There is no question that everyone has times when they don’t feel their best. Whether they are struggling with anxiety, stress, or simply a lack of motivation, it’s tough to feel good when you’re not quite at 100%.
However, every time you feel down or stressed, it can be helpful to look for things you can do to make yourself feel better quickly. While there are things that are simply outside of your control, there are lots of steps you can take to improve your mood and eliminate all negative thoughts and feelings.
While there are over-the-counter medications that can help feel calm and relaxed, it is not recommended for long-term solution. If you would want to take something, it's better to go for natural products with no to minimal side effects.
To get you started, we share a list of five effective ways to help yourself feel better instantly.
Develop a positive mindset
You should never overlook the power of positive thinking. In fact, developing a positive mindset can have a significant impact on both your mind and body. It can help you improve your mood, boost confidence levels, and reduce or eliminate symptoms of depression or anxiety.
Luckily, there are many practices you can try out to develop a positive mindset. Some of these include practicing positive self-talk and reading various writings from inspirational saints like St Benjamin to broaden your horizons. You should also surround yourself with positive people, find humor in bad situations, turn failures into lessons, and focus on the present.
Perform acts of kindness
Performing selfless acts of kindness has proven to be one of the best ways to feel better about yourself. Whether it is something small such as holding the elevator for your neighbor or gifting something to your loved one without a reason, in the end, it will make a huge difference in the other person’s life as well as yours.
The thing is when you add value to the lives of others, you also have a tangible reason to value yourself. In other words, when you make someone feel better, you automatically feel better yourself.
Set aside me-time
Sometimes, the busy lives people live can truly take a toll on their health, including their mental well-being. That’s why it is important that you take some time off your day to unwind from your daily routine and care for yourself. Practicing self-care on a regular basis provides plenty of benefits including reducing stress, alleviating anxiety and depression, improving mood, and increasing energy and motivation levels.
For example, soaking in a hot bath before bed, engaging in physical activity, eating healthy, taking up a hobby, and meditating are some effective self-care practices that can instantly make you feel better.
Laugh more often
Laughing is undoubtedly one of the best and priceless medicines to feel better. When you laugh, your brain releases the feel-good chemicals in your body which promote an overall sense of well-being.
In the long run, laughter also helps strengthen your immune system, boosts your mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress.
If you find it hard to have a laugh every day, you can always look for funny jokes to share with your friends or watch a comedy movie to get the daily dose of happiness you need to feel better.
Visualize achieving your goals
Sometimes lack of motivation is what brings people’s moods down, affecting their overall mental health. However, a great way to increase your motivation levels is by visualization as that will help you draw a mental roadmap of how you can get from where you are to where you want to be.
All you have to do is set your goal and think about all the steps you need to take to achieve it. Find motivation in each step by visualizing yourself putting each piece into place. As you go a step further, you will soon realize that you can do more than what you put your mind to.
Final thoughts
Although there may be times when it will be hard to pick yourself up, it is important that you try your best and stay committed to the process of building healthy self-esteem. To be successful in your journey, you need to take the right steps that will have a positive impact on your overall well-being, including your physical, mental, and emotional health.
If you need help with this, follow the tips from our post and learn how to instantly feel better about yourself.