Let us start with a small activity!
Close your eyes and think of habits that put down your mood. Try to count them. Once you have a count of them open your eyes. Now, have a sip of water. Close your eyes and ask yourself what habits in your life weigh down your spirits. Having something difficulty thinking here?
That is totally fine! We have trained our brains to be attracted towards the poor habits in our lives when life gives us lemons. We barely know what healthy habits we can perform when we meet life’s challenges. But guess what? You end this curse by practicing healthy habits
List of Healthy Habits To Boost Your Mood
1. Make Your Bed!
If you are asking yourself how such a trivial task can bring a big difference in your life, you should probably have a conversation with my parents. They have been always asking me to inculcate this healthy habit in my life to kick start my day with positivity.
But that is not the only reason why this positive habit is in this list of mood uplifting habits! Making your bed gives the message that you are going to put your life together as well, leaving you with a sense of accomplishment (yes right in the morning), calming you down, and offering you relaxation. If that doesn’t sound wholesome I wonder what will!
If you want more information on the power of this habit we suggest you read this motivational book Make Your Bed by William H.McRaven. Maybe that motivates you to make this healthy habit a part of your life!
2. Take A Bath In The Sunshine!
I forgot to mention in the head, but bathe in sunshine with your clothes on (we don’t want sunburns unless you really want to!). What I meant to say is that soak yourself in natural light! It might surprise you but the vitamin D that sunlight is loaded with is nothing less than a magic mineral.
I know in current times when most of our days are restrained within doors, getting the dose of sunlight goes missing from our daily schedule. But you can simply make it work by just even sparing 5 minutes for the same. Just let the light in and show the bad vibes their way out from your life!
Additionally, you have a forest area or a green space near your residence. We would recommend you to go on a stroll in nature. It will double up the power of taking the sunshine habit of yours to another level!
3. Get Dressed Up!
Ok, I admit work from a home culture has made PJs our best friends but you can slay in them as well! American Psychiatric Association (APA) has also suggested in its guidelines of working from home that getting ready every day does give your brain, body, and soul, a pop of happiness hormones.
This simple habit of dressing up every day can boost not just your mood but also your productivity levels, several studies have supported this notion. So dress up everyday, make it your daily habit and especially on days when you don’t feel like dressing up, wear your best outfit! You will find yourself feeling all light and nice!
4. Affirm Your Life In A Positive Light!
Positive affirmations go a long way! But we would chant “Damn my life” millions of times in our whole day instead of just saying to ourselves even once that “I Got It!” Hey, no judgments here, we all are sailing in the same ship!
We are so engaged in the unhelpful habit of cursing our life which follows negative outcomes, and soon we find ourselves in this loop without us knowing. Sigh! Luckily it is never too late to break this loop and step outside of it.
Here’s the trick that will help you with the same… Chanting positive affirmations in life! By doing so you give your life
5. Keep Your Damn Body Hydrated!
Drink a glass of water now! Like really now! Drinking water is a basic body need on one hand and a mood uplifting habit on the other. Yes, H2O is more than a scientific formula it is a radiance-inducing and mood uplifting tonic too. Ideally, 3-4 liters of water should be consumed by us to keep ourselves productive and energized!
Trust me even I wasn’t great with his healthy habit till I came across this app Social Fever that reminded me to drink water. And abiding by the 21/90 rule now this healthy mood uplifting habit is a part of my lifestyle.
6. Write Your Feelings Down!
And not just feelings… write everything down! Penning down is a powerful tool and a great gateway to your daily frustrations. Now here are my two things that we often forget: your brain and heart both store millions of ideas and feelings within them. While the nth stimulus around us keeps filling our brain and heart up we hardly practice a healthy habit that could help us declutter the mess inside. Here are two healthy habits to clean up this mess:
- Start penning down how you feel, each day. Mental health journaling is found to be the healthiest habit to deal with emotions. (even therapists recommend it).
- For the thoughts in your brain, you may just practice the habit of brain dumping. This helps you get rid of the pre-existing ideas, making space for new thoughts, and mental peace as well.
To begin with, you can give 5 minutes to both of these healthy and mood uplifting habits. Or maybe every time you feel low or drained, just journal your feelings and brain dump your thoughts to uplift your spirits and get going with your day!
7. Eat Mood-Boosting Food!
Here I come with my favorite line again… What you eat is how you feel! This does hold true! However, just eating healthy and mood-boosting food is not the only habit that I am recommending here. To maintain constant energy in your life you have to have to also keep a track of your calories.
Even the life-changing 10 rules of Ikigai have focused on optimal eating and not overstuffing for a happier and healthier life. Here are a few healthy eating habit formulas that will boost your mood and shield your health!
1. Eat 20% less than your appetite.
2. Have at least one raw item on your food plate.
3. Make your plate rich in color and texture.
4. Eat food that makes you feel joyous.
Hey, which is your favorite mood-boosting food? Do share it with us in the comments section below! Mine has to be a bar of dark chocolate.
8. Sweat A Bit!
Exercising is a great habit to lower down your cortisol level (the number of reasons for bad mood) and increase your levels of dopamine (the happiness hormones). According to a study, just 20 minutes of exercise can boost your mood for up to 12 hours, which I believe is crazy!
Multiple studies have time and again shown a positive link between physically active people and high quality of life. In fact, some professionals from the field have also commented that the healthy habit of exercise works as an antidepressant. You can check some amazing stress-relieving activities here. Time for you to get moving in your life now!
9. Spend Some Time Away From Social Media (With Yourself)
Give yourself a break- from social media, for yourself! We all love being glued to our phones so that we don’t stew over FOMO! But c’mon we all know the ill impact of social media on our mental health and all the other negatives that this unhealthy habit has in store for us.
Still we choose it as our brain finds it difficult to enjoy hard things and swiping through social media is definitely not a hard task to do. However, it is only us who can end this habit of ours by sparing some time for self and by optimising our social media for better mental health.
Of course, it won’t happen over time! So be patient with yourself and start reducing 5-10 minutes of your screen time daily. It is JOMO time fella, practice this habit that lifts your mood from this very moment!
10. Give EFT A Try!
You might often come across the classic habit that is often suggested to feel happy and that is meditation. But I understand that meditation is not everyone’s cup of tea (including me!). Does that mean that you have no other way to healthily channelize your emotions throughout the day?
NO! There is a technique called Emotional Freedom Technique that can help you here. As the name suggests this therapy-based habit will surely make you feel a lot better by taking off the emotional burden away from you.
Watch this video on emotional freedom technique here and follow these steps every time your spirits go down!
However, if you love meditating check these blogs here, pick the kind of meditation you would like to practice, and keep the negative energies away from you.
Brownie Tip: Go For Shiatsu Hand Massage
Who doesn’t like a brownie for dessert? It ends everything so well! So here we are handing you over another brownie tip that comes more as a handy tool to uplift your mood and spirits. This habit cum tool is known as shiatsu hand massage. Yes massaging your hands via this technique can cool you down!
Here is how you can make this healthy habit a part of your life:
A mood-booster gift for you!
Just notice next time when you feel low, try this technique, and see the change. Slowly and gradually your mind and body will be tuned to practice this healthy habit every time you feel bad.
Now it is time for you to make these healthy habits a part of your daily life and uplift your spirits. If you want to help a friend do better in his life, feel free to share this blog!
So let us know in the comments section which of these happy habits are you practicing and which ones are yet to be a part of your lifestyle.
Here is my score: 8/3
Waiting to find the winner!
Until next time, take care!
