11 Ways To Be Happier Right Now

Today was just not my day. It was boring, time seemed to move at snail-speed, and I was so busy with work that I hardly got to even have a conversation with someone. There’s been a lot going on in my personal life lately that really just has been making this past week draaaag on. When I left work today, I thought “What am I doing wrong? What can I do to try to be even just a little bit happier?” So, I wrote down the first 11 things that came to my mind that I usually do that help me feel better in the moment. I hope this helps someone. :)

1. Think about things that you have now that you didn’t have at this time one year ago. Even if you can only come up with ONE thing to have been grateful for in this past year, that’s still something!
2. Write out 3 things you’re thankful for. Even at the end of a bad day, there’s still things to be grateful for. Do you have food in your fridge? HVAC running? ...A roof that allows for HVAC to run? It’s the little things in life that remind us what all we have to be happy about. And even if you don’t have those things, there’s a chance that you’ve got at least one relationship with someone who’s able to warm your heart.
3. Talk with someone who warms your heart. Your S/O, best friend, mom, dad... your dog. Pick up the phone and call or text someone special who can help lift up your spirits. Today, I got the chance to spend time & talk with my best friend. We always have the best time & the most meaningful conversations. That girl just warms my heart!
4. Listen to your favorite happy song.
5. Binge watch your favorite YouTuber. When I’m in a sad/angry mood, I just want to laugh. I want to feel good. My go-to when I’m in these moods is David Dobrik. When I need a little bit of inspiration, I watch BuffBunny. She’s her own boss/CEO of a BOMB athletic clothing line, has a phenomenal body, and just has an infectious spunk about her, which makes me happy just watching her. 
6. Go on a power walk or workout. If it’s too cold to do that, get up & moving by cleaning the house... This always lets us feel productive and accomplished, allowing more room for happiness.
7. Listen to a positive, inspiring podcast. 
8. Bake your favorite comfort food. Desserts, baked macaroni & cheese, 4-layer chocolate cake. Do what you’ve gotta do to soothe your soul!
9. Light a candle, run a warm bath, pour a glass of wine and put on an upbeat playlist.
10. Cuddle your fur baby! This may sound a little out there, but if you don’t have a fur baby, find some funny or cute animal or baby videos on Facebook or Instagram! Those videos never fail to get a smile to crack.
11. Lastly, sometimes after a rough day, maybe you need to just cry it out. Try not to stay in that place, though. Jack Canfield said that “if you need to feel sorry for yourself, set a specific time for yourself, let yourself feel sad and allow yourself to cry it out, and then choose to get back up and get a move on”. This may sound a little insensitive, but this has helped me tremendously.

Obviously,  depending on the severity of the situation, the time will vary. For me, if it’s just been a long and frustrating day, I’ll give myself anywhere from 5-30 minutes to cry, vent, complain, and curse about my day. When it came to grieving my dads death, I gave myself one year. It all just depends  — but don’t allow yourself to stay in that place. 

It takes determination & discipline to get out of these hard places. I don’t want to discredit the epidemic of depression or anxiety by any means. I know how real they are first hand. But, just as it’s important to go see a doctor to get prescribed anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medication, or to schedule an appointment with a therapist to talk through things, it is also of equal importance to do what you can in this moment to help combat depression. You may not always get it right or perfect, but so long as you try to help yourself out of those dark places, you will get there. If you have determination, grace, faith, and discipline to help yourself, you’ll get there. 

What is your favorite thing to do when your down in the dumps? Leave a comment below, so that we can all help each other on this page. :)