Being happy and cheerful is definitely more fun than being in a bad mood. Some days it’s easy to be cheerful. But there are those other days.

Days when disappointment strikes. Bad news comes. Negative things happen. Or maybe you woke up in a weird mood and don’t even know what your issue is. You just feel sad or frustrated.

I’ve been there.

It can be hard. It can cost us time and productivity.

It’s no fun, no fun at all.

You can spend money doing stuff to cheer yourself up or you can find another way.

WHAT TO DO

Sometimes to get rid of what has us down we need to look deeper to find the underlying issue. For example, limiting beliefs that have a cause, or negative chatter in the back of our mind.

But other times we just need to shake it off. Or we need to shake it off so we have the energy to find an underlying issue.

Either way, staying in a funk will suck the life out of you. Cheering yourself up is good self-care.

Look for ways to cheer yourself up and here are 7 that don’t cost any money.

MUSIC

We use music to validate our emotions before we can change them. And then we use music to change our emotions when we’re ready to move on. I know someone who listens to HEAVY metal and/or goth music, to validate where they’re at but then they switch to dance music to bring themselves back up again.

Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness. —Maya Angelou

We can make our own music too by using our own voice and singing. You don’t have to be a great singer, just sing what makes your heart happy.

Music can change the world because it can change people. —Bono

Music is a powerful tool to lift our spirits.

MOVE YOUR BODY

When you’re in a funk it’s all too easy to sit and mope. Instead, get your body moving and release some of those endorphins your brain makes for you. One super fun way to cheer yourself up is to dance.

When I dance, I forget everything else and just feel completely happy. —Katherine Jenkins

When I have bad days, I just eat lots of chocolate ice cream and dance to the ‘Lion King’ soundtrack. It’s really odd, but it’s true. —Blake Lively

If dancing isn’t for you, another easy way to get moving is to go for a walk. If possible do it in the sunshine and nature.

Your brain will cheer you up if you let it.

LAUGHTER

You can tap into laughter in a lot of ways. Watching a funny movie or finding funny YouTube videos. One of my favorites is by Michael McIntyre People with no Kids Don’t Know (link at the bottom)

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. —Victor Hugo

Laughter heals all wounds, and that’s one thing that everybody shares. No matter what you’re going through, it makes you forget about your problems. I think the world should keep laughing. —Kevin Hart

Any way you do it, laughing, like moving your body, releases endorphins and will help cheer you up.

Laughter is also healthy for your body.

CLEAN SOMETHING

Some people like to clean and seeing the change from not clean to clean cheers them up.

The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment. —Marie Kondo

If you’re not someone who likes to clean it may not sound like fun. So another way to “clean” is to simply clear some clutter. Little bits of clutter are proven to affect our mood.

Find just one little place of clutter where you can exert your power to make order out of chaos.

Changing the condition of your surroundings will cheer you up.

CHANGE OF FOCUS

In a word, gratitude. When you’re in a funk you’re not looking at the good stuff. No matter what’s going on there’s always something to be grateful for. It’s always more fun to look at the good.

Everyone who is alive can find something to be grateful for if they look for it. If you are among the few that can’t find anything, start with the fact that you are ALIVE and continue from there. Counting ones blessings is a barometer of mental health. —Gudjon Bergmann

Counting your blessings will change your focus and cheer you up.

ANIMALS

Puppies, dogs and, kitty cats are the most common pets. But any animal you love can bring a warmth to cheer you up. If you have pets cuddle them or play with them.

An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language. —Martin Buber

Animals are such agreeable friends — they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms. —George Eliot

Animals convey an unconditional love that will cheer you up.

WORDS

You already talk to yourself. It’s not a crazy thing to do. Making use of self-talk is a helpful tool to change how the mind is thinking. Changing how your mind is thinking can cheer you up. Doing it in a fun way can help even more.

One line I learned from the book What to Say When You Talk to Yourself* always cheers me up because it feels so silly. The line to say to yourself is:

I’m a happy excited person and I have fun wherever I go.

The first time I read that I thought it was ridiculous. But maybe that’s just what we need when we’re in a funk – something ridiculous to shake it off.

Take a minute here to pause, and notice how many quotes I put in this article. All those quotes are words to cheer you up.

Words help redirect our focus, can make us laugh, and reprogram our mind.

Love yourself enough to get rid of the funk.

WHAT NEXT:

• Which of those 7 things do you like the best?
• As promised here is the link to that funny video: People With No Kids Don’t Know
• This is for you

*affiliate link

Danielle Bernock

Author, Coach, and Speaker helping men, women, and organizations EMERGE with clear vision of their value, TAKE ownership of their choices, and CHART a path to their promise, becoming Victorious Souls who Embrace The Change from survive to thrive through the power of the love of God

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