We all have days where things get us down. Maybe it’s the traffic on our way to work, maybe the boss yelled at us or we can end up feeling low for no particular reason.
The thing is that this can quickly become a downward spiral. It can be tough to drag ourselves out of it and by the end of the day we’re feeling really miserable.
So what?
Once in a while, it’s ok to do that. But, when times are tough, this kind of cycle can easily become a habit. The risk is that feeling miserable can end up as our “usual” mood and we become more negative. This affects our relationships, our health, our job and every other area of our life.
Is that what we really want?
Unlikely. So what’s the alternative?
What’s The Alternative?
It’s unrealistic to move from misery to joy overnight – at least not sustainably.
If we’re used to spending all our time looking at what might go wrong and how bad things are, it requires quite a shift of thought processes to start seeing what’s going well and what we can feel good about.
But the good news is that we can get there – quite quickly – by taking baby steps, rather than one massive leap.
And every step up the ladder helps us feel better.
All it takes is a decision – a commitment to aim for thinking stuff that makes you feel better.
And, whenever you catch yourself thinking about stuff that makes you feel bad, there’s no need to beat yourself up. You can simply choose that your next thought will feel slightly better.
Want To Get Started?
Here is the first of our 3 sure-fire techniques to give your day an instant lift.
No. 1: Sunshine
Sunshine cheers up pretty much everyone. Going for a walk in the sunshine, even if it’s cold, is an instant mood-lifter.
However, if like me you’re in a country where the sun can’t always be relied upon to shine when we most need it, there’s another solution and it only takes a minute!
- Sit somewhere that you won’t be disturbed.
- Close your eyes (it helps to engage the creative part of your brain). Go back to a memory of a really happy, sunny time. Yes, we do all have one!
- Really see that memory clearly in your mind, stepping into the event, feeling the warmth of the sun, hearing the sounds that were around you, getting back into the feelings you had in that sunny memory. Allow yourself to sink into those happy feelings until you feel your mood lift.
- And, when you’re ready, come back to the here and now, bringing those happier feelings back with you.
- And any time you need to get back to that happy memory, you can return there in an instant, by closing your eyes. Or perhaps, if you have a photo or momento from that time, you could keep it on your desk at work / windowsill at home, so it reminds you to feel happier, whenever you see it?
In part two, we’ll be covering the second sure-fire technique to give your day an instant lift. And that is….
3 Sure-Fire Techniques To Give Your Day An Instant Lift – Part Two