5 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR MOOD DURING A HARD TIME

With everything going on in the world at the moment I’m sure most of us are feeling stressed or anxious over the uncertainty of the next few weeks or even months. So much worry over money, jobs, health, friends and family. It’s a lot to worry about and It’s hard to switch off from the news because it’s everywhere! Even on social media where we would normally go to take a break from life. The internet and the news are a blessing, but I think we need to know when to switch off for our own sanity and mental health. Here a few tips on how to get yourself into a more positive mind frame and hopefully improve your mood. 

CLEAR YOUR SURROUNDINGS 

Clutter and untidiness causes me so much stress and unease. It makes me feel like my life is a mess. So on the days where I feel anxious or stressed, I always make sure to tidy my house. Making your bed in the morning is a great start and ensures that you’re going to keep on the right track throughout the day. Put your dishes away, fold your laundry and cleanup as you go. If you keep leaving things out of place or dirty, chances are that you’ll feel overwhelmed with the amount of things that you have to do and you will most likely put it off because you won’t want to deal with it. Remember, clean house, clean mind. 

KEEP IT MOVING 

With all the gyms being closed it makes working out very challenging, especially if you like weight training and don’t have access to equipment at home, but it’s very important to keep your body moving. I don’t know about you, but I spend 90% of my days on the sofa either glued to my phone or binge watching Netflix. I feel the need to move and to get a sweat on otherwise I start to get restless. I’ve been switching it up and training different muscle groups on different days, and I also like to throw in a HIIT somewhere in the middle to really get a sweat on. There is a lot of pressure on people to workout at the moment, and I understand not everyone is in the right mind frame to do it right now. Personally, exercise has been an escape and crucial to keeping my mind in a healthy state. If you’re not in the mood to workout, try going on a walk, but do something. I promise it will make you feel more energised and happier! Get those endorphins!

DO SOMETHING NICE FOR SOMEONE

This is something that is guaranteed to boost your mood. There is nothing quite like helping others. Check in on your neighbours, especially the elderly ones. Ricardo and I recently wrote letters to our neighbours offering to walk their pets or do their food shop. It’s something so small, but it makes you feel good about yourself and is also a great gesture. If you really don’t want to leave the house or can’t leave the house, look for a charity to donate to online. 

PUT ON A HAPPY SONG 

I know that when you’re depressed or feeling down the temptation is to throw on a really sad song so that you can cry and feel sorry for yourself, and that’s ok! I would highly recommend that you let it all out instead of suppressing your feelings. However, after you’ve had a good cry, put something happy and bright on! Listen to a song that brings back happy memories, or a song that is really upbeat and makes you want to have a little dance. Honestly, never underestimate the power of a good song. 

PLAY WITH YOUR PETS 

Ugh, pets are so underrated! Since having my little dog, Twinkle, there hasn’t been a single day where I’ve woken up in a bad mood. Just seeing her on my bed first thing when I open my eyes fills my heart with joy! So if you’re lucky enough to have a pet in your life, play with them, cuddle them, go out for a walk with them. Just the fact that I now have someone to look after other than myself makes me feel so good. She makes me leave the house even when I don’t feel like it and I love it. I love that at least once a day I go out on a walk and breath in some fresh air. It really does wonders for my body and brain. If you don’t have a pet, offer to walk your neighbours pets or to take care of them. I guarantee it will you make you smile from ear to ear. 

BONUS: LAUGH IT OFF 

I understand that not everyone has pets or likes animals, so I wanted to throw a little bonus point in here. Laughing is a great way to improve your mood. Watch a funny movie, play a game with your family or housemates, FaceTime someone who is uplifting, hey, laugh at yourself! The amount of times that I’ve laughed at myself for falling down, or for saying something really stupid… I mean, if you can’t laugh at yourself, how in the hell are you gonna laugh at somebody else? If you know, you know #RuPaul 

I honestly hope you are all doing well. I know I feel like I’m going insane sometimes being locked up in the house. I swear most days I don’t even know what day it is. It’s been tough, but at the same time we need to remember to be grateful! Be grateful for our health, for our family, for the fact that we have a roof over our head. It’s the small things that matter the most, and I think that now more than ever we can see that so very clearly. 

Stay safe everyone. 

SFS.