21 Itty Bitty Summer Pick Me-Ups to Boost Your Mood
It’s summertime and the sunshine is beaming, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re feeling so sun-shiny inside. Even the cheeriest of us have those days where we could use a little extra boost. Here are 21 little ways to brighten up your mood this summer. Feel free to add your own in the comments section!
- Squeezing in a little extra time with those friends that make you extra cheery
- Reading booklets, magazines and articles packed with inspirational quotes like the one above which is from an IIN magazine
- Escaping to the beach for a sun-kissed afternoon
- Getting out of the house/apartment & going for a long walk
- Shutting down all sources of technology (yes, that includes your iPhone!)
- Avoiding Facebook & twitter stalking for a day, and living your life rather than comparing it to others (think: I’m so jealous all my friends are at this party except me! I can’t believe she’s engaged! Her job is my dream job! Life is so unfair!) Try to remember there’s always another side to every person’s story…
- Reading a steamy summer romance novel
- Signing up for a 5K, 10K or half marathon in your area like the UnitedHealthcare Half in the beautiful Newport, RI.
- Indulging in that late-night cucumber martini + life discussions with a good friend (thanks Meg!)
- Organizing your closet by colors or seasons & making room for new must-have summer items
- Checking those “big” projects off your list once & for all. For me, this entailed organizing my group wellness program Mindful Steps, hosting another workshop on Controlling Your Cravings, and setting up a Corporate Wellness program on my website, specializing in company newsletter support. You all know how good it feels to check things off the list, especially those big things.
- Taking a blissful day 100% to yourself
- Painting, drawing, sketching or writing a letter to someone special
- Treating yourself to a kinda expensive dinner from your favorite restaurant
- Whole Foods salad bar. Enough said.
- Leaving work early on a Friday to get away for a long weekend of camping
- Next time you’re worried about something, attempting to envision your life in 5 years, 10 years, 15 years and asking, “Will this be an issue in the future?” 9 times out of 10, this helps me snap out of it and realize I’ll be just fine.
- Doing something completely spontaneous and out of the ordinary for you, even if that just means wearing red to work when usually you’re a black-and-white-kinda-gal.
- Painting your nails an ultra bright color like this hot orange Capri by Essie.
- Giving yourself a mini oatmeal facial or trying some of these other at-home beauty remedies to make your skin glow
- Embracing the now. Life is too short to be bumming, after all.
What would you add to this list? What are your top tricks for snapping out of a bad mood?
XoXo,
July 11th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Just READING this list makes me so happy!! I’ve become a big fan of reading at night. No tv. no computer. no phone. just reading on the couch or on the deck with my husband. it’s so calming and zen-ish without all that other ‘noise’ interfering.
July 13th, 2012 at 10:34 am
@Jess Sounds heavenly. I’ve been trying to shut down at least an hour or two before bed as well, and just light a candle, read and catch up with myself. Feels incredible, and I always have a better sleep.