When bad things happen, as they will, it's helpful to have an arsenal of useful interventions to raise your spirits and improve your attitude.
How do you cheer up when bad things happen? Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. When they do, these suggestions from positive psychology will help you cheer up and will help you cheer up friends in need. When something bad happens in your life or the life of someone you care about, these helpful interventions will get you or your friend back to a more positive attitude.
Why Do Bad Things Happen?
Although we often question why bad things happen, there's usually no satisfying answer; sometimes life just throws us a lemon. Though hindsight may eventually provide a positive outlook to what now appears to be a negative, that possibility probably won't provide the comfort we're seeking right away.
Accept to Move On:
But first, it's important to deal with the any initial feelings of denial, anger, guilt, and blame. Though these feelings are perfectly natural, they won't help you feel better. When something bad happens accept that it has happened. You don't have to like it, but accept it. Denial won't make it go away.
Though temporary negative moods may even be helpful in dealing with a bad event, they won't help you recover and move on with your life. But a positive attitude will help you move forward. Most of us recognize this, but we often have trouble finding ways to elevate to more positive moods and attitudes. Research studies show the following interventions will help.
Interventions to Cheer You Up:
These interventions will help lift your mood, elevate your spirits, and get you moving back toward a positive attitude:
Communication - In times of stress and anxiety, sharing your feelings with a supportive person helps to lift your spirits. The act of verbalizing what you're thinking and feeling is often enough to help you get past initial negative feelings.
Meditation - Meditation calms, energizes, and diminishes stress. Find a quiet place to sit comfortably and focus on breathing deeply and slowly. This basic meditation will help.
Exercise - Physical exercise calms the mind and redirects thoughts and energy away from worries and concerns. Take a brisk walk, tackle some housework, or go to the gym; any form of exercise will help cheer you up.
Three good things - Identify three good things that have happened in the last 24 hours. Even the most routine positive event is helpful in lifting your mood, such as a good meal, a safe commute to work, or a cheerful hello from a friend.
Gratitude letter - Take a few moments and jot down a brief note of gratitude to someone who has been helpful to you recently. Again, this need not be an extraordinary helpful gesture, but a kind word, a supportive presence, or a sincere attempt to cheer you up are worthy of your gratitude.
Acts of kindness - Providing a kind act toward someone else not only helps that person but lifts our spirits in return. So even though you might be feeling down, strive to do something kind and helpful to another person.
The next time something bad happens in your life, try one or more of the above interventions. Though you can't remove the negative situation with these interventions, they can help you regain a positive, problem-solving attitude more quickly.
How do you cheer up when you're temporarily down? Do you have a funny memory, a favorite joke, or an inspirational saying? Share your favorite cheering up tip in a comment. Just click the green button (below).
You can Cheer Up by making progress on your important goals.
Topical Index of all Personal Development Articles
The copyright of the article How to Cheer Up in Personal Development is owned by Jerry Lopper. Permission to republish How to Cheer Up in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
How do you cheer up when you're temporarily down? Do you have a funny
memory, a favorite joke, or an inspirational saying? Share your favorite
cheering up tip in a comment. Just click the green button
Sep 28, 2008 8:10 PM
Guest :
Hi! Thanks for having an article w tips on cheering up! Things haven't been
going too well for me recently, so I was just googling for 'cheer up', and
I was pleasantly surprised to find this page! ^^
anyway, here's
a tip of my own, i don't know if it works for everyone, or if it's even a
good method of cheering up... but I find that getting an ice cream, or
going out for a walk, often makes me feel much better! ^^
Nov 22, 2008 11:24 PM
Guest :
This is the best advice you can get. Thank you for sharing.
Nov 26, 2008 7:55 AM
Guest :
i like the meditation part..i tink it works! nowadays i have very anxious
breathing...im improving my meditation...=))
Nov 30, 2008 8:33 AM
Guest :
thanks I needed 2 c This
Dec 9, 2008 1:50 PM
Guest :
reading helps it just gets you out of your life and into the caracters i
find reading the bible uplifts me thanks for the tips
Jan 17, 2009 8:25 PM
Guest :
what i do is i go on the computer/laptop and sit down on something
comfortable. after that i find a song that i like and i close my eyes and
cross my feet so i can relax and focus on the music. you are instantly
calm.music calms me down. it is always there for me.
Feb 10, 2009 2:02 PM
amelia :
the accept to move on was pro!!! that helped me a lot with my feelings
Mar 1, 2009 2:40 PM
Guest :
thanks for this im just thanking everyone who has helped me and its
actually making me smile and ive found that a walk with friends
or actually having a laugh with friends reeeeli helps and working takes ya
mind off things alottt
Mar 12, 2009 8:12 AM
Guest :
sometimes it's hard to just get past the anger part. I usually have to
turn up really loud music and dance like a crazy woman (my son sometimes
joins me and I feel better instantly laughing the whole time) or scream
into a pillow (or in the middle of nowhere). after that I usually feel
better and can move on. I just think some people need a physical release
when they are angry or sad (though it's never alright to take it out on
someone else).
Mar 18, 2009 8:51 AM
Guest :
this is such good advice! i like the think of 3 good things that have
happened :) my usual way of cheering up is finding some of my
favourite old music, getting the lyrics online, crank the volume and sing
along! when noone else is in that is :D!!
im a terrible singer
too so i just end up laughing at myself XD
Apr 15, 2009 2:17 AM
Amy Cooper :
Every dark night is followed by a bright sunny day. So, patience and attention is required and things will be fruitful in near future. Amy Cooper <a
href="http://www.drug-intervention.com/new-york-drug-intervention.html
">Drug Intervention New York</a>
Apr 15, 2009 2:19 AM
Amy Cooper :
Every dark night is followed by a bright sunny day. So, patience and attention is required and things will be fruitful in near future. Amy Cooper [url=http://www.drug-intervention.com/new-york-drug-intervention.html]Dru
g Intervention New York[/url]
May 4, 2009 12:15 PM
Guest :
thanks for the tips, meditation helps and also focusing on ure goals and
thinking about only ureself! when we are down we mostly think of other
people who brought us down, but if we shift focus on ourselves and just
realise that we worth soemthing we have our personality and golas we need
to achieve than we feel much better and more important, we feel that no one
can bring us down cause we are so unique and we all have our own golas.
this may sound arrogant but shifting focus on ure own self may help you
soemtiems :) cheer up!
