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Use these 15 attitude adjustment tips to make life easier. All are simple ideas that will brighten your days!
We all have bad days. Days when nothing goes right…and we feel like giving up. Days when we’re tired, and don’t have the energy to think positive. Days when we are drowning in the sea of comparison, and we just need something to make us feel better…or something to brighten our dark day.
When we’re in the middle of one of those crappy days, what we need is an attitude adjustment. We need concrete and specific ideas to help us break out of that bad mood. Easy ways to turn a challenging day into a good one.
Today I’m sharing 15 ways to adjust your attitude, and they are all simple and budget-friendly. I know they all won’t work for all of us, but my hope is that by the end of this post, you will have found one or two new coping strategies to try.
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Bullet Journal
Bullet journaling has become very popular, and there are hundreds of elaborate bullet journals you can buy if that’s the route you want to take. I do it the easy way, and simply use my monthly calendar. Every day, I jot down three bullets, and record three things that I am grateful for. If three sounds like too much, just start with one. Being grateful is a guaranteed way to adjust your attitude. It’s humbling, it necessary for happiness, and nothing could be easier.
Walk Outside
I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that this works. A walk outside is like hitting a reset button, and it can turn your day completely around. I realize that weather and other circumstances may sometimes prevent you from utilizing this tip, but if you can, do it. Two summers ago, when our little dog, Kelly, was sick, walking outside literally saved me. And after she passed away, walking got me out of the house, and helped with the “feeling sorry for myself” issue.
Now, Millie (our little dog) and I walk every day, and we both feel so much better when we get home. You don’t have to go far, and you don’t have to walk for a long time. It’s simply the change in your surroundings and fresh air that do the trick.
Light a Candle
When you light a scented candle, two things happen. First, a peaceful feeling descends as the flame is lit. Second, the aromatherapy generated as the candle burns helps calm your restless heart. Peace and calm are two things that can turn a bad day into one that’s very good.
Pray
Prayer is a very personal thing, and I would never try to tell you how to do it, when to do it, or how often to do it. I will say this…saying a prayer for patience, or forbearance, or simply for a blessing, can change your attitude instantly.
Take a Nap
Like a walk, short naps act as that much needed reset button on days when you are weighed down. Sometimes the simple act of closing our eyes, and taking a break from the world, can turn our attitude around. It also gives our minds a chance to slow down, and reconsider what made our attitudes crappy in the first place! (See our neutral bedroom HERE.)
Check Your Phone
This attitude adjustment tip will work for some of us, but not for others. Personally, I like checking my Instagram, and I like roaming around YouTube. Both things are an escape for me, and both are relaxing. There are a million game apps, and all sorts of apps that entertain us. Checking your phone is a quick and easy way to take a break.
Say Thank You
This tip goes along with the gratitude bullet points. To verbally thank someone, even for the simplest thing, is definitely a way to adjust your attitude.
Say No
One of my favorite quotes is from Anne Lamott, and it really puts the art of saying no in perspective. “No is a complete sentence.” If you are asked to do something, and you know you don’t want to do it, just say no. If you know it’s something that will cause you worry and anxiety, just say no. There is no need to offer any further explanation…and the relief you will feel after uttering that tiny 2-letter word is one of the best mood-changers ever.
Buy Flowers (one of my favorite attitude adjustment tips)
I have been preaching about this for as long as I’ve been blogging! Treating yourself to a bouquet of flowers will instantly make you smile. Does it get any better than that?
Play Music
Listening to an uplifting song (or two) can change your mood in just a few minutes, and is one of the best attitude adjustment tips you can incorporate into your life. Here is a list of my favorite, make-your-day-better songs.
- It Is Well (Kristene DeMarco/Bethel Music)
- Let it Go (Idina Menzel from Frozen)
- Brave (Sara Bareilles)
- Good Morning (Mandisa)
- Happy (Pharrell Williams)
- In Times Like These (Mavis Staples)
- A Life That’s Good (Nashville Cast: featuring Lennon & Maisy)
- Mom (Meghan Trainor)
- Shake It Off (Taylor Swift)
- Here Comes The Sun (The Beatles)
- Walking on Sunshine (Katrina + The Waves)
- Three Little Birds (Bob Marley)
Make a playlist of all of these songs, or just a few, and listen when you need to break out of a sad or discouraged mood. This really works!
