How are you doing? Would you use the words; satisfaction, joy, fun, enjoyment, enthusiasm, laughter, motivated, active, pleasant, anticipating or content to describe your current state of mind? If you would like to see a boost in your mood and positive attitude as well as an increase in energy, this column is for you.
As we begin the colder, drearier months, many people have a downturn in their mood and mental state. Their emotions tend to reflect more despondency or less enthusiasm. Mental health experts have recognized this mood shift during winter months and have called it Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It is important to realize that if this phenomenon affects you, you are definitely not alone. Millions of people are similarly impacted as the seasons change.
There are a number of reasons for this change in our mental status. As the hours of daylight diminish, many people begin to sense a change in their perspective. They are not as positive or upbeat as they may have been during the summer months. The amount of daylight is a factor in areas even where the temperature change is not particularly dramatic.
For others, as the weather changes, they tend to stay indoors more. Not only does this limit exposure to daylight, but it also limits physical activity as well. Research has confirmed a link between levels of physical activity and a more positive outlook.
During the colder months many people spend more time alone or in the company of just their spouse, spending less time enjoying interactions with others outside of their immediate family or roommates. Research shows that positive interactions with other people can be a very powerful mood booster, even if the other people are strangers.
By the way, at the end of this column there is a reference to a great book with 50 action steps to help improve your outlook. I can attest that this book can be a valuable tool for almost anyone. The writer is an acknowledged pessimist by default but has researched and learned some very simple and effective methods of quickly adjusting a person’s mental outlook.
Here are just a few action steps to see an immediate change in attitude:
• Get moving. I know this sounds too simple to be effective, but it often is the first step to success in elevating your mood. Get up. Get busy. Do something – anything. Physical activity begins the change within the brain.
• Clean something. Again, it really doesn’t matter what you clean, as long as your mind is focused on cleaning. Clean your desk. Too intimidating for now… clean a drawer. Taking this baby step will lead to accomplishment that can spur you onward. Clean your bedroom. Too much – clean a nightstand. Take action.
• Organize something. Organizing can stimulate specific types of brain functions associated with a more positive outlook. Start with something easy that is right in front of you.
• Talk to someone. Anyone. If you have a friend you haven’t talked to in a while, give them a call- not a text. If you have a friend you talked to yesterday, call them. Can’t think of anyone – call a stranger at a restaurant and ask about the specials. Go ahead and make a reservation while you are at it and you’ll be ready for the next step.
• Get out of the house or apartment. Leave. Go somewhere where there’s other people that you can interact with. If you just made that reservation in the step above, go to a restaurant, even if you have to sit alone. Enjoy a cup of coffee and people watch.
• Listen to some music. Upbeat, fast tempo, emotionally stimulating music is best. If you’re alone, play it out loud.
• Got the music playing … tap your toes, nod your head, maybe even dance a little. Movement while listening to music activates even more of your brain in positive ways.
• Go for a walk. If possible, choose a place where you will encounter other people, even if they are simply passing by.
• Smile. At anyone. At nothing. Just smile – all by yourself in your car or bedroom. Recognize that feeling? When we smile our brains automatically change to a more positive mood, even if we are “faking it.”
• Laugh. At yourself, at the television, at a funny memory, at the friend you called earlier on the phone, at the lady that was confused when you asked about the specials and tried to make reservations when you called Waffle House.
• Taste something interesting or enjoyable. You don’t have to consume an extra-large plate of fries to activate the connection between food and your brain. Simply take the time to be very intentional about tasting something that you find enjoyable or that is new or different.
There are so many other ways to elevate your mood quickly but this column is limited in space. By the way, the excellent book I recommend is called “The Road To Happiness is Always Under Construction” by Dr. K. Jeffrey Miller. Although I have read it before, I downloaded it again on Kindle today to enjoy it again. I’m sure you will like it. It may also be a great gift idea for someone that you know.
Dr. Mark Kestner is a licensed chiropractic physician and acupuncturist with 30-plus years of experience focused primarily on treating complex and chronic spine, joint and neurological conditions in Murfreesboro. His office is at 1435 NW Broad St. Contact him at mkestner@DrKestner.com.
