Sometimes, no matter what you do, life just crashes around you. It’s as if everything has gone into a tailspin and you know that if you want to start feeling better, you have to do something about it. But what?
Cultivating positive emotions will improve your overall life satisfaction, so why not make some positive changes today? Even a little bit of work on some of these will give you huge benefits. Pick one of the things below that feels like a simple way to start. Whatever you choose, I promise, it is a good way to start feeling better.
Here are 52 ways to start feeling better now – one for every week of the year. You can feel better!
Feeling Better: The Old Standbys You Forget To Do
Of course, we can’t neglect the ones you already know, but forget to do. Yes, they’re hard to implement regularly, but if you’re committed to feeling better, these will do wonders for you.
1. Attend to your physical health. Get active. Breaking a sweat will change your outlook.
2. Avoid the sugar crash. Sure, when you’re feeling terrible you want nothing more than junk food, but it makes you feel worse in the end. Healthy food can make you feel better in the long term.
3. Talk to a good friend, a family member, a therapist or a coach. Anyone you trust is a good person to confide in, and kind words will help you feel better almost immediately.
4. Get enough sleep. Everyone’s cranky when they’re not sleeping well, and life can’t go as planned when you’re starting off kilter.
Feeling Better: Get Re-Inspired
Doing what inspires you can help you put life back into perspective. There’s nothing like feeling small in a huge, profound world, or big and powerful in a connected universe to inspire you!
5. One of the best ways to feel better is to get out into nature. It doesn’t have to be a National park or a beautiful hike. Pretty much anywhere outside will do.
6. Dance.
7. Do some artwork, even if you think it comes out bad. It’s just about the fun of it. (And maybe you get to go to one of those painting and wine places with your friends).
8. Read a great novel.
9. Work on your bucket list. Need help? Read my post on 100 Things to Do Before You Die here.
10. Talk to smart people about interesting topics either in person or online.
12. Do a random act of kindness.
13. Watch Ted or Tedx talks.
14. Watch for the good that comes your way. Don’t close your eyes to it. Be expecting it. Notice sychronicities.
15. Read a biography of someone you admire.
16. Meditate.
17. Volunteer.
18. Write down big ideas.
19. Take a class. You can try a free university course from edX or Coursera or virtually any type of course you can think of. Try Udemy for non-university courses on a ton of different subjects. There’s always LinkedIn Learning as well!
Feeling Better: Connect With Your Highest Goals
Think about the things you feel you must do in your life. If you are a multipotentialite, there might be a lot of things. . . Get started!
20.Think about where you want to be in 5 years.
21.Invest in yourself – your education, your personal development, your health and wellbeing and your career.
22.Dream about a big goal you have in your life. Make a plan to go after it.
23.Take action on a goal. Moving forward, even in a small way can make you feel great. Wrack your brain for forgotten goals you may have given up on.
24. Pull out that novel you haven’t worked on in years and start writing.
25. Take steps to be who you want to be, not just achieve what you want to achieve or buy what you want to buy.
Feeling Better: Do Something Crazy
Ok, not too crazy, but something out of your comfort zone.
26. Get off of social media!
27. Push yourself to do better than you thought you could at something you care about. Make mistakes, it’s how you learn!
28. Do a walk or run for a charity.
29. Think of your goals. Now think BIGGER!
30. Plan a vacation to somewhere beautiful.
31. Start a business.
32. Make an exciting, empowering decision there’s no turning back from.
33. Think of 10 new ideas that can help you tackle your tough problem right now.
34. Try a new look! Dye your hair, wear something you might never wear, but love. Whatever makes you feel better, it’s great.
Feel & Show Gratitude, Love & Kindness
Psychological research shows that these do help you feel better. Just do them!
35. Tell someone you love them. Don’t resist being genuine.
36. Say thank you every chance you get.
37. Forgive someone.
38. Make someone smile. It’s not only free, but it’s contagious!
39. Spend time with someone who needs your help.
40. Be enthusiastic. That will be contagious, too.
41. Reconnect with people you miss. Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a long time.
Feeling Better: Leave Behind The Negative
This is so, so important. We have easier access to everything these days, and with news and updates being so immediate (and everywhere), negativity can get you down. Don’t let it.
42. Stop watching the news.
43. Decide to light a positive light inside and let the world see it.
44. Remember where you were and the progress you’ve made.
45. Ask yourself if the problems you’re dealing with today are going to matter in a year or in 5. Be here now. It’s probably pretty good!
46. Find the silver lining in your situation.
47. Create a near-term plan and forget everything else.
48. Ask for help. Social support can do wonders.
49. Don’t give up.
50. Find a good pain management doctor. If you’re in pain, it’s very hard to feel better emotionally.
51. Don’t complain.
52. LAUGH!
There you have it! 52 ways to start feeling better when things are not going your way. Do any of these work for you? Any new ones you’re going to give a try? And any good ones that I missed? Please share!