3 Ways to Improve your Mood Instantly!

First of all: Laugh out loud!

When was the last time you had a really good belly-laugh? I mean the one where you are shaking uncontrollably with laughter and the tears are streaming down your face? I'm guessing that, for most of us, it's been a while. When we grow out of childhood, there don't seem to be that many things we find uncontrollably funny. So let's go find some!

Make a note of five things that make you laugh out loud. For me that would include: Laurel & Hardy movies; Tom & Jerry cartoons; Bob Newhart video clips, Monty Python and Irish comedia
Dara O'Briain. Go find something that makes you really laugh. Be sure to get something that will make you laugh heartily for a good 10-15 minutes. You should be breathless from laughing. When you've finished - try thinking about the things that have been getting you down. I bet you can't feel quite so bad about them now, am I right? Imagine if you programmed a bout of good, wholesome laughter into your daily routine. Or at least every few days. After a week or so, would all the doom and gloom, which we read about and hear about constantly, be able to dent your good humour? I think not so much, huh?

Second: List at least 10 things to be grateful for.

Get out a piece of paper (it's important for you to write it down, so you can see it for yourself and refer to it regularly) and write down at least 10 things you have to be grateful for right now, today, this minute. I always start with thanks for my family and friends, my health, good weather (which cheers me up) etc. As you write them, focus your thoughts on that person or thing that you are so grateful for. Really bring them to mind. Think about how they look, hear their voice, think about how they make you feel and allow yourself to feel it again right now. Bring all the good aspects of that person or event into the front of your mind and really allow yourself to recreate all the feelings, thoughts, sounds associated with them. Wallow in that good feeling! Have a really good ol' WALLOW! After you allow these good feelings to soak through you for a few minutes, I bet you'll find it really brightens your day.

Finally, pass on your good feeling to someone else.

Now that you're feeling so much better, don't keep it all to yourself - SHARE it! If you're in the office, smile at colleagues and give them a word of appreciation, affirmation or positive feedback. If you're at home, arrange to have a chat with someone who always makes you feel good (in person, by phone, online, wherever). Do your best to ensure that, by the end of your interaction, you are both feeling better for it. If you're at the store, be really happy to meet people, really grateful for the shop assistant's help, really helpful to other shoppers. That's it. You probably have lots of other ways to improve your mood, but the important thing is to take immediate action. Don't let the mood keep sinking. Grab it by the collar and bring it (kicking and screaming if necessary!) up into the sunshine of your newly improved mood! So - go to it! What's stopping you?

By the way, if anyone knows where to find the Bob Newhart Driving Instructor video/sound clip, I'd love to know. It cracks me up!