The mood you’re in each day is an amazing thing. It has incredible control over your sense of well-being and is instrumental in how you navigate through everything the day brings. Because it’s so important, you need to do all you can to feel your best.
Whether you spend time focusing on little things or choose to dig deeper and make some big changes, there are many ways you can boost your mood. Here are three to consider trying.
1. Check In With Your Doctor
Making sure you’re taking proper care of your body is important. In this case, staying on top of your regular check-ups is a great place to start. However, remember that you need to be your advocate here — regular doctor’s visits can be very cookie-cutter and if you’re not feeling your best or have an inclination that something might not be right, now’s the time to focus on that.
If you’ve been noticing an increase in symptoms such as anxiety, depression, irregular or painful periods, or trouble sleeping, ask your doctor about lab work for estrogen dominance and thyroid function. Both conditions can have a profound impact on your mood.
While you can’t expect results overnight you should notice an improvement eventually, ideally leading to better, more stable moods in general.
2. Evaluate Your Habits
In this busy life, having a solid routine is a must. Not only is it a way to stay on track each day but it also gives a sense of predictability. This can be a major source of comfort, especially if you’re going through a rough or particularly busy time.
Because routine is such a huge part of life, the habits that make up your routine must be healthy and stable. The heavy hitters such as diet, sleep, and exercise should all be front and center. It’s important to remember here that those three things aren’t one-size-fits-all. The routine your best friend swears by probably isn’t going to have the same effect on you — so now’s the time to figure out what will.
Whether you approach this by making food choices that will help to boost your mood, working on creating a healthier sleep routine, or learning about exercise and which type is best for you, there are many ways you can create a routine that’s yours alone.
3. Nip Stressors in the Bud
There’s no question that there is no shortage of stress in life. It can come at you from all angles. While much of it is unavoidable, don’t forget that there are plenty of things within your control as well — probably even some things you might not realize that are negatively impacting your mood.
Does watching the news get you fired up? Turn it off. Replace it with some music you enjoy instead. Are you spending more time on social media than you know you should? Take a break entirely, or utilize your phone’s digital wellness features to help you limit it. Are you feeling agitated from constant notification pings from your phone? Try silencing them. If you have family or friends who might worry if you don’t respond right away, let them know that you’re trying to cut down on your phone time for a while.
Also, take some time to think about other things such as your relationships. Pay attention to situations where you feel the relationship might not benefit you. Maybe it’s a toxic friendship, or maybe it’s about sharing the mental load with your spouse or partner. While approaching relationship difficulties is undoubtedly stressful, it’s also a wonderful opportunity to release what might not be serving you or to help make the changes needed to create a healthier, happier, mood-boosting situation.
If you’re willing to give yourself time to navigate through the major parts of your life, chances are you’ll find many ways you can boost your mood and feel better. Remember that not everything is a quick fix, but the work you put in will be more than worth it.
Where do you see yourself starting?
