Slay My Stress Toolkit

If you want to become an expert at raising your mood, you need to know what works for you. You need to know what shifts your attitude and raises your energy… For Real.

A Mood Boost List is a personalized list of things that raise your mood, so you can reach for them when you get stuck. 

Ready to get started?  Take a peek at our tips and ideas to get your juices flowing!!!

Tip #1: Make it personal. What works for you is going to be different than what works for me! We’ve provided lots of ideas here, but the best ideas are your own ideas.

Tip #2: Get in the zone.  Take a few deep breaths and remember a time of wellness. When was the last time you felt really good, or things were going smoothly in life? What where you doing at that time?

Tip #3: Choose what feels light. The best things for your list are things that feel Simple, Easy, Light, Fun, Energetic, and elicit Positive Emotions for you!  Forget about what other people are telling you to do, or what you think you “should” be doing. Those things can lower your vibration instead of raise it. (ie Feeling obligated is counter-productive here.)

Tip #4: Tune in to your response. When you think about each item and consider it for your list, tune in to your response, and “feel” your subtle reaction. You may be able to sense whether or not it raises your energy, vibration, or boosts your mood. It should feel very light. If it feels heavy, complicated, or hard to do, it may be a useful activity in life, but it’s not a mood booster for you.

Tip #3: Write it down. Having a Mood Boost List in your head doesn’t work. This is because when you are stuck or triggered, you can’t access higher thinking as clearly as you can when you are in balance. Be sure to write down your ideas, so next time you are in a bad mood, feeling overwhelmed, or need to step away from your computer to get a fresh perspective, you’ve made it easy for yourself!

Tip#4 Have several things to choose from.  Whether your list has 3 things or 30 things,  having choices is helpful when you are stuck. As life evolves, items may come and go on your list.

Tip #5: Include people and resources. Who supports you in your health? Who would you reach out to if you wanted a treatment, a mentor, a friend, health advice, or just someone to vent to? Write down the contact info for the people or services that will help you when you get stuck.

Tip #6: KISS Keep It Simple, Silly.
Quick, think if 5 things you love to do! Write them down. Aaaaand you’re done.

Nature not only enhances your mood,  it contributes to your physical well-being. Being in nature reduces blood pressure, muscle tension, heart rate, and the production of stress hormones. Fresh air cleanses the lungs, strengthens the immune system and brings greater clarity and improved concentration. Being in nature is very grounding.

• Go for a walk
• Go for a Hike
• Visit a Park / Farm / river
• Lay in the grass
• Walk barefoot
• Watch the wind blow the leaves of a tree
• Stare at the clouds

Movement improves the flow of blood and oxygen, lymph, energy flow, and allows the body to express. Exercise produces endorphins and enhances the production of serotonin – two chemicals that help improve your mood.

• Just get up and MOVE – take multiple movement breaks, especially if you are sitting a lot
• Skip, jump run in place
• Dance around the room / Go dancing
• Go for a walk or jog – it doesn’t have to be long to be beneficial
• Outdoor activities; canoeing, biking, climbing, SKATING!!!
• Take a class; yoga, thai chi, jazzercise, 
• Practice getting up and down off the floor (can you do it with no hands?)
• Pump some iron, stretch, wiggle and jiggle, roll around on a roller, just move your body however feels good!

Self-Care is very personal. Taking the time to do something nourishing for yourself can be beneficial to your health and your mood. 

• Get a good laugh
• Take some time alone
• Take a nap / sleep in / add more sleep hours to your schedule
• Focus on your breathing and just “be”
• Spend an evening with good friends
• Go to the beauty salon / dress up and look nice
• Get a therapeutic treatment such as a massage
• Take a day off
• Whatever you do for self-care! Do that!

Yup, Water is so healing it gets it’s own category.  Staying well hydrated has so many physiological and energetic benefits we can’t list them all here. It keeps your heart, muscles and joints working, and cleanses toxins from your body, balances your blood sugar, relieves headaches and so much more.  In addition, waterfalls, and beaches release negative ions that increase serotonin and boost energy.

• Up your hydration game and drink lots of water starting now! 
• Take a bath
• Get into some natural water – lake, creek, river, hot springs
• Go to the beach
• Gaze at a waterfall
• Take a sauna or steam bath

Your Mind is powerful. Shifting your “stinkin thinkin” can raise your mood and heal your body. Best of all, you need nothing more than yourself to use it!

• Think of someone you love and why you love them
• Think of things you are grateful for / what is going well
• Let yourself vent / express your emotions
• Visualize what it will be like when you achieve your goal(s)
• Think, “I did that pretty well” after doing something
• Reflect on how you’ve improved
• Try mindfulness – the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment – and accepting it without judgement. Notice subtle body sensations, sensory input (sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and touches), and emotions and let them go.

Sound waves literally vibrate you. Musical instruments, verbal tones, tuning forks, and songs, are all sounds capable of changing the vibration of your cells and are often used in holistic healing practices. Music is medicine. Never feel self-conscious about singing along to the radio. Listening to upbeat music and singing on your own can elevate your mood and lower stress. 

• Listen to your favorite song on the radio
• Sing in the shower / car
• Go to a concert
• Play or listen to a musical instrument
• Listen to guided meditation
• Turn on some classical music 
• Tune into some binaural beats with your headphones
• Visit a therapist or class using sound healing – gongs, bells, bowls and tuning forks can release stuck areas like you wouldn’t believe

Art can be therapeutic,  providing an outlet to express creative energy, emotions and help you shift your mood.

• Doodling
• Going to plays and concerts
• Refurbishing furniture / diy project
• Fixing something
• Photography
• Painting, drawing, sculpting, woodworking, jewelry making
• Going to museums or art galleries
• Looking at creative ideas on Pinterest or Etsy

Get creative! Here are some more miscellaneous ideas…

• Play with a pet – If you don’t have one, visit a dog park or cattery
• Trade in the news for something more uplifting
• Help someone/ do something good for others / volunteer
• Clean some clutter
• Add something nourishing to your diet
• Give someone a hug – try a heart hug (switch sides so your hearts meet) 
• Kiss someone (kissing stimulates serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine, reduces blood pressure, improves self-esteem, and more)
• Phone a friend
• Visit someone who is often alone
• Watch Netflix and chill!

Visit someone who supports you in health! There are many professionals and healers in our community!

• Your mentor / friend / teacher / coach
• Your Doctor or Health Clinic
• Lane County Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Resources
• Counselor 
• Energy Coach
• Naturopath
• Massage Therapist
• Acupuncturist
• Chiropractor
• Nutritionist
• Health Instructor
• Shaman
• Trauma Healing Project
• Someone you trust