How to Change Your Mood in 60 Seconds [or Less!] | Jack Canfield

Hi there, I'm Jack Canfield. Today I want to give you a few tips to help you quickly change your mood. Now, there are a lot of strategies a person can use to change their mood and outlook over the long term. However, not nearly as much attention as given how a person can change their mood in the short term. Still, your attitude in the moment can have a big impact on your day and your life at large. Now the good news is that if you find yourself slipping into a negative or self defeating mood, there are ways to quickly right the ship. The next time you feel your emotions veering toward a place you'd rather than go, try one of the following methods for changing your mood in 60 seconds or less. Now studies have shown that putting on a smile, even if it's forced, can lead to an almost immediate flood of endorphins in your brain. Now this endorphin release is actually triggered by the movement of the muscles in your face, meaning that smiling care carries this benefit even when your heart really isn't in it. Endorphins released by smiling serve to improve your overall happiness and reduce stress by triggering the stress reducing hormone cortisol. Simply put, endorphins are feel good neurotransmitters and smiling can give you an extra boost of them when you need them the most. Second, you can do what is called a rampage of gratitude. Rampages are typically associated as being over the top expressions or of negative emotions, but that doesn't have to be the case. They can be over the top expression of positive emotions as well. Now, if you find yourself slipping into a negative mood, spend the next minute going on a gratitude rampage. Identify everything that exists in your life that you have reasons to be thankful for, and spend a moment reflecting on each thing that comes to mind. Be thankful for the existence of those things and be thankful for your own existence. It's even more powerful if you express each thing that you're grateful for out loud. The truth is, everyone has countless reasons to be thankful, and spending a few moments focusing on those reasons can do a world of good for your mood. What I like to do is just stand up and walk around for a few minutes and appreciate everything I see. For example, I appreciate the carpeting on the floor. It makes everything much quieter and more beautiful. I'm grateful for the people who made the carpet, the people who installed it. I'm grateful for my computer and the Internet that lets me interact with all my students around the world. I'm grateful for my cell phone. I'm grateful for my Amazon, Echo, and Alexa, who I can ask anything of, and she always has an immediate answer. She'll even tell me a joke if I ask. I'm grateful for Pandora, especially the James Taylor and Paul Simon channels. I'm grateful for the weather in Santa Barbara, where I live. And I'm grateful. Grateful for my stepdaughter. Grateful my scotch tape dispenser allows me to keep everything in order and just on and on and on. It really gets you in a very positive mood if you do that for a moment or two. Now the third way to quickly change your mood is to take a few minutes and meditate. Research has shown that as little as three minutes can begin to alter your state of mind. The short term benefits of meditation are just as beneficial as the long term benefits of meditation. And if you're in the need of a relaxing pick me up, just take a few minutes to meditate or to perform a few deep breathing exercises. In fact, as you're watching this, just pause for a moment. Take a deep breath. Right now I'll do it with you. Just that one breath where you're breathing deeper into your stomach. Filling your chest can actually bring an immediate sense of relaxation to yourself. Now even just a few moments of meditation can serve as sort of a mental reset button, reducing stress, calming worry and anger and leaving you in a noticeably better mood. Now fourth, you can use positive affirmations. The power of a few minutes of repeating positive affirmations is something that should be used. Positive affirmations are a proven technique to improve your mood, reduce stress and and boost your confidence. The trick is that your subconscious tends to believe what you repeatedly tell it. This is why people with a negative outlook tend to end up affirming their negative views as truth and what amounts to be a self fulfilling prophecy. Thankfully, the reverse is also true and positive affirmations can be used to convince yourself that the positive things you tell yourself really are true. Now your positive affirmations will vary depending on your own goals and your interests, your current situation. But choose affirmations that will uplift and inspire you and then spend a minute repeating them to yourself. Now here are a few examples of uplifting affirmations. I am courageous and I stand up for myself. I am brimming with energy and overflowing with joy. I have everything I need to do anything I want. I am becoming more calm and centered with every breath I take. I am joyful and peacefully completing everything I need to do. I am using my limitless gifts and talents to accomplish all of my dreams and all of my goals. I always find solutions to any challenges and roadblocks and easily and quickly move past them. Now the fifth thing you can do to change your mood quickly is to listen to uplifting music. Music affects your mind, your emotions and your soul in a number of ways. It's no small wonder then, that music in some form or another, has been around almost since the dawn of time. A study published by the University of Missouri in 2013 concluded that participants who listened to upbeat music even for just a brief period of time reported improved mood and increased happiness. Just note that word upbeat. That's the key. Sad slow songs won't have the desired result, so create a personal playlist of upbeat songs for yourself that you can always access when you need it. My playlist includes songs like Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, you, Make Loving Fun by Fleetwood Mac, Celebration by the Poynter Sisters, Beat it by Michael Jackson, Brave Faith by Janice Stanfield, It's a Great Day to Be Alive by Travis Tritt, Hands by Jewelry and all youl need is Love by the Beatles. So find out what your best songs are that lift you up and make a playlist that you can just tune on, turn on and you can play at any time. Whether it's in the car, sitting at your desk, walking around, it's really critical to have that to immediately go to so that it's always there when you need it. Now the next tip is to simply go outside, leave your office, leave your home and get out of the nature. Your backyard, wherever it is. Walk around the block and get a little sun. There's a reason that depression rates soar in the wintertime when the sunshine is less frequent. In fact, some studies have shown that people who get more sunlight exposure during the day actually sleep better at night, are more alert and productive, and are less likely to suffer from conditions like depression. Sunshine can be just as beneficial for a quick mood boost too, if the weather and your location permit it. Step outside, take a few breaths of fresh air and soak up a little sunlight. Shouldn't take long before you begin to notice the benefits. Now the last tip I have for you is to give somebody a hug. Physical contact is one of the all time best mood improvers. Like smiling, giving someone a hug releases a flood of feel good hormones and transmitters in your brain that are great for reducing stress. These include cortisol and oxytocin, both of which are powerful mood improvers. Now if there's no one around you feel comfortable hugging. Just try giving yourself a hug. Give yourself a little massage. You can rub your temples, your forehead, your hands, your neck. They're all decent stand ins for physical contact with others and they've been shown to have many of the same benefits. There's actually a new technique called havening where you're just stroking your arm in a loving way actually brings on a great deep sense of relaxation and it can actually heal emotional upset. Now working on improving your mood in the long run can certainly boost the quality of your life. Improving your mood in the present moment though, can go a long way to improving your current day. In addition, quick short term improvements eventually add up to long term results. Now here's your homework to complete after watching this video, try one of the tactics we just covered for changing your mood in 60 seconds or less and the next time you need it, you should be able to curb negative emotions and quickly get yourself back into a beneficial state of mind. So let me know which ones you used and how they affected you in the comments. Thanks for watching today and remember, nothing will change for the better until you do. Now, if you found this video helpful, make sure you like it, share it with a friend who may need it, and subscribe to my channel. For more videos like this one, and for some additional resources on how to become a more positive person, visit my website@jackcampfield.com thanks again for watching.