Kathy Hamilton We all have bad days. Whether they’re the “wake up on the wrong side of bed” kind or a little bit more serious, they’re an unavoidable part of life. But the good news is there are plenty of ways to boost your happiness on a bad day too.
I don’t know about you, but some days just feel bad from the moment I wake up. You know the ones I’m talking about, the alarm doesn’t go off. Then, your bus is late and when it comes there are approximately 1000 people crammed onto it.
So by the time you get your frazzled carcass to work and that annoyingly peppy girl in the office just has to point out that “you’ve got a little bit of toothpaste on your jumper just there…tee-hee” you’re ready to scream.
Whilst it’s definitely important to recognise the emotions you’re feeling and even spend some time dealing with them (maybe five to ten minutes tops). Ultimately, the best thing is to try and find your way out of the bad mood.
That’s where these 10 ways to boost your happiness on a bad day come in! These little tips and tricks are designed for you to pick and choose; not everything will work for everyone, and that’s fine. But from getting some fresh air to hosting a solo dance party to the cheesiest tunes Spotify has to offer, I’m sure there’s something that will work for you.
1. Go for a Walk
Walking is actually hard-wired into our brains to make us feel positive. So whether you need to have a 10-minute rage strut to get that frustration out of your system or you just need to be outside for a few minutes, walking works wonders on your mood. Recently, my favourite place to go for a walk when I need a happiness boost is my local park. It’s less than three minutes from my door. It’s packed with flowers and wildlife and walking there always guarantees to make me feel a little lighter and brighter. Ducklings, they’re like a happiness super boost, I swear.
2. Dance like no one’s watching
It’s time to crank up the volume, put on your cheesiest playlist and bust a move. There’s just something about dancing, uninhibitedly, by yourself that makes it impossible to stay grumpy. Will you feel ridiculous? More than likely. Especially if you try to recreate the entire dance routine from FAME! But you’ll also probably end up having a great time too, and that’s the goal here. Sometimes the best way to boost your happiness on a bad day is to simply have a little fun.
3. Make a slightly fancy meal
Next up on this list of ways to boost your mood on a bad day is cooking. For some of you, this might strike fear into your heart. “Cooking?! On a bad day? Are you crazy?” Well, the answer to that is not quite, my friends. But for those of you that enjoy the process of cooking, indulging yourself on a bad day can be a great stress reliever. Get together the ingredients for that recipe you’ve been meaning to try. Put on some excellent tunes. And revel in the act of making something enticing to eat.
4. Try to laugh
They say laughter is the best medicine and I’m inclined to agree. Whenever I’m having a bad day, I’m inclined to take things too seriously, everything is frustrating. So do you know what I do? Head to YouTube and find a “Cats Do the Craziest Things” compilation. From there I usually just enjoy falling into the black hole of funny videos on YouTube and end up laughing myself into a cheerful mood.
5. Talk to a friend
On some bad days, the hide under a blanket kind, you can actually end up feeling quite lonely. Which is guaranteed to make it worse. If that’s the case, why not call a friend or someone in your family? Have a good catch up, or even just talk for ten minutes, I promise you’ll feel better for it. Humans are social creatures and we’re not meant to suffer through things alone. So even if you can’t meet someone in person, spending a few minutes talking might just make you feel better.
6. Watch a shamelessly happy TV show
Okay, public service announcement. I am currently obsessed with Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the most unashamedly happy show on TV right now. But the thing I love most about it is the instant effect it has on my mood. The second the fab five rock into town and the opening credits have finished rolling you know that I’m smiling from ear to ear. It’s infectiously joyful and the perfect antidote to a sour day. Begrudgingly, I can admit that any shamelessly happy tv show is a great way to boost your happiness on a bad day. Sometimes we just need to sit down, unwind, and watch something that makes us smile.
7. Treat yo’ Self
If you’re having a lousy day. Treat yo’ Self. Feel like eating a doughnut at lunch? Do it! Had your eye on that perfect red lipstick? Get it. Within reason, treating yourself is the perfect way to boost your happiness on a bad day. While you’re at it, why not expand the experience? If you have time, don’t get the doughnut to go, instead, sit in the cafe and take a little break from the day. Enjoy the moment, because that might be the biggest treat of them all!
8. Exercise
Hands up if “Treat yo’ Self” turned into buying 12 glazed doughnuts that you ate by yourself? No shame! I’ve been there and I have no regrets. However, in the interest of maintaining balance, this next tip might also do you some good too. By now we all know that exercise is like the magic elixir of happiness. Much like walking, it’s scientifically proven to be a great way to boost your mood on a bad day. In fact, just 20 minutes of exercise can actually boost your mood for up to 24 hours. That’s because exercise increases endorphins and other feel-good chemicals which directly counter-attack your bad mood. So, even when it feels like the last thing you want to do, make yourself get moving…you won’t regret it.
9. Take a long bath
You know that bath bomb you got at Christmas? Use it! Hell, throw a whole bottle of bubble bath into the tub! Go crazy. Soak away all your problems. Showers are great, but there’s nothing quite like a long bath to boost your happiness on a bad day in my opinion. There’s nothing quite like sinking into some hot water, relaxing music in the background, scented candles burning, to really help you unwind. Bonus points if you stay in until your skin starts to look like a prune!
10. Read a book
Last but not least, why not read a book? I mean, you knew I’d sneak this one in somewhere, didn’t you? The Benefits of Reading are plentiful but amongst them is happiness. Not only that, it’s also one of the best stress reducers out there. It’s even said to be better than common stress relievers like walking or listening to music. And don’t just take the word of a bookworm here, it’s actually backed by science! That makes reading a book one of the perfect ways to boost happiness on a bad day and an excellent place to round up.
What are your favourite ways to boost happiness on a bad day?
I’m aware that happiness is a uniquely personal thing. In fact, I almost hesitated to write this blog post because I didn’t want to sound too shallow. These are all little suggestions that have worked for me in the past, whether on their own or grouped together (Can vouch for the success of a Point 10 + Point 9 combo!) So, tell me, what do you do to boost your happiness on a bad day?
