There are two times in your day that you have complete control over; when you wake up and when you go to bed. The rest of your day will be filled with experiences, of which many will be completely out of your control.

What you do have, however, is the power to control your reaction to these experiences. If someone cuts me off in traffic, I can choose to swear and get my blood pressure up or I can choose to let it go and say thank you for the lesson in patience! Your paradigm or outlook on life has been linked to your well-being and health.

Your thoughts determine your behaviour. Your body will not go where your mind doesn’t lead… Change your thoughts and you can change your mood which has a major impact on behaviour.

So just how do we jump start a mood change?

• Firstly, you need to become aware of your mental and emotional state.
• You then need to engage with your personal list of “mood shifters” or techniques to jump-start a positive change in emotion:

Grab a pen and paper and create your own list. Use mine below for some inspiration:

1. GET ACTIVE – MOTION LEADS TO EMOTION

Exercise improves your overall health and your sense of well-being. It helps to boost confidence and also has some direct stress-busting benefits.

It pumps up your endorphins. Physical activity helps bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner’s high, a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike also can contribute to this same feeling.

It’s meditation in motion. After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you’ll often find that you’ve forgotten the day’s irritations and concentrated only on your body’s movements.

As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do.

It improves your mood. Regular exercise can increase self-confidence, it can relax you, and it can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. Exercise can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety.

All of these exercise benefits can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

2. LISTEN TO YOUR FAVOURITE MUSIC

Put on your headphones and listen to your favorite track. Close your eyes and just listen to the music. Music can transport us and has the ability to shift our moods instantly.

3. BREATHE

Often a bad mood is the result of anxiety and a fast-paced lifestyle in the rat race.

Slow down.

Acknowledge your bad mood and stop and take 10 long, slow, deep breaths. Breathing deeply is an effective way to relax and promote oxygen flow. The simple act of breathing can help you reconnect with yourself and shift your mood.

4. JUMP

I often ask my clients to take their shoes and socks off, go and find a piece of grass and jump up and down… with purpose… at least 2 x 10 times. This simply discharges energy but leaves you feeling really earthed!

5. WATCH COMEDY

Laughter is very powerful and the act of laughing releases endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s “feel good hormones”. They also act as the body’s natural pain killers.

For sufferers of chronic pain, laughing and smiling can be very effective in pain management, as can laughing off the pain when you bump an elbow or fall over.

6. SNIFF CERTAIN SCENTS

Inhaling the scent of orange (or essential orange oil) or lavender can reduce anxiety and improve mood. I personally LOVE vanilla. Find a scent that makes you smile and buy a bottle or two. Keep one in your hand bag and one next to your bed.

7. GO FOR GREEN

Want to feel more upbeat? Bring in the colours of sunshine and spring fields. In a study from the Vrije University in Amsterdam, adults reported feeling happier around these two colors.

Go for a green smoothie, wear that green dress, buy some sunflowers for your desk, grab the green and yellow highlighter and prepare to feel better in no time!

8. LIGHT A CANDLE

Flickering flames (as long as they’re contained!) can burn away stress and help us feel better all around.

9. PET YOUR PET

Cuddling, playing, or just chillin’ with the fur-kids can help us feel happier and less stressed.

10. EAT YOURSELF HAPPY

We are what we eat, so step away from the unhappy meal. Instead, try out these meals to boost your mood. Up the happiness quotient by setting a nice place for yourself, lighting a candle, and giving thanks for the meal.

About the Author:

• Liz Moore aka Soldier Girl

After spending 15 years in the corporate world, Soldier Girl has ditched the heels for a whole new way of life dedicated to empowering and inspiring others to transform into the best version of themselves they can possibly be through dedicated life, business and wellness coaching.

Follow her:

• Instagram: soldiergirl_za
• Twitter: soldiergirl_za
• FaceBook Page: Soldier Inc Fitness

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If you’re on your way to trying to do something in your life, be it losing weight or just living a better lifestyle, and you find yourself ready to give in, or you  begin to doubt yourself and your abilities, then read on.

Here you will find a few strategies to help keep you motivated, keep your mind and body on the right track and hopefully will help you stay focused and NOT give up!

1. Set goals

You need to decide exactly what you want to do and create a vision for it.  By having set goals, with deadlines attached to them, you will have no choice but to be accountable for their outcome.  This will keep you on the right line since when you see your goals you will constantly be reminded of what you are working towards and what you need to do in order to achieve those objectives.

 2. Write down your goals and make a list

Many times people try to keep everything in their head.  From simple things like shopping items and errands to do, to big decisions you need to think about.  By keeping it all in your head you will eventually stress yourself out by trying to juggle all of those thoughts, and the even worse possibility is that you could end up forgetting most of it.  By having your goals written down, it is easy to always go back to that piece of paper and reassure yourself of what you are trying to do.  Also, by having a list of everything that you need to do (such as simple things like errands and shopping lists) you eliminate any guess work where you can possibly forget what you need or what you need to do.

Another important aspect of this to remember is that the more you actually see and read something, the more you will remember it, allowing it to manifest in your mind.

 3. Reflect on your goals DAILY

It’s of no use setting goals and writing them down then tucking them away to be forgotten about.  You need to keep them visually available to yourself every day, every moment if possible.  Paste them up at your desk, or put them up on your kitchen fridge.  Wherever you will see them constantly.

Read them and actively visualize each goal, and allow them to set in your mind and become second nature to you, almost as if they have already happened.

 4. Don’t be too hard on yourself

We are all only human after all, so we are going to make mistakes, we are going to get cravings and give in to them at times.

Once it’s done… It’s done.  Do not dwell on the past, but learn from it.

Stay focused on the present and move forward without giving up.  Remember that life has ups as well as downs.  We need to not necessarily forget about the ‘bad’ things we did, or ‘wrong’ decisions we made, but rather use them to learn from, in order to not make the same mistake twice.

5. Don’t be extreme – be realistic

Be realistic about what you want to do.  Do not think you are going to lose 20 kg in one day and look like a ripped cover model so quickly.  Everything takes time, dedication and hard work.  So yes you can still lose that 20Kg, but now set a realistic time frame to achieve it.

 6. Have fun and be happy in everything you do

If you hate going to the gym and lifting weights, then get creative; find alternative ways of working out which will be fun and enjoyable for YOU.  There are so many different things to do nowadays, so just do some research or even better invent your own way!

 7. Try new things

Constantly try new and different things, whether it be trying different training techniques or taking up dance classes which you have never done before.  You should always challenge yourself to keep you out of your comfort zone and to keep yourself from getting stuck doing the same things day in and day out which can become boring without you even knowing it.  It will also help you to not become so used to certain things and allow little chance for your body to adapt to one thing.

 8. Get creative in the kitchen

When people think about bodybuilding diets or even eating healthily, they immediately think about broccoli and bland boiled chicken breasts or hake.  There are so many natural herbs and spices which you can use to create a very tasty and healthy meal.  You just need to do some research and try different recipes with the right ingredients.  Do not fall prey to eating a bland diet, dreading each meal.  This will only lead you to cheat on your diet.  BUT, if that bland simple diet works for you, then by all means carry on!

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