Pamper Yourself
Doing something nice for yourself isn’t selfish…it’s self-care. If you’re having a bad day, take the time to sit and file your nails, or apply that face mask you’ve had in the drawer for months, or take a long and scented bath. Anything that makes you feel pampered will also make you feel renewed, which in turn will adjust your attitude in no time at all!
Bake Something
You need to have some time for this tip, but it will definitely be time well spent. Heading to the kitchen when I’m stressed always makes me feel better.
Always.
It occupies my mind and my hands, which helps to ease the stress. It makes me feel productive and accomplished. Many times I give away whatever I’ve baked, which also makes me feel good…and helpful. All of these things are positive, and all are wonderful attitude adjustments.
Organize One Space
Have you ever opened a drawer or closet door in your home only to become instantly grumpy? We all have spaces that get out of control, and that need constant attention. As the The Home Edit girls say, we must “contain the chaos.” Organizing one space, big or small, will take the grumpies away! I recently addressed complete chaos in our kitchen junk drawer by using this 10-piece plastic modular system, that’s exclusively available at Walmart. Now, every time I open that drawer, which I do several times a day, I feel at peace, and not like I want to scream!
Read a Book/Watch a Movie
One of my favorite attitude adjustment tips is to step away from the world, relax, and go someplace you’ve never been. There is no better way to do this than to read a book, or watch a movie. Like the baking tip, you need some time, but sinking down into a comfortable chair, with a cozy throw blanket, is worth the juggling it takes to work it into your schedule.
Plant One or Two Herbs
This may seem like a stretch, and it does take a bit of planning, but I promise it will brighten your day. The way fresh herbs smell, and being able to use them in your cooking, are two very uplifting things.
Don’t overthink this. Root herbs can almost always be found in the produce section of grocery stores…so just pick one or two up when you are shopping. Use whatever container is handy…and order the potting soil online. In no time flat you will have an herb garden right in your kitchen, and a smile on your face.
Tip: before I added the potting soil to my blue colander, I lined it with coffee filters!
More Indoor Herb Garden Ideas
Attitude Adjustment Bonus Tip
Grant yourself grace. Here is a simple definition of grace, and the one that makes the most sense to me.
“Grace is accepting that we aren’t perfect, it’s forgiving ourselves,
and it’s moving on.”
A very important attitude adjustment that works for everyone.
Thank you so much for stopping by…and for your friendship.
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I love this post. It was just what I needed. When I’m feeling down, I lack the motivation to do what I need to do to get out from under. All of these tips are doable and enjoyable. I will refer to this often when I feel stuck. Thank you, Ann!
Love this… great takeaway and reminder for daily living.
It’s so easy to get bogged down and let yourself dwell there!
Thanks!
Thank you for this endearing post on a cold gray Ohio morn.
My favorite Hallmark birthday card says:
Less Crappy
More Happy!
Thank you, Ann, for this wonderfully inspiring post! All those ideas are excellent and a good reminder how simple things can make a big difference in moods and attitudes. It was a refreshing read and I know I’ll refer to it often during these dark and cold months! And actually, throughout the year!
Great suggestions! Reading the Bible, especially the Psalms is uplifting & encouraging! Psalm 100
Thanks for your great blog!
I enjoyed reading your suggestions and will give many of them a try. Thank you!
I loved this post and the way you presented these steps to an attitude adjustment. At this stage in my life, all of these are doable and I know they will work (and have). Even small shifts in what we’re doing can help break our focus, especially when it’s consuming. Thanks for the reminders and ideas!
Wonderful ideas ! Heading into a bubble bath with a good book soon !
Thank you Ann!! I needed this reminder today.
