5 Strategies to Get Out of a Gloomy Mood

Sometimes, we just feel like not getting out of bed. Life can get hard, and you may feel like everything is going wrong in life. Things just look gloomy and hopeless, and you don’t actually feel like being around people right now (even though you might love them and appreciate their presence). Sometimes, we need time for ourselves to connect with our inner child.

I learned what works for getting my spirits up so I can get on with whatever I have to do that day or week. You know, the show must go on!

1. Shake your body.

Put that upbeat music and just move your body. No choreography. No rehearsal. No judgments. Move however the beat makes you move. It can be just stepping from side to side to a full-blown twerking on the floor moment. The idea is to feel the music, be in the moment, and get your body to sweat a little. My go-to artists when I wanna dance like crazy are:

• Lady Gaga

• Ricky Martin (yes, oldie songs, but they can get you moving like nothing else)

• Britney Spears (if you’re a fan)

• Anitta (nothing like Brazilian funk to get your body moving)

• Rihanna

I created a Spotify playlist that you can save or use as a base for your own. These are not exactly my favorite ones, but they make me move every time. I’m sure at least one will make you feel like moving, too!

2. Grab some yummy snacks and watch Mamma Mia!

Or any movie that lifts your mood every time. In my case, this movie is Mamma Mia. As soon as the movie stars I already feel bubbles of join going through my mid. I just grab some yummy snacks; those that won't make me feel guilty of eating. Grab a blanket. Then, drop on the couch. There's truly nothing more joyful than watching a movie that you enjoy and that you don't have to think too much while watching it. Although dramas, action, and horrors movies can be fun to watch, they're not the best at getting you out of a moody state.

No drama, no unhappy ending, just a pure happy, beautiful, light, funny, and musically awesome film.

As of the day of this post, you can stream it on Max (HBO).

4. Have a meal by yourself in a nice restaurant.

Choose a restaurant that is within your budget but that you always found the food delicous and the ambiance nice and cute. You might wanna go to one that you've never tried, but that can be tricky. If you can get disppointed easily, I'd recommend sticking to a place that you already feel good about it. The idea is to lift the mood, so better not take the risk lol do that when you're feeling more adventurous.

Other options would be to grab some homemade food and go to a museum, where outside food is accepted, or to the park for a picnic. The idea is to be in a place that you feel joy outside of home by yourself. So you can really take all in and appreciate the food you're having. Be in the moment, enjoy yoursel, and enjoy being in other places without the need of masking what you're feeling.

If you feel like cooking, browse one of our recipes! I recommend the tapioca cookies, which are easy to carry around.

5. Take a nice, long bath.

It can also be a jacuzzi, a pool, the sea, or anything with water (even just letting the water run for a bit over your hands in the sink), to be honest. I don’t know what it is about water; it always calms me down. There was a time, back in the pandemic peak, when I used to get panic attacks often. The only thing that would calm me down quickly was feeling the water running over me; I would go to the shower and concentrate on the water touching my skin. The soft touch of the bubbly water combined with the smells of bath salts and bath oils makes me feel like I’m somewhere else, where no problems exist.

I’m not picky about bath bombs or salts, but I do have one that always makes me feel a bit calmer. I’ll leave an affiliated link here if you'd like to try it out.

Disclaimer

1. I’m not a professional counselor or psychologist; my tips work for me and might work for you. Nonetheless, make sure to make any decisions about your health based on your opinion and that of a professional healthcare provider.

2. If you feel like hurting yourself, reach out to someone. You are worth it; you might just need a little help to see it!

3. This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission for each product sold through them.