5 Ways I Raise My Mood

Anyone notice a theme here?

I have been “going through” lately (as they say) but I’m determined to CHOOSE JOY whenever I am able to. That said, I was just sitting here thinking about what I do to take an active part in what my mood is. It’s often a day-by-day choice, dare I say a minute-by-minute one … but it can be a choice.

Here are 5 things I do to raise my mood. Feel free to share your mood raising techniques below in the comments!

1. I’m honest about what I love and surround myself

I love rubber duckies and I collect them. I started with cows (don’t ask) the moved on to duckies because they are bright, colorful, fun and things “roll off their backs” (get it?). For years I stopped collecting telling myself that “adults” don’t collect duckies (even though I started my collection as an adult), but several years ago I broke them out their box in the basement and there are duckies in my car, on my desk, at work, and even on my dining table. I’ve realized that by honoring the truth that I really love duckies (and they make me smile), it instantly puts my mood in a great place. Oh and I also collect bubble blowers and am mildly obsessed with pirates.

2. Music music music!

Music has always been like a healing balm to my soul. My dad’s side of the family is full of musicians, singers, dancers, guitar players, keyboard players, rappers etc. etc. We are music. Once again, years ago I had lost the music. I don’t know how I let that happen but I literally stopped really listening to music at all during my day-to-day life. A.ma.zing. Now Pandora is my friend, and like a doctor for my mind. I’ve dusted off my iTunes list and love to wake up to music, get ready to music, drive anywhere listening to music, and randomly toss on songs during daily activities. It changes the atmosphere instantly and adds melody to life. Mood lifted!

3. I count my blessings.

You guys have seen my lists. Here is one from yesterday of thing I Love. Here’s another one of 100 things that make me happy. I’ve done this offline for years. It’s a sure-fire way to refocus my mind on what I have and not what I don’t have. I recommend it to anyone for immediate mood liftage. Yes I made up a word.

4. I choose who I spend my time with

People can be a mood suck. There I said it LOL. Some people more than others, and usually those people don’t know they are one so you can’t rely on them to control their mood-suckiness. Yes I made up another word. I am a savage guard of who I spend my precious time with, whoI listen to, who I speak to, who I let speak into my space etc. etc. If you can’t govern those around you, then learn to put up a mental forcefield against impending negativity so that it just hits the forcefield and slides off. No really, imagine their words hitting a glass infront of you and sliding to the floor, then smile and keep it pushing. Instant mood lift and inside joke.

5. I laugh on purpose

“On purpose” is the operative phrase. If my mood is tanking I actively search out things that make me literally Laugh Out Loud! I may go to the movies, I may call a fun friend, I may watch a show on the tele, I may draw silly pictures, I may dress up in a silly outfit and dance around in the sunlight streaming into an open window. In the past I would goof off with my pets (I miss my fur babies). Pretty much anything I know will make me smile, laugh and get myself outside of myself.