Great post. And I was wondering about that colander! Which herbs do you find the easiest to grow in containers indoors? I’m off to read more of your posts on herb gardening…
Hi Marcella…it’s easy to grow parsley indoors, and mint does well too. Sometimes I grow mint and basil in water. Just place some stems in a jar of water and soon there will be roots growing. If you time it right, they can be transplanted outdoors.
Ann, Just reading this post made me happy. It reminded me to slow down and take time do many of the suggestions you offered to feel better.
I have Happy on my attitude-adjustment play list, along with Uptown Funk (Bruno Mars) and I Can’t Stop this Feeling (J. Timberlake.) I’m 71. These songs get me dancing “like nobody’s watching!” Also, we just lost one of our fur babies, Lily, (due to bloat, shockingly sudden) three weeks ago, and I will say that walking helps, unless you’re crying at the same time….not good…. This was a great article!
Thank you!
Hi Leslie…I’m sorry about Lily. I know what you mean about crying and walking at the same time. After Kelly died, when I was walking, and no one was around, I just let the tears come. There were a few times I had to stop and compose myself so I could see where I was going!
Thank you, Ann for the realistic suggestions when in need of a pick me up…winter months can be difficult when forced to stay inside. I’m off to get some much needed groceries and some flowers!
Ann, Happy Saturday!
Thank you for your post today. Everything was spot on today and just what I needed. I also have been looking for loungewear so your suggestions are perfect!
I would like to tell you how much
I’ve enjoyed your free printables. Yearly calendars, sunflowers, Christmas trucks, Hydrangeas & many more. Your new updated layout posts are so organized. You’ve done a wonderful job! As always I look forward to them.
Hope you are enjoying some “down” time. Jan
Such wonderful ideas and tips. Perfect for a cold windy day in Virginia. I believe I will talk a walk! Have a lovely day and a good weekend!
Great tips today, Ann. I think I’m going to try some of them this weekend. This is the first weekend I’ve had that there were no deadlines and no demands. It’s the perfect time to work on me.
Take care.
I am a new follower and love the herb garden in the colander idea! Thank you so much for that!
Thank you, Ann, for this inspirational post. Such wonderful ideas & suggestions. Yours is my favorite blog! You are so real & personal. I loved hearing about & seeing your new house. And my heart ached when you shared with us Kelly’s passing. Please know you are reaching & connecting with us in such meaningful ways.
Great tips !! I really needed this today due to recent events in my life. Thanks !
Ann,
Thank you for this post! I love the words “No is a complete sentence”! I’ve been trying to tell my husband that for years. I’ve learned to say it but he hasn’t. I’m sending it to him and I think I will have it printed!
A
Hello Ann, just re-reading your attitude adjustment tips… such great ideas to brighten our days and take us from the doldrums to a happier place! Winter in Michigan can drag on too long for a lot of folks. Fortunately, I’m one that enjoys winter and the time spent indoors. Love the coziness of the season, and it reminds me that ‘there’s no place like home’. Hope you know what a blessing and good friend you are to all of us that follow your blog. As many others mention frequently, I always look forward to reading your posts. Keep up the good work, friend! Happy mid-winter to you in Ohio!
A great list and one that I am really using right now….how did you know?
This post was just what I needed this morning! Beautiful and simple ideas on this cold day. Always look forward to your emails.
Ann,I love this post.All your tips are excellent.I have been overwhelmed with some health issues recently.Usually when I get overwhelmed, I clean, organize or rearrange things in the house.Also have been burying myself in the AMC channel watching old black and white movies which I love.I especially love your little blue colander that you made into a planter,very creative.You’ve just made me add a few more things to my Better Homes and Gardens list !!
You are like an identical twin. I use all these ideas, and notice that with this freezing icy weather, I surely miss my daily walks in Williamsburg. I read you everyday and I too recently downsized from a large home with gardens to a townhouse in town. Adjustments can be stressful, but joy can be found in many situations.
Ann, we are so thankful for you! You never disappoint and always seem to post things when we really need them! Thanks for being “special you”! Have a blessed week!
I would add getting a library card and checking out books to the list of mood picker uppers. I love coming home with new reads and not having to store them forever. Libraries are a place of community and that is something that lifts my spirits right now. If you like cozy mysteries, Richard Osman has started a series that is quite fun, The Thursday Murder Club and The Man Who Died Twice.
