We’ve all had to take our share of bad luck. Maybe you had a bad dream that put you in a sour mood, or maybe everything about your daily routine seems uninteresting. You feel down and want to start again, but you can’t put your finger on why.
You’ve found the right place if you’re having a horrible day. Here are six strategies proven by research to help you feel better right now and look forward to a brighter tomorrow.
If you have a poor day, you may wonder why or search for ways to feel better. Instead, listen to your needs in the present to calm down and find comfort.
“What is it that my body needs or desires right now?” asks Hope for Depression Research Foundation advisor Michele Goldman, Psy.D. Goldman. She advises considering what will assist.
Mindfulness may boost mood by focusing on your body and thoughts. Despite initial discomfort, monitoring your emotions and feelings without judgment may improve your day. While your initial reaction was to zone out on the sofa, taking a stroll may really help you feel better.
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Having physical reminders of happier moments might help you think positively. Research reveals that recalling positive and meaningful experiences might bring happiness.
Keep your pleasant sentiments close by collecting stuff that makes you happy. Small stuff might have meaning only you comprehend. Your feel-better box might include images, cards, notes, trinkets, or printed emails from a boss praising your job or a friend’s heartfelt remark.
“Having a box like this may help improve your mood, remind you that others love and care about you, and link you to others when you might not be near them,” Goldman adds. When you’re depressed, building something like this may help. Find old images that make you smile.”
If you don’t have the energy to assemble an entire collection, choose one and meditate on its meaning.
Changing your surroundings may help you feel better. Find some simple solutions to reduce the noise level and unwind.
Could you spare five minutes to clear the clutter from your life? Is it okay if I leave my phone in the room next door? Goldman says you should open the blinds to let in more light and silence your phone if you don’t need it nearby.
It’s normal not to feel like smiling on a terrible day. Science suggests that a smile might improve your disposition.
You don’t have to put on a phony smile, but if you find yourself feeling down, try forcing a grin by watching a funny show or TikTok account, looking at an old happy picture, or texting a hilarious buddy.
Keeping a plant in your office, in the living room, or even at your bedside has been shown to have positive health effects. An article published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology suggests that having houseplants around might help relieve physical and mental stress.
Visit a garden center or reposition an existing plant. Keep it trimmed and watered, and marvel at its splendor.
Every influencer and health magazine recommends baths, but evidence shows that they may increase your mood quickly. When you’re feeling down, a bath may relieve stress, revitalize you, and change your routine.
This is a sign to light a candle, play some soothing music, and get your favorite bath salts. Unwind and remind yourself that even the worst day will pass.
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