How to cheer yourself up and ways to lift someone’s mood

If you need tips on how to cheer yourself up whenever you need to, I’m here to help.

how to cheer yourself up


During those years when I was going through my worst phase of depression, it felt as if I forgot how to be happy. I know, everybody has those kinds of days. But some can forget their sadness and move on; while for me, the slump seemed to stay for eternity.

It was that kind of feeling when you were too drowned in your own negativity, that you failed to see any light in the world. I desperately wanted it to stop. Because I was always in a bad mood, I lost the strength to accomplish anything. This certainly had a tremendous effect on my study, my work, and my personal life.

Sometimes cheering yourself up isn’t just to satisfy your psychological needs and mental health. It’s to get you through other obstacles and earn more achievements in life as well. It took awhile for me to come to this realization, and fortunately I was able to prevent my life from going even further downhill.


Therefore, it’s essential that you recognize that you’re sad, and that you want to NOT be sad anymore. There’s no shame in bearing those unfavorable emotions – we’re humans after all. What’s important is your mental well-being and the feeling that life is worth living.

How to cheer a depressed person up

What you should not do

If I have one advice to give to people who don’t know what depression is like, is to NEVER tell a depressed person to stop being sad. We don’t have that kind of choice. It’s not like there’s a switch in our mind that can be flipped from ‘sad’ to ‘happy’ when you tell us to. Even when we know being sad will ruin the mood for everyone, the feeling is inevitable.

From my own experience, the situation I mentioned didn’t happen too regularly. I know some people actually care about me and genuinely want me to have fun. It’s just the way they phrase it that makes it sound a little insensitive. If you want to cheer up a depressed person, there are definitely more effective and thoughtful ways.

how to cheer yourself up


What you should do

What they need the most is your support and understanding, since sometimes depressed people don’t understand why they’re sad themselves. When people are in a bad mood, reaching out to others can be stressful. Therefore, you should be the one who initiates the talk. Your depressed friend might just be waiting for someone to talk to them.

Send them a motivational text, or maybe some cute dog/cat videos to lighten their mood. Take them out to a movie or a meal. Get them a simple yet thoughtful gift.

If they ever want to sit down and share their thoughts with you, listen to them with patience. Sometimes, it takes a lot of courage for someone to actually say that they’re sad. Give them a hug and console them with encouraging words.

how to cheer yourself up

You don’t have to overdo anything – your friend just needs to know that there will always be someone on their side. Even if they push you away, don’t be discouraged. They might just be overwhelmed or too tired from the negative emotions. 

How to cheer yourself up when you’re depressed

Sometimes, you don’t want others to know that you are in a bad mood, and that’s totally okay. You just need to know that there are still ways to cheer yourself up on your own.

If it’s the overwhelming workload that’s stressing you out, take a break. Don’t be afraid to give yourself some time out and clear your mind a little. Pushing your limits won’t be of anything good, as you might end up feeling like you have nothing left inside of you. You can either book a short holiday, or just stay at home and enjoy the extra sleep.


Start occupying yourself with other things to cheer you up, for example cooking or reading. They will act as a distraction from your current bad mood. Take walks regularly or do some exercises to release the negative energy. If you feel like you can’t talk it out to others, why not try writing them down to channel out those unwanted thoughts?

If you don’t already have a pet, it might be a good time to consider adopting one. Sure, it might be a lot of work taking care of them, but studies have shown that having a pet can help reduce the effects of depression. Emotional support pets will definitely give you the companionship you wish for. I’m forever grateful that I have my cat Nala with me at the times I needed her most.

Finally, one simple way to cheer yourself up is to look in the mirror and smile. You can actually trick your brain into thinking that you’re happy (surprised?). Even if it's forced laughter, it can reduce your stress significantly. Fake it till you make it, am I right?

 


Knowing how to cheer yourself up is very much necessary, especially when you wish to enjoy the moment of life. Make sure to try different things out to see which one is effective for you.

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