3 Tips to Boost Your Mood Everyday
By Joy Bing Fleming, MBA, CC
In life, we all have ups and downs. It’s inevitable. So, what are some tips to boost your mood and stay positive? If you practice these 3 things everyday, you will feel more motivated and uplifted.
1. Acceptance A friend of mine recommended a book with a somewhat shocking title. The title definitely gets your attention. Some may find the content a little controversial, but I found it to be quite profound. Here are some quotes from the book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F$ck.
“The desire for more positive experience is itself a negative experience. And, paradoxically, the acceptance of one’s negative experience is itself a positive experience…..It’s what the philosopher Alan Watts used to refer to as “the backwards law” — the idea that the more you pursue feeling better all the time, the less satisfied you become, as pursuing something only reinforces the fact that you lack it in the first place. The more you desperately want to be rich, the more poor and unworthy you feel, regardless of how much money you actually make. The more you desperately want to be sexy and desired, the uglier you come to see yourself, regardless of your actual physical appearance. The more you desperately want to be happy and loved, the lonelier and more afraid you become, regardless of those who surround you.”
“What’s interesting about the backwards law is that it’s called “backwards” for a reason: not giving a f$ck works in reverse. If pursuing the positive is a negative, then pursuing the negative generates the positive…..The failures in business are what lead to a better understanding of what’s necessary to be successful. Being open with your insecurities paradoxically makes you more confident and charismatic around others…..Suffering through your fears and anxieties is what allows you to build courage and perseverance.”
Another way of thinking about it is when something upsetting or traumatic happens in your life and you don’t “accept” it, you’ll never get past it; consequently, you’ll never be able to move on to true happiness & positive experiences. Make a conscious choice everyday to accept your past & let it go. Stay focused on the present moment. I’ve found that focusing on your senses can assist with this. Think about what you see, feel, smell, hear, & taste right now. Also, use mindfulness techniques like meditation.
2. Forgiveness Forgiveness is for you – not the other person. If you hold onto all the pain & you never forgive, then the other person’s still controlling you. Let go. Release the past and embrace forgiveness.
Make a conscious effort everyday to forgive yourself and others. Look in the mirror, and say “I forgive ________.” Another option is to write it down. Write out your feelings and emotions. Remember that forgiving another person does not mean that what they did was ok, but it means that you’re choosing to let it go, so you can move on & feel happy again.
3.Gratitude When you wake up in the morning and before you go to bed at night, think about what you have to be grateful for. If you’re going through a difficult time, this may seem challenging, but get back to the basics. Remember to be grateful to be alive, to have arms, legs, sight, hearing, food, and more. The quote below is a reminder that puts things in perspective and can remind you of how rich you really are.
