How to: shift your mood

If you are reading this blog on or anytime near September 8th, 2023...

I salute you.

Massive congratulations to you!  YOU DID IT.

WOOOHOOO!!

You're probably thinking..."ok, Kristina has lost her mind..."

Nope. It's because you made it through this week. 

And this was a WEEK.

I have no idea what it is this week, but the vibe was just...odd. And off.

(Yes, mercury is in retrograde, haha.) 

Everyone I know is working through some tough emotions. 

There's the shift of the weather as we move into fall, kids going back to school... 

However... almost every person I spoke to this week was dealing with some sort of intense challenge -- health, work, personal, etc.

I've heard of more accidents this week than I have in a long time. 

Literally, I was at the grocery store and a woman was MUGGED in the parking lot. 

I know. 

So I have no idea what energy the universe was throwing at us...but it wasn't pretty.

And sometimes, all of those challenges seem to pile up and it's just hard to LIFE, right?!

I truly get it. 

So what do you DO when you need to get out of that funk?

When you want to feel differently but don't know how to get there?

I've complied a little list of mood-lifting strategies over the years -- try one on and let me know what you think in the comments!

1. Shake it off: 

Taylor Swift wasn't wrong in this advice. Sometimes, you have to move your body. 

There are a few somatic healing techniques that teach that:

• shaking your body
• jumping around
• punching the air
• stomping your feet
• screaming or yelling (responsibly, please!! maybe into a pillow or somewhere in nature haha) 

All help to move the energy in your body -- release the old, let in the new.

It's called an e-motion for a reason -- energy-in-motion!

So, get that mood OUT! 

Go for a walk or a run.

Do a bit of yoga. 

Go to a kickboxing class. 

A breathwork class. 

Or if you're like me...dance around your living room to obscure Colombian salsa music while your dog barks at you and tries to dance with you!

And let's say you're at work and you can't get outside...that's ok. 

Climb up and down the stairwell a few times. 

Take 4 deep breaths at your desk. Shake your hands a bit.

Rub your hands together and brush down your arms afterwards -- this is a soothing technique that generates energy and helps you release stress. 

While you are doing this, imagine that you are disconnecting lots of energy strands that are connecting you to people, places and things that are draining you. 

Set that intention to release yourself from any energy that doesn't serve you...

 and watch your energy shift in a BIG way. 

2. Nurture yourself (like you would a child or a pet):

I read that line in a book once, to nurture yourself like you would a child or a pet, and I laughed because...how silly, right? 

To treat yourself like a child?

But that's exactly what has helped me the most. 

How do you pour back into you -- especially if you've been giving to so many other people?

If your phone battery was running on low, what would you do? You would charge it.

You're in the red zone, my friend.

Consider this your permission to -- take a VERY well deserved break. 

Turn off the screens for a bit.

Sit outside. Get your feet on ground or the grass. 

Maybe grab a book. 

A cup of tea.

Light a candle. 

Maybe try closing your eyes for 5 minutes and just breathing. That's it. 

I often tell people how healing meditation is and they look at me like...nope.

And they say...I can't do it. I can't silence my brain.

And I tell them...you can. If I can do it, you can too. 

But people often start by trying to sit cross-legged in silence for 20 minutes and that's like trying to run a marathon when you've never trained for it!

Just start with a minute or two. Set a timer on your phone. Seriously. That's it. Just try it. 

Just close your eyes and imagine a white cloth, wiping away the thoughts from your head.

And connect to that huge source of light that's above you, always there for you. 

Imagine big rays of golden and white light flowing though you, giving you peace. 

Now open your eyes -- you DID IT. That's it! Just start there. 

Or...try a guided meditation! Insight Timer is a free app that offers guided meditations to help you shift into a deep, calm state of mind. 

Meditation has the power to calm your brain and your nervous system and offer a deep reset. 

Also...maybe eat something!  Often when you're stressed or anxious you forget to eat (this happens to me all the time. I have a friend that literally texts me to remind me to eat and it helps! haha).

For me...sometimes its a healthy smoothie and sometimes it's a piece of dark chocolate and sometimes it's just a big slice of bread with butter on it. 

Ask your inner child what they need at that moment.

Everyone has an inner child. 

Maybe think about what comforted you the most as a kid, and try that! 

Play with your pet. 

Crank up some music you love. 

Draw or journal a bit. 

Me? I vacuum my house sometimes when I'm feeling off (I know, I know I'm weird, but cleaning helps organize my brain and really makes me feel better!). 

Just take an hour to nurture and nourish yourself and you'll find you have more strength to keep going!

3. Remember that this is temporary.

Please, please know, my friend, that whenever this blog finds you, you have the strength to overcome whatever may be challenging you are the moment. 

Whatever it is, it will change. 

Look back at how far you have come and see what OTHER things you have triumphed over!

You can do it.

You are strong enough.

Just keep going. Minute by minute. Day by day. 

Whatever you're feeling will shift. 

What if you could imagine the BEST case scenario?

What if everything worked out?

What if the best possible outcome came to pass?

Try that thought on and see how it feels. 

Pretty powerful, right?

You ARE that powerful. 

Your thoughts have the power to change everything. 

So know that all you have to do to change your mood, is change what you're thinking of.

If your thoughts are painful...take a break from them for a bit.

It may be hard to completely let them go immediately, and I totally understand.

But give that beautiful brain of yours a break. 

And tell yourself how amazing you are.

That you're here for a reason. 

That you are SO loved. 

You are not alone. 

You are supported. 

Take a deep breath.

YOU GOT THIS!