23 Wonderful Ways To Lift Your Spirits

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Are you looking for some ways to lift your spirits?  You would be forgiven for feeling a tad fed up this year after all!

I hope that this list I have compiled will give you some inspiration for ways to lift your spirits during this strange period in history.  All can be done from the safety of your own home (with the exception of going for a walk – socially distanced of course!)

Even once this is all over,  there will times when you need something to lift your mood and I hope this will be a list of ideas you can turn to again in the future.

Enjoy!

1.  Read A Book

Personally, I find reading like a form of meditation.  Losing myself in a good story can make time stand still and I forget about everything that’s going on in the world!

Everyone is different in the types of books they love, but here are a few I’ve read recently which I highly recommend.

Becoming – Michelle Obama.  I found Michelle’s story inspiring and very easy to read.

Before I Met You – Lisa Jewell.  I recently discovered Lisa Jewell’s novels and have been binge reading them.  I particularly loved this one set in 1920s London.

Pig Wrestling – Pete Lindsay, Mark Bawden.  Where would a self-improvement blog be without a book to help you do just that?  Pig Wrestling is a fable which gives you a simple way to solve any problem.

2.  Lift Your Spirits And Bake A Cake

During the lockdown, we had a bit of shortage of flour and other essential cake baking ingredients here in the UK.

It looks as though everyone has taken up baking and why not, all that mixing can be very therapeutic!  Not to mention you get to eat the end result. 🙂🍰

Do some baking with Mary Berry, the queen of baking!

3.  Listen To (Or Make) Music

There is something about listening to music that simply lifts the spirits to the highest levels!

For me, I can be totally down in the dumps.  Turn on some 80s tunes (yes I’m an 80s kind of girl), crank up the volume, let me bop around the house and I’ll instantly feel better.

You could also make your own music.  Maybe you can play an instrument, or want to learn to play? Dust off that old keyboard or guitar and get going!

4.  Sing

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

Another fabulous way to make music is to use your own voice.  So what if you don’t think you can sing very well.  Singing (even if it’s bad) releases endorphins and has even been shown to have a number of health benefits including improving your immune system and helping you to sleep.

Why not join a virtual choir (or even a real one if we are now back in the real world).  There are also loads of apps and websites where you can sing karaoke.  Try Singsnap or search for the Smule app in your app store.

5.  Play A Game With The Kids

Why not dust off those old board games you used to play as a kid and get your children involved in a game.    

You don’t necessarily need kids to play either, board games are brilliant whatever your age!   I recently played a game of Chinese Checkers with my Mum – had to watch for her cheating, but we had a laugh and it was a close run match!

Chinese Checkers Game – Amazon

(UK Link)

Of course, you don’t necessarily need board games, simply join in your kids’ play.  Kids play as a way to communicate their feelings, so it’s particularly important for them at this time.

6.  Learn Something New

It’s so easy to learn a new skill or take up a hobby nowadays.  Particularly with all the online learning that’s available.  I’m a huge fan of  Udemy where you can learn just about anything!

Some brilliant courses I have taken include Assertive Communication Skills Masterclass, Tarot Card Success and Excel Essentials.  (Tip – don’t pay full price for courses on Udemy, they have sales where the price is slashed on a regular basis!)

7.  Grow Herbs

Growing things can be very rewarding.  Herbs are a fab thing to grow.  They are easy and you can use them in your cooking.  There is something really satisfying about growing things to eat.

Indoor Herb Garden – Amazon

(UK Link)

8.  Meditate For 10 Minutes

Regular meditation can be very calming.  I use an app called Insight Timer which has a huge array of guided meditations and music to choose from.

If you aren’t sure where to start, check out my beginners’ guide.  You don’t need to do 10 minutes all at once, start with 1 or 2 minutes at first and build up gradually.

9.  Move Around

Exercise is another activity that gets those endorphins going and lift your spirits.

A walkout in the fresh air can lift your spirits and make you feel so much better.  If you can’t get outside, then there are tons of different options online for helping you exercise at home.

Or simply switch on your favourite tunes and have a bop around your living room!

Photo by Johnny McClung on Unsplash

10.  Do Something For Someone Else

Someone told me at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis to write myself a list of 3 things I enjoyed plus 3 things I could do for someone else.  Things you could do include checking in on elderly neighbours, share some helpful tips on social media or offer to pick someone’s groceries up.

