By archelys3@gmail.com 10 Ways To Get Over The Blues if You have lost all sense of motivation and purpose
Sometimes you are just in a foul mood. A case of the blues. Out of sorts. Whatever you call it, you are not in the best frame of mind. There are very valid reasons for this: deaths, loss of jobs, emotional trauma.
But, sometimes, there is no good reason. You just do not feel like yourself at all. You have lost all sense of motivation and purpose.
Now, I am not suggesting that you can will yourself out of clinical depression, but if you just have a case of the blues, then there are ways to get yourself perked up in no time flat.
Here are some that have worked for me in the past and will hopefully cheer you up too:
Plan a trip
Sometimes it is just the day to day monotony that has gotten you down. Day in and day out you do the same thing. Even the weekends do not offer any respite. Shake it up! Plan a trip out of town. It does not have to be far away or take a long time. Even a long weekend is a great opportunity to get out and see something new. Do something you would never do at home. Go kayaking or snorkeling. Climb a mountain or visit a monument. Whatever you do, keep it loose. Do not over plan. Just find a good place to go and go! Even the idea of somewhere new can breathe new life into you.
Sing loudly
Find a private place, maybe your home or car, and sing as loud as you can. Play your favorite upbeat songs, children’s classics, even a heavy metal aria. Whatever kind of music will get you up and moving and singing along. There is just something about being as loud and as silly as you can that makes you feel free.
Write it out
Sometimes thoughts can be the thing keeping us down. Get them out by writing them down. It does not have to make sense or flow or even be grammatically correct. Just write out your thoughts. As you write you will notice your mind clearing and everything becoming easier to understand. That is great! Once you can really see the issue you can deal with it, and that is the first step to feeling better.
Work out
Getting your body moving is a great way to perk up your brain too. Run a few miles, swim a couple laps, go on a bike ride, or just punch a bag for at least half an hour. Whatever you do, do it with all your effort. Your body will be worn out, but your mind will feel so much better. Sometimes all it takes is a little physical activity to dispel the stress and lethargy we are under.
Get outside
Nature is a great emotional soother. Walk along a garden path, smell the roses, rest in the shade of a tree, look at the birds and the bees. Everything is much more peaceful outdoors, and that will help you regain your serenity. If you can find a bubbling brook or fountain, much the better. Moving water is a great natural soother and can help your mind and body to come back to equilibrium.
Be frivolous
If you are like me then you take yourself much too seriously. You watch every penny you spend and hate to waste money on things you do not need. Well, I am telling you to go crazy. Just this once buy something silly. It does not have to be expensive. Maybe you want am ice cream cone or a new pair of shoes. Splurge a little and get something nice for yourself. It will be well worth the money in the long run.
Do something you are good at
If you have a hobby, can clean really well or even shop really well, do it! Whatever you think you are good at and get a surge of pride doing, do it now. It will make you feel better to get something accomplished successfully and the ore fun it is the better you will feel.
Be creative
Being creative is always a mood booster. Whether you paint, draw with crayons, sculpt with metal, paint ceramics, make sand castles, play the violin, or whatever creative outlet you have, do it. Even if you are not any good at it, do it anyway. If you have fun doing it and get to think outside of the box then that is all that counts.
Get an adrenaline high
Do something adventurous. Maybe you take a dancing lesson or learn to sky dive. Maybe you go rock climbing or white water rafting, or maybe you just go to a party where you know no one. Whatever gets your heart pumping, a smile on your face, and you forget everything else, do it. Have fun and be brave!
Eat sweets
When I am down, there is nothing like a piece of chocolate cake and a scoop of ice cream to make me feel better. I know food is not the answer, but dessert is close. Do not go overboard in indulging yourself, but a bite or two will not hurt you. Maybe you have been craving Ben and Jerry’s ice cream or some key lime pie. Whatever you sweet tooth is, have a bite and enjoy the sugar rush.
There are many more ways I can think of to perk yourself up when you are feeling down, but these ten should get you on the right path. We all have different ways of dealing with stress and depression in our lives. Make sure you find a way that works for you that is healthy, balanced, and above all works! Have fun and do something good with your life. You deserve it.
Read:
- 10 Mistakes Made In The pursuit of happiness constitution
- Growing Younger and staying young at heart
- Have You Ever Wanted to Rescue Yourself from Your Past? – archely
- How To Deal With The Black Dog Of Depression – archely