We all have bad days.  Or weeks. Or months.  I’m pretty sure I’ve even had a bad year or two.  In fact, I’m certain almost everyone in the world wants a refund for 2020.  This year has been incredibly challenging.  

Except for those of you who have been thriving and loving life in quarantine. You guys are bizarre.  I love you, admire you, and wish I was more like you. However, you all still blow my mind.  

Bad moods can be triggered by a simple small event like spilling coffee all over your freshly laundered bed sheets or stubbing your toe when running to answer your iPhone. They can linger from something more seemingly impactful like being called out for errors at work or having a loved one become unwell.  

They can be an underlying feeling of overwhelm and dread. You’ve got so much to do and you just can’t get yourself moving.  You’re in a funk and you just can’t shake it.  The more you sit around in it the worse you seem to feel. It's a vicious cycle and you just want to break through. 

We can blame the moons and the stars.  In all honestly, I often do. Mercury in retrograde is an asshole.  We can blame the universe or our friends and family. However, just like the ebb and flow of the ocean sometimes we will feel great and other times we will feel a bit shitty. Life is about ups and downs.  

A lot of times the reason why you’re in a bad mood has no direct impact on how to bring yourself out of it. What you do need is a quick and easy fix to lift your mood so you can feel like yourself again. Here are three ways that have been shown to instantly boost your mood.  

Breathe

Numerous studies have shown that deep breathing calms the nervous system, and decreases stress and anxiety all while boosting focus, immunity, and cardiovascular functionality. You’ll notice your breath speeds up and becomes shallow when you’re angry or anxious. It’s no surprise then, that deep breathing can be an antidote for grouchiness. Take some advice from your childhood years and try counting in for ten and out for ten. Give it a few rounds and you’re sure to feel calmer and more grounded. Unfortunately, childhood skin and metabolism are not included.  

Smile

Just the mere act of putting a smile on your face can trick your brain into happiness. A smile spurs a powerful chemical reaction in the brain triggering neuropeptides as well as neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin that can make you feel happier. Science has shown that the mere act of smiling can lift your mood, lower stress, and boost your immune system. When our brains are happy we smile so it makes sense that when we smile our brains get happier. It’s true. Try it.  

Pivot

Focus on the good stuff by writing down three things that have gone right recently. It can be as simple as having a new episode of Real Housewives to watch or maybe someone complimented your new tote while out on a walk with the dog. I get super excited about having a delicious food experience or finding my favorite products are on sale at Whole Foods. By finding positive things that happen in your daily life you can begin to train your mind to notice the good things in life instead of allowing it to be stuck on the negative.  

It’s always easier said than done to pull yourself out of a bad mood. I get it.  Been there so many times.  It is possible, though, to use little tricks to help you get back to you. Although life will include the highs and the lows I’ll take these instant boosts to help me get back to positivity and high-vibe living whenever I can.