5 Practical Ways To Feel Better Instantly

by C K Wong via Flickr
We all have times when we feel bad or just need a boost. It is useful to have practical ways to deal with these times. Below are some of the practical ways that I have learnt that help me feel better quickly:



1. Meditation


Meditation is one of the most powerful techniques that I have found to feel better quickly. I spend ten minutes each morning in meditation. Meditation doesn’t have to be complicated. You can sit in silence. Observing your breathe is another good way to start meditating. I use a guided meditation CD. Don't worry about 'doing it right'. Just get started by setting aside ten minutes to sit in silence.


Meditation can diminish the effect of external influences. When I am meditating it is a way for me to switch off and press pause on my worries and day to day concerns. I don’t try to stop my thoughts completely. I have found that observing them and letting them flow through my mind is much more effective than resisting them. I always feel refreshed and centred after meditating and able to be more at peace in my day to day life. I read somewhere that an hour of meditation can leave you as refreshed as eight hours of sleep!



2. Emotional Freedom Technique


Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a fairly new discovery to me but has become something I now use regularly if I want to fell better or process a negative emotion. It is a form of counselling intervention that brings together various approaches including acupuncture, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Thought Field Therapy. When carrying out EFT the person will focus on a specific issue while tapping on hypothesized acupuncture points.


It worked for me the first time I tried it and I have started using this technique whenever I feel a negative emotion or when I feel bogged down by something. I recommend going through this introductory video if you are interested in learning more.


3. Exercise


Exercise is a sure fire way to feel better instantly. An even better way to feel better instantly is to exercise outdoors. Recent research shows that just five minutes of exercise outdoors can make a huge difference to our overall health.


My favourite ways to exercise currently are walking, running cycling and yoga. I haven't always exercised but I have started making exercise part of my day to day life in the last couple of years and it has made the world of difference to my emotional and physical well being. I run near our home which saves time and money compared to going to a gym. I practice yoga by following a DVD at home and walk and cycle to save using my car where possible. Removing barriers to exercising, making it part of my day to day life and ensuring I enjoy the exercise I do has helped me want to do it more. I now exercise every day and it never fails to make me feel good.



4. Connect With Inspiring People


Connecting with positive people is a great way to feel better instantly. If you feel like you don't connect with enough inspiring people, seek new friends out. You could join a new club or start a blog or maybe reach out to someone in your life that you find inspiring but haven't got to know as well as you'd like. The people we associate with on a regular basis make a big difference to our outlook in life.


5. Affirmations


Affirmations are a great way to feel better instantly. We are actually all using affirmations all the time anyway whenever we think. “I am not a people person” is an affirmation as is “I am a successful, happy person”. The trick is to be aware of our thoughts and replace negative affirmations with positive ones. I have found using affirmations very powerful, particularly when said into a mirror.To learn more about affirmations, I recommend reading You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay. This is one of the first personal development books I ever read and in my opinion one of the best.


These are some of my favourite techniques to feel better instantly. I’d love to hear yours.