Wondering how to instantly improve your mood this holiday season? It’s no secret that the time change, holidays and it being dark earlier plays a huge role in people’s overall mood. A lot of people struggle during for different reasons and while I think it’s healthy to be present in our emotions, there are some things that I believe can help improve your mood during those tough days.
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These are some of the things that have worked for me, but each of us has a different way to cope. That said I’m sharing 7 ways to instantly improve your mood this holiday season.
Instantly Improve Your Mood This Holiday Season
Spend Less Time on Social Media to Improve Your Mood
Unplug; it’s that simple. I know it’s a double edged sword because you want to see what everyone is doing or you’re accustomed to wanting to know what everyone is doing. People are decorating, buying their matching pj’s and talking all about their holiday plans and that can be a lot. It can be a lot if your plans aren’t as elaborate or if your budget looks different.
All of those things are okay by the way, you don’t need to over do it, just to post on social media though that has become the type of time most people are on. I can guarantee you’ll instantly improve your mood by doing less scrolling and watching and creating more moments offline that you can always post later if you desire to share them.
Do More Of Your Favorite Things
One of my favorite things to do is wear makeup and get glammed up. Aside from the fact that I was blessed to begin maternity leave a few weeks earlier than I originally anticipated, I’ve been wearing make up more even if it’s just to sit at home because its nice to have that little wow factor when I look at myself. It also gives me a reason to buy and try new things.
Another thing I enjoy is writing so with #Blogmas22 in full effect I’ve really been loving the experience and discipline of getting more blog posts out and just making time to write and share. Writing or sharing in a capacity that feels good to you can instantly improve your mood and it always trickles over into other areas. For me personally that looks like me writing in my planner, using a new paper Bible and enjoying all the things that it offers.
Wear A Fragrance That Brings Up Good Memories
My grandmother passed away a few months ago and while going through her stuff she always kept an extensive perfume collection. Though I miss her dearly, wearing Carolina Herrera ‘Good Girl’ definitely makes me think of her and makes me feel closer to her. Wearing perfume and familiar scents can instantly improve your mood. Nothing is better than knowing you smell good, you’ve got a good outfit on and I just think it’s unique that my grandmother had such a wide variety of fragrances, not just your typical musks that older women usually wear or prefer.
The other thing about the Carolina Herrera perfume is that it actually reminds me of Ralph Lauren ‘Ralph’ fragrance which I wore in middle school. That was my first “real” fragrance and while I can tell the difference in notes, there are some similar points that remind me of middle school and it’s nice to see who I’ve become and grown into since then.
Get Outside During the Day
It getting dark early usually messes with people’s mental health; from thinking it’s later than it is, to it being dark while you run around or pick up your kids at 5:00 can be a lot, but a way to instantly improve your mood on those dark evenings is by spending more time getting out during the day. A good long walk around the neighborhood or if you work from home, co-working with someone or just working from another location can help boost you mood. You’ll feel like you had a good productive day while the sun was out and by the time it’s already gone and set, you’ll be ready to lean into the evening and cozy up.
Journal or See Your Therapist More To Improve Your Mood
In the space of writing or doing more of your favorite things, journaling and getting your thoughts out, whether on paper or with a real person in therapy is a great way to instantly improve your mood. Though I haven’t needed therapy and stopped going for a few years now, that time that I was going was extremely helpful and rewarding. It gave me a lot of tools and helped me find other ways to deal with what bothered me as well as allowed me to maintain my emotions and mental health going forward.
Journaling has played a huge role in that. Sometimes I need to write out my feelings, other times, I’m writing down ideas for things I want to work on. Both times, the freedom to write and express myself honestly is really what makes me most proud. Being honest with yourself in whatever form or capacity can always improve your mood.
Use A Diffuser with Mind Boosting Essential Oils
Essential oils have many benefits and while I used to be anti-essential oils, now I embrace them as those benefits can instantly improve your mood. Peppermint, Lavender and Eucalyptus always make me feel calm and at ease. When we were doing our childbirth classes, the smell of the essential oil when we walked it as it diffused around the room made for a more easy and open experience with the other couples. It was great and I totally understand why people use diffusers regularly.
Spend Time on a Hobby
A hobby is whatever you enjoy in your free time, I know for me, playing The Sims 4, reading a good thriller by James Patterson or even finding a new documentary to watch are things that I love. We’re all busy and we all have a lot going on especially during this time of year. We’re being bombarded with sales and promos and decorations and dishes and matching pajamas, sometimes the best thing you can do is tune all of that out and spend time on what brings you joy. Allow those things to improve your mood this holiday season.
What are some of the ways you intentionally work to improve your mood during the holiday season?
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