Binge on positivity, spread the love: How to beat the blues this festive season

By Shannon Tellis

Celebration and family may be synonymous with Diwali but so is exhaustion and burnout. While it is fun, the constant parties, rituals and family get-togethers can be taxing on your energy levels, motivation and overall mood.

If you’ve been feeling ‘blah’ about the upcoming holiday, here are a few simple ways you can beat that slump and smile your way through.


Find the source
The first step to beating that slump is to acknowledge that you’re feeling down and identifying where it comes from. Knowing whether it’s your daunting errand list or pesky questions from relatives that’s draining your energy will go a long way in helping you fight off that moodiness. Once you know where it’s coming from, you can decide how you should react to it and what steps you can take to alleviate it.

Binge on positivity

When you’re stuck in a mood slump, negative thoughts can fester, draining your energy. Snap out of that rut by surrounding yourself with things and people that make you happy, whether it’s indulging in a marathon gaming session, visiting your local bookstore or blasting your favourite playlist. This applies to people as well. Limit your interactions to family or friends who are inherently positive. While interacting with them can feel strange at first, it’s a great way to shake off your mood and lift your spirits. And if all else fails, just smile. Research shows that even the simple act of smiling can boost your mood.

Switch it up
Sometimes mood slumps can be the result of boredom. When you’re doing the same thing day in, day out with nothing to look forward to, it can be demotivating and draining. An easy fix for this is to switch up your normal routine and add a few elements to get you excited again. It could something as simple as waking an hour earlier (for those night owls) or taking a different route to work or adding a post-dinner stroll to your day. Start by changing just one thing and watch how your mood changes.

Shape up

One of the oldest tricks in the book: if you want to feel better, shake a limb. Exercise — whether a leisurely stroll through the park, a dance session or anything that gets your blood moving — is a guaranteed mood lifter. When you exercise, mood-lifting endorphins are released into your bloodstream. As a bonus, exercise has the added effect of getting you out of the house and into the sunlight.

Spread the love
Still feeling down? Try helping someone. One of the most effective ways to get out of your head and break the negative cycle is to focus your energies on someone else. By shifting your attention to someone else’s troubles, you’ll not only push back those feelings of being overwhelmed but you’ll feel better and lighter for having helped someone.

Studies have shown that when we perform altruistic acts and build people up, we feel more positive and ready to tackle new challenges. So, the next time you need a mood boost, ask someone if they could use a hand in the kitchen, help a relative buy some last-minute gifts or keep an eye out for someone who could use a kind word.