Welcome to the MoodBooster part of our newsletter! Every newsletter you will see strategies for how you can “boost” your mood and even help others with their moods. We have choices about the way we feel. We all have times when we feel down, especially with the challenges of the pandemic. Many times, we say we are in a “bad mood.” A mood is a condition or state which is determined by our physiology, emotions, and mental state. We can sometimes change our mood by eating well, exercising, and managing our stress. Additionally, we can divert our attention to something fun and exciting, something that is novel. When our brain interprets something as novel dopamine is released which is the “feel good” hormone. So try something new and novel! “If you’re down about something, step away from it for a period and do something else,” suggests Dr. Michael Craig Miller, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Sometimes we ruminate about challenges and spend a lot of energy about things we are finding are hard to manage. As Dr. Michael Craig is saying, we need a break from those trials in life that may be making you feel down and saddened. How about a MoodBooster? A MoodBooster is an activity you can do to lift your spirits, lift your mood. It brings more joy, humor, optimism and hope into your life. Some examples could be trying a new recipe, creating a “masterpiece” with some of your art supplies, taking a walk around your neighborhood, or reading some cartoons. We will share various mood boosters that you can try and share with others. Use your creativity! Even if you are in a mood that is feeling pretty good, you could still boost that mood even more! We strive to share many strategies that will:
- provide a break from your challenges
- add some fun and novelty
- bring more joy, humor, optimism and hope
- offer activities you can share with others
We will hear from various people who have taken on a MoodBooster during the pandemic and want to share with others. Please look at the Guidelines for making your own MoodBooster. Guidelines for Creating Videos for Website Overarching EQ Principles:
- Make a conscious choice to add to the positive environment of the website.
- See everyone as a valuable source of insight and expertise. Your voices and your stories are valuable!
- Use visuals and language that are appropriate and help lift people up. Website creators will review each video and make constructive suggestions if needed.
- Have fun and be creative!
Go to EQ4Peace.org/MoodBoosters and find the directions for creating your own MoodBooster and sharing it on the website! Here is an example of a MoodBooster that our friend, Becky Lewis, created to share with us! MoodBooster.mov *************************************************************** “Your emotional intelligence welcomes a maturity which can, if need be, mentally separate your neighbors not from yourself, but from their faulty opinions.” ― Criss Jami ***************************************************************
MoodBoosters: More Ideas for Connection
by Deborah Havert, MLK, Jr. Scholarship Researcher, Author, EQ Consultant
- Brene’ Brown, a research professor from the University of Houston has a quote, ”One day you’ll tell your story of how you overcame what you went through and it will be someone else’s survival guide.” Have a discussion about what you think she is saying.
- Create a Quiz: For your zoom group, create a trivia quiz for each time you meet. Responsibility for the creation of the quiz is figured out each meeting for the next time you meet.
- Learn about You: Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, world-renowned researcher has a fun 2-minute quiz to see how positive you are. www.PositivityRatio.com
- Redesign your bedroom. With permission from your parents, come up with a new way of arranging items in your bedroom, so it seems fresh and new.
https://DIYProjectsForTeens.com/diy-teen-bedroom-ideas/
- Exercise Together: Each member of your zoom group makes an exercise video which they share with the group. You can include your favorite music and exercises.
- Host a virtual party. https://www.Yonder.io/post/6-killer-ideas-virtual-parties
- Make care packages for your friends or neighbors. Gather together items that you think they would like and drop them off at the front of their homes.
- Have a pajama party! You can add a theme, food, and games.
- Teach your parents how to use Instagram, Twitter or TikTok.
- Create a cooking show online for your family and friends. Figure out a favorite recipe and share the preparation on zoom. Guest chefs could be next.
- Teach friends and family how to tie-dye. Gather up all of the supplies and do a zoom call to teach them.
- Make a comical video about the life skills you think are important. The funnier, the better. Then your parents and other family members could make their own life skills video. Have a zoom party and share them.
- Write gratitude cards and letters to nurses, doctors and others who are caring for COVID patients in the hospital.
- Write Your Own Children’s Book: Think about what lessons you could teach young children about friendship, kindness, inclusion, etc. Then start the process of gathering material for your book and writing it!
- The Artist Within: Gather materials such as paper, paints, clay, and other art supplies and create art that displays how you are feeling. Invite family members to join in the fun.
- Have each member of your family join in to create a family song. Musical instruments will be helpful in this project. Then present the family on zoom to extended family.
- The Gift of Song or Poem: Create a song as a gift for a friend or create a song to share with family members who especially feeling isolated.
- Figure out what expertise you have. Create a presentation sharing that expertise with your family or friends. Then the other group members do the same.
- Family Concert! Each member of the family joins in with an instrument or a voice to present a concert. Share the concert with extended family or with friends.
- Dine In a Different Country: Each week figure out a country you would like to highlight on one of the days of week. Decorate the table pretending you are in the country highlighted and cook the foods of the country.
- Movie Night: Figure out a night that works well for everyone in the family and choose the movie(s) of the night. Pop the popcorn, get the beverages, and enjoy movie.
- Chili cook-off. Each member of the family gets a chance to cook their own chili recipe and then one member of the family makes the choice of “best chili.”
