10 ways to beat the blues

Do you ever have days where you sit in a slump, unsure what to do with yourself, lost for somewhere to be? I do. It's one of my many flaws, that when I start to feel down it spirals and I'm unable to beat away the blues. Learning from this, I've compiled a little list of things you can do to rid yourself of that horrible feeling- even if only momentarily.

1. Bake or cook something. I can't think of a single person who doesn't enjoy a good slice of flapjack or cake. The time it takes to bake and the constant thinking about what you're doing will take your mind elsewhere for a while, and the results are rewarding! Seeing other people enjoy what you've made might also make you happier.
2. Create. If you're a creative like myself, why not do something about it? Paint, draw, write a song, poem, article or blog post. Activities like this are proven to be therapeutic, taking your mind away from the issue or feeling at hand. The best part is if you create something you're proud of, you can push out the bad feelings with a new sense of self-worth.
3. A change of scenery. Take yourself somewhere nice, whether it's somewhere you've been before or somewhere you've not yet discovered, go on an adventure! Explore your local park, write a list of 10 things you want to find while you're out (e.g: a ladybird, a stream, a flower shop) and pay attention to the things around you. Fresh air will do your mood wonders and you might even come across something awesome. I recently popped out to the shop and bumped into a carnival.
4. Read. Nothing like an alternate reality to draw you in, eh?
5. Take a bath or shower. This is a weird one but it works! Spend time looking after yourself and 'wash away' the blues. You'll feel pampered and peppy in no time. 
6. Meet up with a friend. Talking to people always helps. Whether you talk to them about the reason you're down or as something to bring you out of the mood you're in, being around other positive people influences your mood more than you think.
7. Exercise. A thing that many people dread but something scientifically proven to make you happy as it gets your blood pumping and causes you to release endorphins. Happy hormones. Push yourself to really get your adrenaline and hormones going and then use number 5 to feel refreshed.
8. Sleep more. A simple and a long term solution! Give yourself enough time at night or in the morning for some R&R. Feeling groggy is no good and can make you less productive, more grumpy.
9. Don't dwell on the past. We all do and say things that we regret but the past is the past yo, there's nothing you can do about it now so don't dwell on it. Deal with today and today only, work on making today so good that tomorrow can only be better. Be proud of who you are today.
10. Finally, smile. Not in the way of pretending to be happy, but when you're on your own, smile for 30 seconds and tell me how much better you feel. Look in the mirror and do the cheesiest, ugliest grin you can and you'll feel better even if it's just because you look hilarious. If you don't believe me then believe these guys.

Adventure time!

What do you do to cheer up? Let me know if you tried any of these tips and if they worked! 
Read my other post on happiness here.

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