8 WAYS TO CHEER UP...

Everyone feels vulnerable, sad, and lonely
from time to time but if you know how to
cheer yourself up, then you’ll get through
many of those tough moments just fine.
If you’re just having a bad day (or week)
and need to cheer up, try some of the
following. I hope you feel better soon!
1. Make your own CHEER UP book. If
you’re experiencing lots of days of feeling
down, you might benefit from creating
your own “Cheer Up” book. Create a list
(like this one) of every activity you can
think of that will cheer you up. Type it up,
add some pictures, print it out, and have it
bound.
2. Breathe. Deep breathing is a relaxation
technique that releases tension from the
body and clears the mind. You tend to
breathe shallowly or even hold your
breath when you are feeling anxious. Many
people do this and are not even aware of
it. Shallow breathing limits your oxygen
intake and adds further st
3.Water. Drink some water. Mmmmm…
water. Dehydration can cause a variety of
problems, including imbalances in your
noggin. So fill up a glass with that clear
liquid and take it down. While you’re at it,
why don’t you take a multivitamin just for
good measure? Don’t stop at that one
glass. Be sure to have a few through the
rest of the day.
4. Hugs. If a friend or loved one is
available, go snag a hug from them. You
have to give a hug to get one. Sometimes
all we need is a good old fashion hug. A
study by University of North Carolina
researchers found that hugs increase the
“bonding” hormone oxytocin and decrease
the risk of heart disease. Touch also
releases two feel-good brain chemicals,
serotonin and dopamine.
5. Play with a dog. If you don’t have one,
go get one! When I say play, I mean really
play. Get down on the ground, chase her
around, throw her “ball” and have a good
old time. You’ll be spreading some love,
exercising, and making both you and her
feel better.
6. Caffeine. Go get a soda or coffee (iced
or hot). Caffeine is a natural mood
enhancer. J Not only does it taste good in
coffee and soda and make you feel better
– it also helps to get out of the house to
get some fresh air. For a couple dollars,
this is a cheap and pleasurable pick-me-up.
7. Call a friend. Open up that cell phone,
and start going down the contact list. If
you’re not willing to call them (unless it’s a
professional contact), then maybe you
should delete them. Family members and
friends should be available to support one
another. A good old-fashion chat will add a
new perspective on life in general, and it
might provide some pleasant distraction
from whatever is getting you down.
8. Watch a funny movie. If you have the
time, slip in one of your favorite comedies
or go rent one. And when you get to the
funny parts, give yourself permission to
laugh and laugh hard. Laughter is very
good for you, especially when you don’t
think you can.
These should lift your spirits right up!
Commit to just 15 minutes, and you’ll be
surprised how much you’ll want to keep
going after your 15 minutes are up.
Hmmmm