Our mood and emotions are complex to consider, least of all to manage, and so when we feel a little down or unsatisfied we can often feel that something is wrong with us. However, if we didn’t know what it meant to be sad, we also wouldn’t know what it would feel like to be happy. Furthermore, what we define as happiness is often quite limited.
To use an example, it might be that you’re interested in chasing your dream job. After three years of hard and passionate work, you find yourself in the position you had always craved. Only from then on, the real work begins. You realize that attaining the goal wasn’t the thing you actually had the most fun doing, but working hard each day and feeling totally absorbed by the contribution you were making, the entire time through, had its own, deep sense of satisfaction.
For this reason, it’s hard to completely know how our moods and emotions are best helped. That being said – there are certainly healthy measures of naturally boosting your mood each day, so perhaps you can see through those funks more clearly. Remember – not of this is a substitute for direct medical advice. If you’re really struggling, we would recommend seeing your physician:
Getting Outside
There’s always something quite immediate about getting outside in nature if you’ve spent a day or two (or even longer) inside or in the city. It has a calming effect. In fact, studies show that those who live within a half-mile of an open green space, like a park, are much likely to encounter less daily stress in their lives. Nature can be defined as scary lions and falling trees and Covid-19, yes, but it also has an extremely nourishing and calming effect on us. Why? Because we are nature ourselves, and that has a truth to it even more profound that any half-baked spiritual platitude.
So, it’s quite obvious and clear that getting out in nature can raise our mood and alleviate our stress. It’s important to understand why this is and how it manifests. Luckily, you can experience that yourself by getting out there. Going for a simple walk, perhaps with your dog, perhaps with a camera, perhaps with a book for a park bench, all of this helps you feel connected and as if you’re part of something bigger than yourself – which you are. It’s a little effort, but it has a phenomenal impact.
Light Exercise
Our bodies have been designed to move. We are perpetual motion machines. Staying static, aside from sleeping, is actually quite unnatural for us. Sit as still as you can in your chair and you’ll find yourself getting uncomfortable after a while. You might start bouncing your leg, or fidgeting. It doesn’t mean you can’t relax. It just means that something has to be done about our need to express our physical energy.
This might mean going for a walk as described. It might mean following Couch 2 5k, or doing yoga, or dancing to your latest Spotify playlist. What matters is that every day, you do something to keep you upright. This might mean a full hike at the weekend, or it might mean light stretching. If you’re not as able as some others, we’re sure there’s something you could still do, be that stretching, or doing arm exercises, or even just walking around your house. Little efforts add up.
Self-Care & Grooming
There’s certainly something quite special about worthwhile self-care and personal grooming. It helps you feel refreshed, replenished and can bring around a lovely boost in your mood when it feels like your stresses are melting away.
You might begin by enjoying a long soak in the shower or bath, the latter perhaps infused with a scented bath bomb you can enjoy watching and soaking in. Then, you might practice your best skincare with a range of beautiful products that help you glow and look after your most sizeable (and one of the most important) organs.
Self-care is also a hidden message. It’s a message that says you’re worth it. When people become depressed, often the first things they ignore are showering every day, or caring for themselves as much as they would like. Even if you feel this way, you can break the cycle by practising self-care carefully, slowly, bit by bit. Be kind to yourself. It will help you feel nourished and practised daily, it will certainly help you live a better life.
With this advice, we hope you can feel better every day.
The Bitter Lemon 