5 Ways to Improve Your Mood

We can all use some help improving our mood at times. The good news is, there are many tried and true ways to do just that.

So, where to start? Check out these five ways to improve your mood, and commit to doing at least one this week! ​

1. Lend a helping hand

Helping others improves our mood for many reasons. We feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment when we help other people. And, seeing the realities of other people’s struggles can sometimes put our own struggles into perspective.

Giving your partner a hand with their errands, volunteering with an organization you care about, or even bringing in the trash can for a neighbor are all actions that have the potential to boost joy, reduce stress, and grow our sense of worth.

2. Reach out and connect

Connecting with people we care about can do more than just boost our mood in the moment. Having a strong social support network has actually been shown to reduce depression, lower stress levels, and improve our physical health.

And, sharing our experiences with people we trust can show us that we’re not alone in our struggles.

3. Show yourself kindness

We talk to ourselves all day long, and so much of this dialogue can be negative. When those negative thoughts start to add up, we feel more stressed out, anxious, and can even feel helpless to make changes in our lives.

Despite our best intentions, starting to change this inner dialogue can be challenging. If you find yourself struggling to come up with kind or helpful thoughts to tell yourself, start by talking to yourself like you would talk to a close friend. We rarely think twice about showing the people we care about the same type of compassion we can struggle to show to ourselves.

4. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the act of purposefully calling your attention to what is happening in the present moment without placing judgement on it.

There are all sorts of benefits of practicing mindfulness beyond improving your mood, from reducing stress levels to improving your relationships and reducing your emotional reactivity. One of the best parts of mindfulness is that you can easily incorporate it into your daily routine once you know how to do so. If you’re not sure where to start, check out my post: Mindfulness 101.

5. Take a Break

Sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to let our brains catch up with all the information being thrown at us throughout the day. Taking time to sit and enjoy your coffee break instead of checking your email and going over your to-do list may very well be the mood boosting activity you need. Mindless tasks give our brains the chance to reset and to process, so we can continue being our (happy) selves.

Perhaps the most important thing to know is that, while there are things we can do to improve our mood, it’s healthy and normal to feel sad or upset at times. If you’re struggling to manage the feelings coming up for you, therapy can help.