Improve Your Mood

It’s normal to feel down some of the time. Many things can affect your mood, including tiredness, diet, and hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy and menopause

Fortunately, you have a lot of control over your mood and can do things to feel better. Here are some easy changes you can make to improve your mood:

• Switch up how you handle things, literally. By using your non-dominant hand to do daily activities, like brushing your teeth or texting, you can exercise your brain.
• Use your senses. Hearing, taste, touch, smell, and sight can all improve brain creativity when used on their own. Listen to music, burn a scented candle, or watch the sunrise.
• Breathe! Learning how to breathe deeply can help reduce some of the physiological symptoms of anxiety. Try some deep breathing techniques to help slow down breathing.
• Try something new. Could be something as small as a new dance class, recipe, or sport.
• Get some exercise. Even going for a walk can make you feel better.
• Get out in nature. There are a multitude of things in the natural world that can bring a smile. Birds chirping, rivers burbling along – even a grasshopper hopping along the sidewalk.
• Stay positive. Instead of looking at the darker side of a situation, try to look at what's right and how you can grow and move forward.

If nothing seems to work and you are plagued by a feeling of depression or periods of depression, it’s a good idea to check in with your doctor. If could be that you’ll benefit form a medication to regulate mood. Many people do live with clinical depression or bipolar disorder, and that’s not something you can wish away.

Many articles in this section were adapted from WeRNative.org, a website for Native Youth by Native Youth