Friday, June 22, 2018

15 Ways To Cheer Yourself Up


Not everyone is susceptible to feelings of depression, but for those of us who do get the sads, I've put together fifteen ways to cheer yourself up. Have a read through and pick out what resonates with you and please leave your own suggestions in the comments below. I want to know what you do to combat the Winter (or any season of the year) Blues!





1. Chat with a friend on Messenger. I'm not big on phone calls, but I'm always happier after discussing my problems with a friend on Messenger. Whether you're after advice, compassion or just someone to listen to what you're going through, letting people, even if it's just one special person, know how you feel will lighten your burden and make you feel better. Just don't pick your dickhead friend, they're only good for laughing at on pub trivia night.


I made these!
Tiny Teddies at the Pool!


2. Get cooking! Put on an apron and try baking a cake you've never made before, or decorating some cupcakes to a theme! This will distract you and get your brain to engage full-on panic mode as it encounters an insurmountable task. Imagine the sense of achievement though, if you do pull off the impossible and produce a masterpiece! Not to mention the delicious cake you'll get to eat. If you fail, now is the perfect time to audition for the next season of Nailed It!

3 Grab a tube of BBQ Pringles and Netflix-binge your favourite show. I say BBQ Pringles because those are the best kind. Don't argue with me on this. Now I would be going a comedy, such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Good Place or Santa Clarita Diet. You can check out my Netflix Recommendations here and here. It goes without saying, you're going to want to give 13 Reasons Why a miss.


This stuff is the best!

4. Enjoy some 'me' time. Have a pampering afternoon with your favourite products. When I have a shower and use my Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub it immediately brightens my mood. The title is a piss-take of an iconic 80's movie and it smells like pancakes with maple syrup, how can you go wrong? (not sponsored). My other mood brighteners are Oh Deer Sugar Rose & Passionfruit Shower Moose (pictured above) and Natura Siberica Oblepikha & Honey Body Scrub. Keep in mind jasmine, peppermint and orange fragrances are known for their mood lifting properties. I love citrus scents in particular!


Surely this effort deserves an award?

5. Get creative! Get out in nature and snap some photographs. Try scrapbooking to a theme, eg travel, or scrap your precious family memories. Make an inspirational vision board! Write down your thoughts in a journal. Paint something! Enjoy makeup? Google themes, eg Halloween makeup and go crazy seeing what looks you can create! Have fun. Look at my terrible effort in the above photo and laugh, knowing you could 100% do better.

6. Exercise. Hit the treadmill at the gym or go for a walk. Dance to your favourite song or put on a workout DVD and follow along. The important thing is to move! We've all read about exercise releasing endorphins that inhibit your perception of pain and trigger positive emotions and a feeling of well-being. Use this to your advantage! Choose a type of exercise you enjoy, get happy naturally and improve your health while you're at it!



Family fun with board games

7. Have kids? Take some time to play with them. It's so easy to get caught up in work and not give your kids the time they deserve. Trust me, they'll be thrilled you're spending time with them, so get out the UNO cards, unbox the Monopoly board or fire up the Playstation and just play. No interruptions. Seeing them happy will make you happy and the important things will become clear in no time.

Sally Hansen Color Therapy polish in Pampered In Pink*

Sally Hansen polish in Back To The Fuchsia*

8. Paint your fingernails a bright, cheery colour. Forget goth black, deep plum or boring khaki, coat your talons with your brightest, boldest, most fun colour to trick your brain into thinking you're happy! Some of my go-to mood-lifting shades include turquoise, azure blue and fuchsia. Colours can actually affect our mood, so you can even try yellow for energy or orange for enthusiasm. Or go all out and paint each nail a different colour to show off a rainbow of neon hues!

9. Clean the house. Bear with me on this one! Tidying up your home in and of itself is not the most fun you can have with your pants on, you're absolutely right! But remember the feeling you get afterwards? When your house is clean and tidy, and everything has been put away? That's the feeling we're going for here. I feel amazing when I've cleaned up. I feel a sense of achievement and everything is just sort of better. Try it!



Watch some DVDs or hit up your local cinema!

