We all have rough days every once in awhile. The daily grind begins to get us down, or we’re going through a period when it is increasingly tough to motivate ourselves. This is an issue that is even more likely during the winter months, as the impact of the lack of daylight begins to have its influence on our mood.

On those rough days, you may find yourself needing a little something extra, something that can help you boost your confidence and see you through a rough spell. These ‘something extras’ don’t need to be revolutionary; they can’t resolve underlying issues or directly cure a problem, but they can make it easier to deal with the moment, get you through the day, through to a point where you’re feeling more like yourself. These ‘extras’ are a way of boosting your feelings of self-love, and giving you a reason to hold your head up a little higher.

 

So the next time you’re going through a tough spell, one of the options below may be able to boost you back up to something close to normal.

Option #1: Get Outside

There are genuine scientific benefits to spending time outside, so if you’re feeling low, heading for the hills might be the best decision you can make. This is especially beneficial if you are struggling with your daily routine, or finding yourself stifled by the requirements of your nine-to-five.

If you take the time to head into the outdoors, then you should begin to feel reinvigorated and foster a sense of confidence in you and your decision-making. Doing anything that differs from your normal routine is helpful in and of itself, and you can boost this by choosing to take a walk or a drive through a scenic location. You don’t need to dedicate hours and hours to this pursuit, either– just a 20 minute walk around your neighbourhood after work is better than nothing. If you can find the time, spending a day exploring a local park or beauty spot can have a huge impact, the benefits of which you will feel for the next week.

Option #2: Use Aromatherapy

Admittedly, the science behind aromatherapy is not particularly conclusive. However, we do know that fragrance has the ability to impact our moods, so it could be concluded that using aromatherapy oils to produce mood-enhancing fragrance is almost certainly of some real benefit.

If you have never used aromatherapy at home before, here’s a quick guide:

• Choose an essential oil that you like the smell of; don’t worry too much about the claimed benefits of the oil. Ultimately, what matters most is that you like the fragrance.
• However, If you do want to dig down into the purported therapeutic benefits of oils, then the suggestion is that mint family oils (lavender, rosemary, tea tree) have relaxing properties, while citrus oils (lemon, orange, mandarin) can help stimulate energy.
• You will need to purchase an oil diffuser or a burner. A diffuser is usually the best choice, as these don’t require an open flame to use.
• Fill your diffuser with the required amount of water, add around five drops of oil, then sit back and inhale the fragrance. Over continued use, the fragrance should spread through the room, ensuring continual mood improvement.

Option #3: New Clothes

While the mood-improving properties of wearing new clothes can’t particularly be quantified, there is no doubt that wearing a new outfit — that you feel particularly good in — can help to lift your spirits. Whether it’s that perfect outfit for a night out, or just new work clothes to help make the everyday a little more exciting, wearing an ensemble you love can make you feel fearless and confident.

Of course, if you were to rely on new clothes as mood-enhancers on a constant basis, your personal budget would likely be stretched to breaking point. To try and mitigate this issue, it’s worth looking for deals and discounts for stores you love, and treating yourself to something new when a good opportunity comes up. If you find a 15% off Everlane coupon code or a 10% deal for a local boutique, take advantage of this and invest in something for the future. You can then leave your beloved new outfit on the back-burner, ready to be called into action the next time you need an extra boost to your confidence.

Option #4: Bright Lipstick

Wearing a bright coloured lipstick is something many women don’t feel confident doing; it feels exposing, somehow, like you are putting yourself on show. However, if you break the habit of avoiding bright colours, you may find that this is a simple step that can give your confidence a lift.

For one thing, bright colours alone tend to help improve moods. Secondly, you’re making a choice to do something that you normally wouldn’t; to break the mold; and there’s a certain confidence to be found in being fearless enough to wear a bold lipstick colour.

If you really want to maximise this feeling, then opt for a non-conventional lip colour on days when you need an extra layer between you and the world. Blue, grey, green, and purple lipstick are now offered by the majority of cosmetics companies, so why not see how you feel about experimenting with these? Maybe there is something behind the old description of makeup as ‘war paint’, and such bold colours could help you feel more ready to face the day if you opt to wear them.

Option #5: Power Poses

A lot has been said about so-called “power poses”; some suggest the science behind them is not quite as well-proven as some might hope, while others insist they have felt benefit from using power poses in their everyday life. The one thing that you can be sure of is that there’s no harm in giving them a try.

 

If you are intrigued to see if you can experience an increase in confidence just through striking a few poses, then it’s worth watching the video and seeing if you can recreate the effect. The data may be somewhat scientifically clouded at this point in time, but you can try them– at the very least, teaching yourself to stand up straight and tall will be beneficial for your posture!

Option #6: Exercise

If you want to give yourself a quick jolt of confidence, then there is no better way to do it than with exercise. When you exercise, your body naturally produces endorphins, which have been linked to a wide variety of mood-improving properties.

You don’t have to spend a couple of hours slogging away on a long workout, either. You can achieve a boost to endorphin production with as little as 15 minutes of high-energy exercise. This could be simple choices such as:

• Running up and down the nearest set of steps for 15 minutes.
• A mixture of stomach crunches, push ups, and squats completed for 15 minutes
• Jogging on the spot for the same duration

Provided it’s high-intensity and gets your heart pumping, you should be able to feel the benefits of the endorphins shortly after– and it’s good for your fitness levels, too. If you know you are facing a rough day, starting the day with 15 minutes of vigorous exercise could be all the mood-enhancer and stress-reliever you’ll need to see you through.

Option #7: Spend Time With Your Pets

It has been proven that spending time with our pets, and particularly cats, is good for us. If you take the time to sit still and fuss your pet, then the stress hormone cortisol reduces in your blood stream. This should allow you to feel calmer, increase your confidence, and make you feel ready to tackle whatever the day has to throw at you.

If you don’t have pets, then volunteering at an animal shelter will help both you and the residents of the shelter. One afternoon spent with animals could give you the boost you need, allowing you to experience a blissful moment of calm, and for your mood to improve as a result. It’s also worth considering contacting local shelters to see if they need dog walkers; this would allow you to combine time with animals along with the benefits of being outdoors, and could be just what you need to get yourself back on track.

To Conclude

We all have those bad days, the moments when we feel like we can’t cope with the tasks expected of us. During particularly difficult times, those bad days combine into bad weeks. If you find yourself going through such a rough patch, then the above ideas may help to up your confidence, improve your mood, and have you feeling back to your best in no time.