Self-Help Tips for Improving Your Mood
by Ismini Apostoli

Decide once and for all that your mood, your sense of balance and wellbeing areyourresponsibility.

Decide that you are precious to yourself and that you are in charge of treating yourself well. BE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND.

Decide that you love and honor yourself and repeat this as often as you need during the day.

Decide that every day your first and foremost concern is to help yourself feel a little better, no matter how you have woken up that morning or how you may feel at certain moments during the day.

When you are in a good mood, make a list of the things that please you and make you feel good, refer to your list when you feel down and do one or more of those things.

When you are in a good mood, make a list of people, activities, places, images, experiences, memories that ordinarily make you feel good, refer to your list when you feel down and focus for a few minutes on those uplifting thoughts.

Even if you are at home alone, treat yourself with respect. Do not lounge around in your pajamas, unkempt, unshaven, etc. Act as if you are expecting someone and be presentable. It will help greatly when you happen to look at yourself in the mirror.

Take care of your environment. Make it as tidy and comfortable as you can. Throw away old newspapers, magazines, junk mail, put your clothes away in your closet, make your bed, make your home an inviting place for you.

If you live alone, having something alive like a plant or a pet really does help you feel that you have some company, and something to go home to. Buy some plants and decorate your home, and consider getting a pet. Even a goldfish is good enough.

Call a friend, or write to a friend. Invite a friend to your home, or to do something together. Have something specific in mind, like going to a movie, or out to dinner, or for drinks. REACH OUT.

If no friend is available and you are feeling bored and frustrated,take yourself outto a movie, or to dinner, or for a drink. A lot of people feel self-conscious about going out alone. Remember that you are in charge of your feelings and feel proud instead that you are doing something good for yourself. DARE!

Go out for a walk, or a drive. Go on, don't be lazy, don't put it off, get out of the house and you will certainly be rewarded by the improvement in your mood.

GET IN TOUCH WITH NATURE. As often as you can, visit parks, places with greenery, take short holidays or daytrips and get in touch with nature. Enjoy the sounds, the smells, the sights, awaken your senses.

Attend a lecture.

Go to an art gallery.

Go to the theater and watch a great performance.

Play your favorite music, and make sure it's your favoriteupliftingmusic.

Take a long, luxurious bubble-bath.

Buy yourself a present, yes, go on, splurge, buy something you have been wanting for a long time.

Read an inspiring book, read some poetry, or go out and buy some new books.

Cook a gourmet dinner for yourself. Invite someone to share it.

Exercise. Doing even some simple exercises at home, by focusing on and energizing your body, you will immediately feel the improvement in your mood.Use your body, awaken your body, enliven your body and your mood will lift. Do some gardening, or some serious housecleaning!

Meditate. You don't have to use any complicated procedures. Just decide to take a break from the negative self-talk going on in your mind. Sit quietly, focus on your breath, tell yourself to relax, and when you do feel completely relaxed lose yourself in a beautiful, relaxing scene like a serene pool, a lush forest, a beautiful beach and stay there as long as you like.

Distract yourself from the condition, topic, person, situation, event that has brought you down. Your first priority is always your balance, your peace of mind.

Avoid dwelling on past hurts and grievances, avoid painting a grim and gloomy picture of the totality of your life. Focus on the present, focus on yourself now, focus only on improving your mood now.

Find things to be thankful for, things to appreciate in yourself, your environment, your job, your friends, your family, your neighborhood, your city.

End each day by remembering to think good, loving thoughts for yourself. Make sure you fall asleep in a sweet mood. This will ensure that you will have pleasant dreams and wake up next morning in a much better mood.

Beat the blues! You can do it! And remember: BE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND.

Copyright (c) 2008 Ismini Apostoli