10. See a movie. I'm a huge movie fan, so this one's a no-brainer for me. What better way to take your mind off things than to escape into a world of make believe for a few hours? Hit up your local cinema, grab some hot buttered popcorn and get ready for big screen action/romance/laughs or if you're into horror, may I suggest Hereditary, which is out now! Check out my movie review of it.

11. List your unwanted goods on eBay. Sorting through everything will certainly keep you busy, as will photographing and writing up your listings! Other advantages are a tidier, less cluttered house and the extra coin you'll make when stuff sells. You can also use the opportunity to get rid of things that may be holding you back. Out with the old, in with the new, making a fresh start and all that jazz!


Having a (Monster's) Ball* with a Lush bath

12. Enjoy a hot bubblebath. Pour yourself a glass of wine, put on a face mask and relax in a tub of scented bubbles. Go all out and light some candles, too, while you're at it. If you have kids, put hubby in charge and lock the door, for the love of God. Throw away the key!* (*Don't actually throw away the key, you may need to get out of the bathroom at some point).


Mecca Maxima Haul, Exhibit A: I have no defence, your Honour.

13. Go shopping. Treat yourself to an online haul. Better yet, get out of the house and wander around your local mall for the afternoon. Snap up a bargain or two! We all have our favourite shops; mine are Typo, Kikki K, Lush, Priceline, Mecca Maxima (this one's dangerous!), Kmart (aah, that's better), the list goes on. Photographic evidence of how dangerous Mecca Maxima is above.

14. Just treat yourself. Whether it be with a new hairstyle, a massage or a manicure and/or pedicure, put yourself first for once. You're worth it!

The Rustic Fig Cafe
Dolcetti Espresso Bar, delicious icecream*


15. Meet a friend for coffee or enjoy a meal at your favourite restaurant with your partner. It's also exciting to try the menu at a place you've never been to before. Order champagne and savour the taste of delicious gourmet creations. Don't forget to indulge with dessert! That piece of lemon meringue pie will not eat itself! Great conversation with loved ones whilst enjoying the finer things in life really can't be beat! For a little foodie inspiration, check out my drool-worthy Instagram account @imhungrymax

Do the thing that makes you happy! Watch your favourite YouTuber's videos. Cut recipes out of magazines and make a recipe folder. Meditate. Go on Instagram. Take a yoga class. Listen to your favourite band play their most iconic songs. Watch 80's movies. Redecorate your home. Enter competitions. Find your happy and do it!

Reach out and talk to your friends and family, your Doctor, Health Care Professional or LifeLine (13 11 14). Remember there are people who can help. You are not alone.

You may be interested in Top 7 Beauty Purchase Regrets!

Linking up with Open SlatherLife This Week and Mummy Mondays Link Ups!


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Disclaimer: Products marked * were gifted for editorial consideration. There are no affiliate links in this post. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

What do you do to cheer yourself up?

45 comments:

  1. Any of the above suggestions would work well for me too! I'm actually going to get a mani today to cheer myself up!

    I do have to disagree with your Pringles flavour of choice however - lol - Sour Cream and Onions are the best!

    Ingrid
    https://www.fabulousandfunlife.com.au

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    1. I am obviously going to have to revisit the Sour Cream and Onion Pringles and get back to you on that! Enjoy your mani :)

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  2. I can relate to so many of these suggestions. I am an overly anxious and paranoid person so my emotions can get the best of me more often than I'd like so cleaning the house and decluttering is my number one go to. I then love to cook something new or play with makeup. Going out for a meal and seeing a movie also helps (if my social anxiety isn't through the roof) and going for a walk with the dog and my man really helps me to clear my head and work through all of my thoughts. Great post!

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    1. Thanks Chantelle! It's great to hear that someone else does these things to cheer up, too! :)

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  3. Great post! Me time for me is the big one, it usually helps

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  4. What a special post. I love this post. I agree on the exercise one and cooking. x

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  5. Fantastic tips! I chatted with a friend on messenger yesterday and felt so much better afterwards.

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    1. It always makes me feel better! Thanks for reading Ness :)

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  6. What does it for me? Cooking, walking, my happy playlist & a doggy grin from my pooch

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    1. I should have put pets on the list, that's a good one too!

