Chin up! (How to Cheer Yourself up When You Are Down.)

Member Name: adam171275

Product:	How to Cheer Yourself up When You Are Down.
Date:	10/04/09 (203 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: nice to indulge

Disadvantages: skint and time, these may not work for you

You will have to admit that most of us will get periods when we get a bit down, I find that I feel like this when the weather is really bad or after I've had a really good night. It's like I'm down as a good time has come to an end but don't most things have to end especially good things! Feeling a bit down is something that most of us can normally shake off, this is some things that I do to shake my down feelings, after all life really is too short to dwell isn't it!



1) Spend some time with my family

This to me is the most important thing in my life so will always tend to put a smile on my face and make me snap out of it. It can be the smallest thing that I do with them like play fighting with my lad whose 19 months old or having a blast on the Wii with my 6 year old daughter at Mario kart, in which she always beats me hands down. Just having some non stressful, almost childlike fun is sure to soften my mood and making me feel less down.

2) Doing some exercise

I have a little mini gym in the garage which includes an exercise bike, punch bag and weights (my wife thinks it's hilarious, can't think why?) If I go out there I put on some pumping tunes like the Rocky soundtrack (don't laugh) and have a good burnout. The punch bag is always great especially for lifting my mood, it releases my stresses and tensions. They do say that exercise is one of the best ways of releasing stress as it releases your endorphins making you on the whole feel so much better. Now if you don't have anything at home like me! Then you can either go for a swim at your local pool, go to the local gym. Even just a nice brisk walk will normally do the trick; this will give you plenty of fresh air too, although of course if it's raining then this wouldn't be a good idea! The great thing about using exercise to lift your mood is that you are get the health benefits too so go on give this one a try.


3) Watching a good film

I do like to watch films but having a busy life with two children I don't often get the chance to do this. So sometimes to me it can be a real treat to watch a film of your choice in peace and totally relaxing. This of course is only possible if the kids are in bed or have gone out with the grandparents etc. If you don't have children then there are no worries and you can put the DVD, relax and enjoy, you will be so busy watching the film that all worries will be washed away. I do recommend that you choose a light hearted film like a comedy as if it's sad or heavy going then you may feel a lot worse after watching it. For me I choose films like American pie or Hot Fuzz.


4) Eat something nice

I love my food, my wife finds it quite amusing as if I'm hungry I will sometimes get a bit stroppy, does anyone else do that. Normally my favourite food will cheer me up; I expect a lot of people when feeling a little down reach for the chocolate. For me I like it to be something more substantial like a good curry or Mexican, I do love to cook too so if you do to like me then this may also lighten your mood, put on some tunes whilst you do it, a great combination.


5) Have a nice beverage

Here I don't mean tea, it may work in Corrie or East Enders but this for me wouldn't do the treat I'm afraid. It has to be something alcoholic, this would normally for me be a nice cold beer, I like real ales so something like Hobgoblin or a nice bottle of red preferably a merlot. This is normally always guaranteed to get me out of a downer, but of course if it's in the middle of the day it wouldn't work, well for me anyway, I can't really see myself having a beer at 10 in the morning!



6) Meeting up with friends

You can either mix it with the above or not, sometimes me and my mates are not a good mixture together with booze, aren't all men bad when they get together and drink too much? The great thing about meeting with mates is that you can have a real good catch up and a cracking laugh. We always have a great laugh and it certainly makes me feel a lot better and I forget that earlier I may have felt a bit down. This is great for me to as being a husband and dad I don't get much social time without my family now (not that I'm complaining) so it's nice to be me and not me as a dad and husband I can let myself go a bit, I think they call it escapism!


7) Having a nap

This isn't always possible, for me anyway, but I feel sometimes that if I'm tired then I can feel a bit down. I think this is generally how not enough sleep can make you feel. I remember when both of my children were newborns, the lack of sleep my wife and I had really made us both feel rather down. I think if you are too tired then you can't put things into perspective properly and everything seems a massive task, and believe me not enough sleep will take its toll. If you can try and have a little power nap, you can take it in turns and it doesn't have to be long, just long enough to give a bit of an energy boost and make you feel brighter.


8) Shopping


A lot of people find that a bit of retail therapy will make you feel better, I don't know why this is but it does generally work. The only problem with this is the cost, as most people are skint at the moment the treats you buy will have probably become a little smaller and not so much of a luxury, but in my opinion anything helps. As we have children the things we buy are generally for them so even a lad's mag (not the dirty kind) or a new CD can make you feel better, as long as it's for you it's a treat!


9) Massage

Now this is no good if you have not much money like me, so unless you have a few quid this is out of the question. Although if you have a partner you can always try and persuade them to give you one, I know when asking my wife she tends to just moan and do half a job!



10) I was trying to complete ten but really can't think of another; just remember to indulge yourself as this will normally do the trick, think of ME

Summary: Relax and indulge