have a favourite TV show, watching it when you feel down can improve your mood in the moment. Giving yourself time to relax and to unwind can be great to relieve stress. It can also be useful to laugh, which releases positive chemicals within your brain. You may get laughter from a funny podcast, a TV show, comedy stand-up or just talking to someone else. Listening to positive, upbeat music can also improve your mood. Music heightens our positive emotions through the reward centres within our brains, stimulating hits of dopamine.  

Extra support 

It may help to talk to a specialist.  

The NHS has many support resources available: Mental health services – NHS (www.nhs.uk) 

There are also lots of different charities which can provide support: Homepage | Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) (thecalmzone.net) 

For crisis support, charities like Samaritans can offer great support in the moment: Contact Us | Samaritans