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  7. Having had flu and steroid munchies for the past week, I've probably done too much of the chips and netflix haha

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    1. Feel better soon! I always overdo the Netflix/Pringles, but life is for living!

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  8. I love this!!! I am a big fan of the pamper session or reading a good book, they are the quickest pick me ups. Though if I can’t do either I will message a friend and have a chat (I’m not big on phone calls either) xx

    Laura || www.thelifeoflaura.com.au

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    1. Thanks Laura! Pampering sessions are the greatest, right? xx

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  9. I love these tips.. but most importantly how did I not know BBQ pringles existed?! BRB, off to Woolworths..!
    Ebony x

    www.theblackandwhiteguide.com

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    1. Haha, if you take one thing from this, let it be the existence of BBQ Pringles. LOL x

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  10. I love these tips, I find spending quality time with my family cheers me up.

    Amy | Her Quarters

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  11. Cleaning the house and meeting up with friends are definitely ways that all my mind

    Rochelle || www.simplesocialsister.com

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    1. I love meeting up with friends too. I have to force myself to clean the house but the after-effect makes it worthwhile :)

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  12. pampering myself, eating something yummy and doing a lil shop fixes everything :)
    Pam xo/ Pam Scalfi♥

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  13. All such amazing tips! Relaxing with some me time and pampering in a bubble bath definitely make me feel a bit happier and more zen!

    Tasha // shiwashiful.

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    1. Bubblebaths are so amazing, especially if you find a fragrance you love!

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  14. This post cheered me up and I haven't even properly started on the list. Well, except placing an Adore Beauty order just then. I like how this list is all doable for me as a mum too!! No excuses.

    SSG xxx

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    1. Thanks SSG! I haven't done an online order in ages, I'm feeling the urge now lol. Enjoy the Tim Tam with your AB order! xxx

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  15. Great options. I personally find going and sitting/walking by the ocean to be very helpful - although, not practical for everyone.
    I do have to disagree with one point ... Sour Cream and Onion Pringles is where it's at.

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    1. You're the second person to say that -clearly I am going to have to taste test the Sour Cream ones again, haha!

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  16. I play with my dogs (used to be my kids, but they all grown up and gone). Cookie dough can work in place of Pringle (the kind in a wrapper from the fridge at Coles or Woolies). I go for walks.

    Because I travel full-time when I am not working (right now, cattle station, here since Feb this year til at least Feb 2019), I have limited space for 'stuff'. So the old 'sort & toss' doesn't do so well, I have less to toss as I only have stuff that is relevant. But I still sort, fold, put away. It's soothing.

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    1. I have actually never tried cookie dough but I really want to now lol

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  17. What a great post and knowing it helps you to do these things is wonderful. I know I tend to get outside 'into the bigger space' of the world via nature if I can. I do like to shop and go for a coffee too so that's helpful for me.

    Thank you for joining in #lifethisweek Next week's optional prompt is Taking Stock. Denyse

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    1. Yes, getting out into nature is so blissful. I love going on walks with my family on the weekends :)

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  18. Such a great post! Its so important to look after yourself. I love applying a face mask and reading a book.

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  19. So many great ideas! I'm taking more time out to do things just for myself lately. I need to get outside more, that's on my list to do asap.

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    1. So important to look after yourself, isn't it? I hope you enjoy the great outdoors :)

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  20. I love a DVD or just looking at my makeup :)

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  21. Love your lush bath bomb and that gorgeous shower mousse - and I think I'll have a serve of that icecream at the end too please :)

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    1. I could go some of the icecream myself Leanne, even if it is the middle of Winter here. So yummy!

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  22. This post couldn't have come at a better time Di! I've been feeling down the last few days & reading your post inspired me to paint my nails again after reading it.

    Other things I do when I'm feeling down are talk my feelings out with someone (even if it's just my diary; although I don't always voice things out loud because I'm brilliant at living in my own head & bottling stuff up), go for a walk, pamper myself, get in the kitchen & cook and/or bake, or simply treat myself.

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    1. So glad I could help a little, Shell! Sounds like we do a lot of similar things to cheer up. I used to write in a Diary but I didn't keep up with it lol. I hope you start feeling better! :)

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  23. So many good ideas here Di. I could do with getting myself some fab bath products and indulging a soak more often!

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