Hi Stacey,
I, too, love cozy mysteries! Quick reads, comforting and not gruesome! 😊
They always make me feel good.
What a wonder way to brighten your day. Love seeing emails from you and this one is a great help to chase away the winter chill. Thanks for sharing, Ann! I hope you have a wonderful Sunday!
Hi Ann.
Your blog is my absolute favorite. Why? Because I feel that you are real. I retired in 2018 after 19 years as a middle school principal – 33 years in the same school where I started as a home economics teacher. After I retired, I felt lost so now I do lots of “part time” things on my own schedule. It fulfills the part of me that will always love education.
On the flip side, I have ALWAYS been the home ec person – loved decorating, cooking, crafting, etc. I LOVE season decor, etc. However, once I retired, I feel like I’ve lost my passion for these things and I can’t figure out why. I know in my heart it’s a motivation thing but can’t figure out how to get over the hump. I have so many projects I want to do yet can’t seem to get “started” on any of them.
So, needless to say, I enjoyed reading your post today. If you have any other ideas to share with me to help get my “passion” back, please do share.
On a side note, I think another reason I’m drawn to your blog is because it appears that our favorite color is the same – NAVY!!!!
Happy Sunday – crossing my fingers I’ll get something accomplished today.
Loved your comments. I too suffer from inability to get started on projects I want to do. Will try some of these suggestions.
Perfect timing. I love This post! Just forwarded your blog to my cousin, she will also love it~
I love this post! Can I recommend one song you may like for your play list? My personal theme song is “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves. I dare you to stay grumpy after listening to that one… ;-)
Excellent suggestion…I love that song!
Thank you for this post, Ann. I’m definitely going to put several of your suggestions into action. Life can seem overwhelming at times, especially in this time of the pandemic, and winter doesn’t help either….I’m definitely a summer person. Thanks for reminding us to take care of ourselves because we’re no good to anyone else if we’re not OK ourselves.
This is one of my favorite posts. There are so many good ideas, helps, and thoughts. I’m an older adult and these are areas that I can do over time and many on colder shut in days…and they will brighten the day! Thank you.
Thank you, Ann! I needed this post! I ordered the comfy throw, the bullet journal and the pitcher! Now, when it all arrives I’m ready to put my throw around my shoulders, start my bullet journal and have fresh flowers sitting on the coffee table. 🙂
Great post, Ann. I needed this today. I’ll add one, too. When I’m feeling the “grump”, sometimes I can shake if off by doing a quick rearrange of furniture, or accessories. Brightens and freshens my attitude AND my surroundings, and keeps me busy so I don’t focus on self. Most of the time I run across some little thing that I decide I can bless someone else with, too. (An extra bowl one of my kids might like, a plant cutting to give a neighbor, etc.)
Thank you for this post!
Ann, your list of ideas are not new, but it is very beneficial and helpful to see them listed together. I read your blog all the time and love the realistic things you share. Frigid cold temperatures in northern Indiana have kept us inside for several days. I started a puzzle and today did some organizing of all the Christmas totes that had made it to the basement, but not put away. It felt good to take care of that.
Thank you for your blog of ideas for the “regular” person.
Blessings to you and your family.
Kim
Just created the playlist and enjoying it! Music always makes for a better day!
Love this post! Just what I needed to read today. Thanks
Ann…From a long time blog fan…This is is a wonderful post. A few years ago I lost my son and there are many periods of time I have to pull myself out of a down place. I absolutely practice several of these great tips in my weekly life. I will add one that is embedded in several of yours. I highlight and comment in books I read or commonly run off a favorite quote that I post in my calendar/bullet journal. Learning something new is cathartic and can be mentally healthy.
P.S. Add Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds to the music playlist suggestions.😀
I’m so sorry about your son…and I will add the Bob Marley song to my list. Thank you!
Love the color in your kitchen sometimes you just need a hint of change
Thank you so much for these timely tips!! Just what I needed today. I feel better already :)
Terri