Many friends and clients have recently spoken to me about feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or out of sorts. They have felt stressed and overwhelmed in their professional or personal life and unsure how to reconnect with themselves, who they are at their core, and specifically, what they love.

We all have days when we feel blue or a bit down. Recalling what we enjoy and what makes us feel good can be hard at these times.

These days happen to all of us. Perhaps,

You feel stuck.
Life feels ho-hum.
Someone says smile, and you want to snap at them (or worse!).
The word ‘blah’ describes your mood.
‘Same old, same old’ is how you answer a friendly question about what you’ve been doing lately.
A loved one asks how you and you answer, ‘meh’.

I get it!

We all get busy and feel stretched beyond capacity, and we all feel down at times. Certain seasons of the year or of life can be particularly prone to these feelings.

When we experience sadness, grief, or overwhelm, we can feel stuck in those emotions. Lifting our mood can seem impossible or at least challenging.

What do most people do when they are feeling down?

We talk about it! Yes, we all like to share our woes with our friends and discuss why we feel bad and how we feel stuck. We focus on the feelings we are experiencing.

And we think that it helps.

But it doesn’t. Not at all.

All we are actually doing is repeating the feelings we claim we want to move away from.

The more you focus on something, the more of it you will get.

When we are feeling stuck, sad, grief-stricken or overwhelmed, we want to feel better. We want to experience happiness and joy again.

But most of us focus on the feelings we don’t want, and thus, we keep having those feelings!

Talking about the problem is not the solution. It’s still just focusing on the problem.

I know; it’s what our instincts tell us to do! We figure that if we talk about it a bit more, we’ll find a solution or feel better. The idea of catharsis wheedles its way into our thoughts. If we just keep going, we’ll eventually get to a point where we are done and feel better.

In my corporate career, there were times when I worked 14-hour days, six days a week. Overwhelmed was an understatement. I was exhausted, worn out and operating like a robot. I was taking action in my life, but it was all work-based. There was little time or energy left to do anything for me, including spending time with loved ones. There may have been fleeting moments of joy, but I was not attuned to look for or appreciate them.

As a newly bereaved mother, after the stillbirth of my son, I was in the depths of grief and mourning. While I found talking to people about my loss helped temporarily, what REALLY helped in the longer term was taking action.

Change the behaviour

Deliberate action to tap into what brought me joy was what worked.

When I feel stuck creatively or in my life, generally, I take action. I don’t sit at my desk and hope for inspiration to come. I get up, take a walk, and play. I get out of my head and act. I find the joy in life, and then my ideas and inspiration return.

As someone experienced in feeling deep grief, sadness and overwhelm, I’ve learned that the best way to lift your mood is to act.

Small actions DO have the power to make us feel better. We can lift our mood by changing our behaviour.

Everyone has an approach to lifting their mood, getting out of a rut, and reducing overwhelm. Some include chanting mantras, meditation, or going on retreats.

These all sound lovely, but not always practical in our everyday, busy and sometimes messy lives.

The simplest and most effective ways to find joy are action-based.

Sometimes, something as simple as brewing a pot of tea and savouring it from a beautiful teacup can lift my spirits and bring joy.

Knowing where to start and what brings us joy feels like hard work. During my corporate career, had someone suggested I needed to do things that brought me joy, they would have been met with a blank face. Joy was not a word I used, nor was it something I thought about.

It’s okay if you don’t know what brings you joy.

To help you begin finding joy in your life, here are 25 simple, quick, and easy suggestions.

25 simple, quick & effective ways to increase your joy

Take a walk outside in nature. Move your body outdoors to kick-start the endorphins that make you feel good.
Listen to an inspiring podcast!
Take time out for yourself. Either to spend time alone with yourself or on self-care. Do something that makes you feel loved and treasured by you!
Set an inspiring goal. Identify and work towards a goal that aligns with your interests and values.
Do something kind for someone else. Either a random act of kindness or an act of kindness for someone you know.
Phone a friend and allow time to catch up and connect genuinely.
Use your time intentionally and take a hiatus from social media to disconnect from everyone else’s highlight reel.
Just be in your garden and appreciate the beauty and wonder of nature.
Declutter your belongings. As you let go of things and get organised, you’ll feel lighter, clearer, and more joyful.
Put on lipstick or get dressed up. Making an effort with your appearance has been shown to boost your mood!
Get out of town. Take a weekend away, a mini-break, or even a day trip. A change of scene can lift your mood and re-excite your mind.
Buy yourself a bouquet of sweet-smelling flowers.
Embrace your creativity. Play, write, craft, sing, dance—whatever creative pursuit feels most fun.
Be mindful – embrace the moments in your life.
Identify your strengths. Getting to know yourself better is a surefire way to increase your happiness!
Read an excellent, enthralling novel. The genre doesn’t matter as long as you can’t put it down and feel inspired.
Cook or bake something delicious and nutritious. Feeding our bodies can be a joyful experience.
Play with or pat a pet, yours or someone else’s (always ask first). Pure escapism and fun is a surefire way to uncover joy!
Read an inspiring non-fiction book. Choose a book that lifts and inspires you, promoting positive thoughts.
Be brave and try something new and outside your comfort zone. It needn’t be big, just different from your usual routine.
Pause and be grateful. Reflect on all the wonderful people you have in your life whom you appreciate.
Take a nap. Yes really! Sleep is a significant contributor to a more joyful life.
Laugh. Watch a funny movie, go to a comedy show, or search YouTube for funny videos. Sometimes, we have to fake it until we make it. Science has proven that the chemical boost we get from laughter is the same whether the laugh is real or fake.
Listen to music! Create a playlist of songs that make you happy and play it often. Here are some of mine that always boost my confidence!
Create your own joy list.

We all have times in our lives when we feel joy is missing. No matter how great your life is, most of the time, it’s normal to experience periods of sadness, grief or overwhelm.

But you have a choice. Be the type of person who refuses to stay in that space.

It’s up to you to bring the fun, happiness and joy back into your life and make it one you love!

When do you feel joy?
How can you experience more joy and awe in your life?

Use this list as a starting point, print it out, or create your own list of small, simple actions to discover or rediscover what brings you joy. And commit to doing them regularly.

You can choose to embrace and live a joy-filled life by taking action today!

More Support

The practical suggestions presented here can provide ideas for small actions to reconnect with yourself and bring greater joy into your personal and professional life.

However, there are times when a slightly more action-focused approach is required. And that’s where my 3 Steps to Fall Back in Love with Your Job can help!
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You’ll feel more positive, understand what you need to focus on, and know the exact steps to fall back in love with your job!⁠

Download your copy now.

3 Steps to Fall Back in Love with Your Job