How do you cheer up?

[prillalar]

I'm a little blue today. Nothing drastic, just the combined effects of bad weather, a few days of illness, and work stress. But I would rather be cheerful.

One thing I do when I want to cheer up is play the Littlest Hobo theme song. I actually never liked the show that much, but there something about the song that's so bouncy and happy, it gives me a lift.

I've been playing it a lot today and I think it's come to the end of its effectiveness. *g* So I need something new.

What's your favourite mood-lifter?

Comments

[xsmoonshine.livejournal.com]

I have both Aqua albums. I stick them on the cd player and sing along with the silly, bouncy songs. In fact, I think I should put them on now. =)

[leviosa8.livejournal.com]

That is exactly what I did two weeks ago!

[prillalar]

Ooh, good idea. They're always happyhappy.

[bantha-fodder.livejournal.com]

I watch either The Muppet Movie or The Muppet Treasure Island.

[prillalar]

If I have time for a movie, Some Like It Hot, Grease, or The Full Monty will always cheer me up.

[florahart]

I thank people for small things. The checker for being efficient and not bruising my fruit. The bus driver for pulling up to the crub to make it easier to step. That sort of thing. In my experience, they light up at the thanks, and the lift I get from that is so very much more than worth the effort expended.

[prillalar]

That's a good idea. I must say, I love living in a place where most people thank the bus driver as a matter of course.

I used to buy a lipstick, but that was years ago.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

These days, I usually:

- take myself out for a nice meal at a favorite restaurant
- take a bath
- reread an old favorite book (only comfort books will do)
- make out with the boy
- go to the movies

Under NO circumstances do I:

- read LJ
- hang out pointlessly online
- watch TV

These, I find, will make me feel *more* depressed and useless, rather than less so.

Re: I used to buy a lipstick, but that was years ago.

[slinkhard.livejournal.com]

Under NO circumstances do I:

- read LJ

Dittoing that. In fact, lj itself can make me depressed at times.

Re: I used to buy a lipstick, but that was years ago.

[prillalar]

God, yes. It's so hard to know how to balance trying to be supportive of everyone on your flist when they have problems and trying to keep yourself from emotional exhaustion. I've never figured out just how best to deal.

Re: I used to buy a lipstick, but that was years ago.

[prillalar]

Under NO circumstances do I:

- read LJ

Such a good point. I ended up going out for an omelette, reading some manga I'd been looking forward to, and eating some cake. It all helped a lot. :)

Cake!

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

I'm glad. (:

[yukihime9.livejournal.com]

I read slashy fics, or make myself my favorite dinner. Boysex and good food does wonders.

[prillalar]

Creature comforts. :)

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

I talk to my favorite people online without telling them I'm feeling down, so their natural cheerfulness eventually rubs off of me. If they know I'm upset, they'll try be sympathetic and kind and generally just kinda quiet (afraid of saying the wrong thing, I guess), and that just makes me feel guilty for bringing down their mood on top of everything else. If they don't know I'm bummed, they still laugh, tell jokes, etc etc that eventually make me smile too. :D

[prillalar]

That's kind of sneaky and thoughtful all at the same time. :) Good idea.

[leviosa8.livejournal.com]

Listening to music and writing/reading.

[prillalar]

Music is such a mood-changer, isn't it? That's why I always make playlists for longer stories -- so I can more easily get into the mood of the piece.

[chzbrgr-of-doom.livejournal.com]

...a lot of times it's my friends who will cheer me up, with something random. or a good sit down with some favorite yaoi manga never fails to make me happy XD

[prillalar]

Good old BL manga. *g* Actually, the thing that never, ever fails to cheer me is a new episode of Yakitate!! Japan, but sadly there wasn't one on that day.

[mad_maudlin]

In the summer? Cold baths. (No, really.) In the winter? Snuggling under lots of blankets. Good books, chai tea and spaghetti are optional. :-)

[prillalar]

Mmm, spaghetti.

[ekaterinn.livejournal.com]

I bake, if I have time and ingredients available, and listen to good music while I'm doing so. I talk on IM or the phone and I read crackfic. NOT overly romantic or especially sex-filled fic, since that tends to make even more depressed (can you tell that not in a realtionship? *g*), but the kind of fic where the two main characters turn into penguins, chase Santa Claus down main street and blow up the world without anybody else noticing.

[prillalar]

Crack! It always works.

[(Anonymous)]

The most effective thing I've found is simply going out and DOING something. Preferablly something involving at least a little low-level activity (like walking around) and something either aesthetic (museums, good scenery, aboretums, art supply stores, art galleries, etc) or something that will engage my brain, preferably both. The movement helps and engaging either my aesthetic or my intellectual side seems to keep my brain too busy to be completely blue.

[prillalar]

Yes, good idea. I do tend to stay in too much, just due to inertia.

[kutsuwamushi.livejournal.com]

Really good food - something filling and warm that I haven't had in a while. This usually means take-out, since doing dishes is depressing. Following it up with good tea is required.

Re-reading a favorite book or even fanfic (if it's long) also works. Terry Pratchett and Steven Brust work wonderfully, but anything that's fun and/or full of action and compelling characters will do.

[prillalar]

Pizza is always good. I've been reading Pratchett this week and also some old murder mysteries. I always find mysteries comforting.

[planetalyx.livejournal.com]

I too listen to the one song over and over again, though--oddly--they aren't always cheerful songs.

Scribbling every single thing that comes to mind on a piece of paper until I have a grip on the source of my woe sometimes helps. Let's see, what else... strenous exercise? Calling a friend and telling her all my petty troubles? Sometimes I do a "counting my blessings" LJ entry.

[prillalar]

I can listen to non-cheerful songs, but only of a certain type. Johnny Cash is right out if I'm in that mood. But he's good on a rainy Monday. :)

[planetalyx.livejournal.com]

Everyone's listening to Johnny today.

[neeteeus.livejournal.com]

There are some songs that are instant cheer-ups for me. Actually, more like instant 'calm downs'. I get anxious more than I get down, so I often need to just even out.

When I need cheering up, I try to go to places that make me happy. The bookstore. A nice coffee shop. Yesterday, I went to the greenhouse out of town. Sometimes I like to just drive with the windows down and the music up. Or I go sit at the waterfalls and just listen to the white noise for a while. I'm also one of those people who'll go on spending sprees (usually at amazon.ca) to cheer up.

Oh, and I talk to my mom. =D

[prillalar]

I have a pub I like to go to, though that wasn't an option that day. It's nice and calm and they have wonderful stout and filling food.

[trinityhelix.livejournal.com]

A RL hug from a good friend! :D

*squishes*

[prillalar]

I got one of those too! It helped a lot. *squishes back*

[ch-ar-me.livejournal.com]

If there's a bad weather accompanying my not so good mood, hot chocolate with marshmallows does wonders for me :)

But usually, I just rant off to my friends if I'm in school. They never fail to do something to make me feel better. Or if I'm at home, I read the humor fics I saved from before..or do some marathoning. Something like that ^-^

[prillalar]

Oooh, hot chocolate. Good call. And humour always helps. A funny movie is good for me.

[histoirede.livejournal.com]

I read dôjinshi. Lots of fluffy dôjinshi on my favorite pairings.

... I'm a dork.

[prillalar]

But a wise dork! And we're all dorks here. :) Actually, that's why I often write sappy InuKai if I've got a migraine. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and better.