This is another thing where there’s evidence to show it can make you happier.  So why not make someone else happy at the same time?

11.  Write It Out

Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash

My anxiety was sky high recently.  I tried meditating.  I tried reading a book.  I’d done some exercise.  Nothing was working.  I picked up my journal and started to write down everything in my head.  A ‘stream of consciousness’.  I could literally feel the stress draining from me and onto the page.

This stream of consciousness was, for me on that day, pretty negative!  But it got all the stuff out.

Normally I would use my journal for recording much more positive things.  Writing down 3 things you are grateful for each day or 3 good things that have happened can be helpful.   (There is ALWAYS something, even if it’s as simple as ‘the sun shone’).

Related Post:  Mindful Journaling: 15 Fantastic Benefits And How To Get Started

12.  Keep In Contact

We all need human contact, we weren’t designed to be islands.

In these times where we can’t see people face to face, turn to technology as much as you can.  Skype is great and you can also use Whatsapp to call up to 3 people.  Or pick up the good old fashioned phone!

13.  Declutter

How good do you feel when you’ve cleared out your closet?!  I know I do.  I love sorting stuff out and putting it back neatly.  It’s so satisfying!  It’s one thing you can control in this world where so many things feel out of our control.

Related Post:  How To Declutter At The Speed Of Life

14.  Get Outside

Photo by vadim kaipov on Unsplash

If you can then try to get outside in the fresh air and daylight each day, for at least 30 minutes.

Where you haven’t got the time or energy to go for a walk, then at least try to pop out into your garden or backyard for a little while.

I love to sit in my garden with a cuppa and listen to the birds singing.  Very therapeutic!

15.  Have A Carpet Picnic

I came across this idea and thought it would be a great thing to do with kids.

Get a big sheet out on the carpet.  Add a few cushions and serve up your favourite picnic food.  Then at the end, you can bundle up your big sheet, shake off the crumbs outside and stick it all in the washing machine.

16.  Listen To A Podcast

Listening to inspirational podcasts can really help to lift your spirits.  There are so many to choose from, you are sure to find one or two that resonate with you.

Here are a few of my favourites.

17.  Laugh

Laughter is another great thing that science shows is good for us.  It has even been linked to living longer.

So, get watching those funny cat videos on YouTube (did I really need an excuse??)

18.  Soak In A Hot Bath

Photo by Timothy Dykes on Unsplash

Fill the bath with your favourite bubble bath or bath bombs for a lovely relaxing soak.

Bath Bombs – Amazon

Bath Caddy – Amazon

19.  Unplug From The News

The 24-hour rolling news can become pretty overwhelming quite quickly.

Try to limit yourself to a set time each day, use trusted sources, catch up on what you need to and then TURN IT OFF.

Or at the very least, turn it over!

I’ve found watching quiz shows over on another channel to be a welcome distraction from the news.

20.  Take A Break From Social Media

Similarly, I’m sure you are well aware of how scrolling through social media for too long a period can make you feel.

Unplug from it.  Especially at night time, no scrolling in bed!

21.  Remember ‘This Too Will Pass’

Although the current situation may feel that it will last forever, it is really the blink of an eye in human history and in our lifetimes.

As everything does, it will pass and we will be happy and free once more.

22.  Find A Long Term Project

Photo by Hannah Gullixson on Unsplash

This is a great way to distract yourself.  Start a project that’s going to take you a while to complete.

You could learn the guitar, read a series of books, binge watch a Netflix season or get hooked on a video game.

 Animal Crossing For Nintendo Switch

(UK Link)

Or why not start your own blog?  Here’s my beginner’s guide.

23.  Make A Self Care Box

I love the idea of making yourself a self-care box to see you through the bad times so much!  Here’s a handy guide I pulled together for how to do this along with some ideas for what you could include.

You could also help the kids make one which they can decorate and then turn to for comfort when they are feeling overwhelmed.

So there we have it.  I hope this list of 23 wonderful ideas to lift your spirits will give you inspiration and help to brighten your day.

If you love this, then feel free to share it on social media or with a friend who may also need their spirits lifting!

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