Working to stay positive amidst difficult times can be challenging. Heck, it can be challenging even during the best of times. Here are a few tips to help you boost your mood naturally:
- Keep moving – especially if you can get outside! Many studies confirm that exercise produces happy hormones called endorphins. Have you ever rolled out of bed, felt kind of down, but once you started exercising felt your mood dramatically improve? We have! People who exercise regularly are far less prone to anxiety, panic, and depression. If you struggle with staying on track, set a reminder on your calendar. Find an accountability workout buddy. Walking, running, biking, swimming, pickleball, tennis, golf, water fitness classes, gym workouts, Pilates, yoga, weight training – the options are endless!
- Connect with people! Being together creates a sense of purpose, connectedness, and bonding. Most of us long to have great relationships. Video chat with those you cannot connect with in person. Be the initiator and plan something! Join one of the many groups or clubs available.
- Eat foods that nourish the body! We all know the saying, “junk in, junk out!” Avoid processed poor-quality so-called food and eat a diet high in fresh foods – especially vegetables and healthy fats such as green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, wild caught fish, avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds such as flax and chia. Add probiotics to your daily routine, including natural plain yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and pickled vegetables. Choose whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, millet, and wild rice. These foods are rich in B vitamins needed to produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine which help regulate mood.
- Work on your spiritual health. Whether it’s yoga, prayer, meditation, or whatever you find fills your spirit, add this regularly to your life. Studies show that deep breathing, meditation, yoga, faith in God, prayer, all enhance quality of life, decrease depression, calm, restore, and revive.
- Read! Studies show that reading, especially fiction, promotes empathy and a better ability to read others’ feelings. Reading fiction puts us into the minds of others. We can learn a different perspective and understand how and why other people feel the way they do, thus taking our minds off ourselves.
Life can be tough out there. Let’s do all we can to stay positive!