11 Ways to Instantly Lift Your Spirits

Your mind has the power to change your mood and lift your spirits. Follow these steps to bring harmony into your life and give yourself an instant calm and energy boost when you are feeling low.

1. Drink a cup of tea. It’s nearly impossible to gulp hot tea, and several kinds can actually relax you. Try calming chamomile, for instance.

2. Sit in a rocking chair. When the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, installed 20 rocking chairs, harried travelers flocked to them.

3. Breathe deeply. When you’re stressed, you sigh, gasp or sputter. To slow your breathing, focus on each breath—in through your nose, out through your mouth. Concentrate on nothing but inhaling and exhaling.

4. If you have some time on hand, slip into the world of your favorite book. If you are short on time or want to make use of the time while you commute, indulge in mobile games like mobile bingo of landmarkbingo or Candy Crush or whatever else your favorite crush is.

5. Shift activities. If what you’re doing is making you anxious, do something else. If you’re sitting at your desk, get up and move around. If you’re doing something that requires great concentration, shift to something mindless.

6. Make yourself smile. Keep a funny cartoon or joke nearby and look at it often.

7. Acupressure helps zap muscle tension. Briefly pinch the fingertips on the nail to relieve upper-body tightness. Or press on the spot between the nail and the first joint on the middle finger. Pinch the big toes on the nails, too.
Put a tennis ball on the floor, place the arch of your bare foot on it, then move your foot so the ball rolls from toes to heel. Do two minutes per foot.

8. For jaw relief, press on the roof of the mouth with your tongue.

9. To soothe eyestrain and nervousness, press the tips of your forefingers against each cheekbone, right below the eyes, with enough pressure to cause mild discomfort. Hold for 60 seconds, then release.

10. Dress for relaxation in pale blue, pink, green or white cotton clothes, which induce peaceful feelings.

11. And last but not the least, tune in to the healing power of music. To cheer up or boost energy, listen to Latin music or anything with accented beats, lots of percussion and a fast tempo. Conversely, when you want to wind down, music with string instruments and woodwinds, less percussion and a slower tempo can calm you.