We all have bad days when we don’t feel like smiling. On those days, it’s easy to forget that the powerful ways to boost your mood are often found in the ordinary, everyday moments.
When life feels stressful, you don’t always need a vacation or a shopping spree as an escape. While these things can be wonderful, but these are not the only way to lift your mood.
Sometimes, all we need is a shift in attention to acknowledge all the wonderful moments in your present moment.
This blog article is a reminder for you and me that the simple joys in life are still available to us. A reminder that we can count our joys instead of always keeping track of our worries.
So, this article is a gentle nudge for you to notice, to return, and find joy in your everyday inexpensive moments that can boost your mood.
These low-cost things to do not only boost your mood, but it also helps you to embrace mindfulness in tiny ways.
50 Little Inexpensive Ways to Boost Your Mood
- Get outside and soak in the Vitamin D.
- Take a cold shower.
- Apply DIY face masks and relax with two slices of cucumber covering your eyes.
- Hold and hug your favourite toy.
- Crackle those bubble wraps and be delighted as it pops.
- Spend time in your favourite part of your house – your reading nook, meditation room, balcony.
- Rearrange a tiny corner of your space – a shelf, or a windowsill. Let the newness boost your mood.
- Create a moodboard using magazine clippings or Pinterest.
- Embrace imperfection by trying to draw with your non-dominant hand. And, laugh at the results.
- Read a feel-good book that will instantly boost your mood.
- Write down your personal goals for your dream life.
- Play with words and write a short poem. It’s okay if it’s bad.
- Call your best friend and have a long chat. This is an instant moodbooster.
- Laugh at memes and share it with your close friends.
- Challenge yourself to compliment people.
- Change your sheets and relax in the cozy bed.
- Watch the steam rise from your hot cup of tea. Let it slow you down.
- Use those nicest set of bowls and plates that you’ve been keeping for special occasions. Remind yourself that you’re special.
- Revisit that old short story or poem that once moved you. I do that a lot. My favourite ones are David Swan by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and reading Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.
- Create a fake travel itinerary for your dream travel destination. Who knows? You might soon manifest it.
- Write a short paragraph of the person you’ve become.
- Okay. For a shift in perspective, try walking backwards for 10-15 steps in your room. Weird it is, but it will literally shift your mood.
- Talk to your plants. Water them. Feel them.
- For a cozy feeling, light a candle and just observe it.
- Fold your laundry as you listen to an old song.
- Read aloud from a book and impersonate the different characters.
- Whisper something kind to yourself in the mirror.
- Have seasonal fruits. Let it be your favourite moment of the day.
- Look up at the night sky and imagine everyone else who’s doing the same.
- Watch ants or birds for a full minute. Their focus can feel reassuring.
- Google a word in a language you don’t speak and learn to say it. I learned that cat is called ‘neko’ in Japanese.
- Look at your hand and legs and thank them for all that they’ve done.
- Want to relax? Lift your legs up against the wall.
- Lie down on the floor and practise “shavasana”
- Massage your feet slowly.
- Wrap yourself in a blanket and sit like a burrito.
- Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for that didn’t happen.
- Watch your favourite comedy movie and laugh out loud.
- Put on some music and dance.
- Revisit your old photos and smile at those happy memories.
- Stand up and do jumping jacks for 30 seconds.
- Put on calming nature sounds. Close your eyes as you immerse yourself in the sounds.
- Play with your pets.
- Distract yourself from negative thoughts by playing a game or solving a puzzle.
- Read an inspirational book or article to boost your mood.
- Harness the power of positive self-talk as you remind yourself that this feeling – however overwhelming and stressful is temporary.
- Stay away from screens for atleast an hour. Give your mind a break from constant stimulation.
- Finish the task that you’ve been putting off since a long time – cleaning the make-up brushes, sorting out the clutter, or connecting with a friend.
- Make your happy comfort meal and be grateful as you enjoy it.
- Lastly, take a good nap and feel better.
You’ve just read a collection of inexpensive ways to boost your mood. These small moments do not require much more than your attention and care.
So, start small.
Choose any one suggestion from the list that resonates with you. Or, you can create your own list as well.
If you found this post helpful, save it for the days that feels heavy. Sometimes all you need is a gentle reminder.
