Up Your 'Feel Good Factor'

Bad day exists only in your brain. [Pic]

Your days do not always go as planned. You need to know how to accept and handle that.

The easiest and most unhelpful response to a bad day is to whine. Most people do exactly that. Staying there and feeling down is not going to make things under control. You need to be able to feel better and move on.

Friends will tell you to be positive. However, there isn't a switch in you. You can't just up your positivity by simply turning a knob. You would need to know how to work on your own unique formula to turn things around.

Things around you are not responsible
for your bad days. [Pic]

As much as you blame your life for making you miserable, the real culprit is what goes on in your brain. How you feel about yourself is not influenced by your environment, your job and the society. Rather, it is what you think of yourself. Your days get better if you feel better about yourself.

Here are some suggestions. Try them out and whip up your own exclusive 'feel good factor' recipe.

10. Find your sources of inspiration

What inspires you? Someone? Something? Some sight? Some sound? In "Ten Things That Inspire Me", I shared where I draw my inspiration. You can compile yours too.

The day doesn't hold you down. You do. [Pic]

9. Stop wishing, start acting

"I wish..." If only you could just wish away what bothers you and drive away the blues. If only. But no, that cannot happen. Results come from actions, not wishes.

8. Count the right thing

Einstein once said "Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted." Since it is easier to count material possession, we often overlook the importance of some uncountable such as friendship, wisdom, respect, happiness and courage.

7. Feel the power of 'right now'

Go and get something done right now and see the results straight away. This is far better than feeling the guilt from procrastination. The latter will only worsen your blues.

Whatever must happen ultimately should
happen immediately. (Henry Kissinger) [Pic]

6. Believe in yourself

Self-doubt is poisonous. Very often, our non-achievement is a result of self-discouragement. When you keep telling yourself "I can't", you really can't. The converse is also true. Talk to yourself sensibly and positively. (See Self Dialog: Look Who's Talking?)

5. Shift your focus

Stop brooding over your misery. Instead, shift your attention to others. Think of someone you know and think of one thing you feel appreciative about him. Let him know your appreciation and see how his smile brings on yours too. Try it on your parents, your colleagues, your neighbors or a mere acquaintance.

4. Get your instant richness

Real riches cannot be stolen and you have more than you have ever realised. You are well aware of how much money you have how much more you want. But you may be missing out most of the real riches you already have. They are things that you won't want to lose but have taken for granted. Write these things down and put a price tag on each (this is not easy but just try it). Add them up and you will feel that instant wealth.

Surround yourself with happy and positive people. [Pic]

3. Connect with friends

With this, I mean connect with the right type of friends. Be surrounded by more positive people while your are nursing your blues. Let them spread some positive energy on you. Avoid those who are wallowing in the pit so that you do not get drawn in. You can always go back and help them once you are up and running again.

2. Eat healthily and exercise

This is a well-sold idea. I am sure you are a subscriber but you may not be practicing. The two has to go hand-in-hand. There is no use exercising a lot but eat to destroy all the goodness you have earned.

1. De-clutter

A less cluttered surrounding gives you an instant lift. You don't have to be ambitious. Get something done and feel the sense of achievement. You can start with your couch, closet, mailbox or backyard.

Getting yourself up when you are down is like
eating when you are hungry. [Pic]

Bad days are like hunger and sleepiness. They will come back again and again. You can't avoid them but you can learn how to overcome. It is just like how you would look for food when you are hungry and take a nap when you are sleepy.

Lastly, if you are experiencing a persistent melancholy, you may need help from a trained person.

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” ~ Winston Churchill ~