Four Easy Ways To Beat The Blues

Do you sometimes find you wake up feeling down? Days like that happen to everyone. Remember that old song by The Carpenters, Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down?

We don't want to spend our lives feeling down or blue; first off, it doesn't feel good. Secondly, it kills our productivity. How can you pull yourself through it as quickly as possible?

In his book CrazyBusy: Overstretched, Overbooked & About to Snap! Strategies for Coping in a World Gone ADD, Dr. Edward Hallowell says that being too busy can have effects including, "increasing toxic stress, making people sick, causing accidents and errors, turning otherwise polite people rude, and reducing the general level of happiness in the population." Is that how you are living your life? Society has become hyper-busy.

Step back and look at your life. Are you constantly committing yourself to more than you can handle or comfortably produce? Are you constantly multi-tasking? If you find yourself feeling down about being able to live up to your obligations it may be you are trying to accomplish the impossible.

There is such no such thing as a Superwoman. Give yourself permission to be less-than-perfect!

Now, let's talk about ways you can elevate your spirits.

Exercise, or some form of physical activity can do wonders for your spirits. When you exercise, your brain releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body similar to morphine. Regular exercise not only has a physical effect on the body such as strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure and reducing body fat, it also helps with feeling down, depression and reducing stress levels.

You don't necessarily have to hit the gym to feel better. Engage in some activity you enjoy such as dancing, walking, tennis or even yard work.

Another tactic that might help is breaking your daily routine. Having variety can give you a much-needed boost and elevate your spirit.

Make a decision to try something different. Maybe a new place for lunch. Or take a new class. Reach out and meet new people. These changes can not only add some spice to your life but can also create some new energy and experiences.

Another suggestion is to do something nice for someone. Remember the last time you did a good deed? Made you feel good, right? Reengage with that feeling! I remember years ago, after moving to California, a friend moved in for some time after a cross-country move. One day I walked in the door and she was running the vacuum cleaner. When I asked her what she was doing, her response was, "I was feeling a little down so I thought I'd do something nice for someone."

What a great lesson! And one you can apply right now. Who can you do something nice for today?

Another way to turn your mood around is with some aromatherapy. Gina Rafkind, of VedaSun, a company whose mission is to be your Aromatherapy Luminary, says, "Have you ever been so crabby and you don't even realize it until maybe an hour or two later when you just can't stand being with yourself anymore or want to scream? Hopefully you do realize that you were or are in a bad mood because developing that awareness is the beginning of the end of that bad mood. Most people are still unaware of the moods they are in - they spend most of the day still in their heads, in their mental chatter, and go through their day like a zombie. I don't want to be a zombie, how about you?"

Gina recommends using essential oils as a way to turn your mood around. Her recommendation is to create a synergy blend (2 or more essential oils blended together) or aroma mist and keep it with you in your coat pocket, purse, office or wherever you hang out. Smell your blend or inhale your mist throughout the day to give your senses a lift and also your mood a lift too!

Don't know what essential oils to use? Gina has some advice:

"Get in the Happy Zone with some of these essential oils:

Sweet orange, grapefruit (this is a great mood lifter), lavender, bergamot, lemon, geranium rose, lemongrass, neroli, rosemary."