5 Effective Ways to Get Out of a Bad Mood

Feeling down is something that is part of our natural human emotions. We have good days, and we have bad days. As somebody living in the north who experiences the seasons, I’m well aware that the variances in life are part of what make it great.

It’s important to remember that your current emotional state is just temporary, and you have control over it. You’ll get out of this funk. With some proactive action, you’ll probably even get it out of it sooner.

Below are some simple steps you can take to improve your mood.

1. Understanding Your Control –  Are you upset about something that is not in your control? It’s common for us to get emotionally involved in the news of the day, other people’s problems, or react strongly to something fate has handed us. The problem is that you can’t change a lot of things. Understanding your control will allow you to reset where to focus your energy.
2. Baby Steps to Big Problems – Facing a big challenge in life can be mentally exhausting. Especially if the challenge is one you haven’t faced before, it’s easy to become anxious or depressed at the thought of it.  Breaking your big problems into more attainable baby steps is a great way to make your challenges easier to conquer.
3. Organize and Clean – There is a whole bunch of evidence that links a clean house to a more healthy, lower stress life. When you are feeling down, look at your physical environment around you. Organizing and cleaning your space can do wonders immediately to boost your mood, but is also good for long term well being.
4. Workout – Getting my ass moving is the very first thing I do when I’m feeling down. It’s the easiest way to instantly boost your mood. When you workout, you are not only signaling your body to release “happy” hormones, you are also participating in an act of self love and improvement.
5. Go Back To Nature – There is no denying that we are spending more time indoors than in any other time in human history. We don’t know the full effects of this yet, but we do know that many of us are underexposed to natural light and fresh air. Going for a hike, jog, or even a quick stroll through your neighborhood is a quick way to get back to nature.