Like a rollercoaster, morale always follows a sinusoidal curve. Sometimes it’s fine, sometimes it’s not. One day we’re in a good mood, and the next day, for one reason or another, we’re in a bad mood, discouraged, weary, sad and depressed. A drop in morale usually occurs when we’re going through difficult times.

It’s perfectly normal to have slumps from time to time in the face of obstacles and adversity. It’s part of the richness of the human experience. Sometimes you have to experience the lows to appreciate the highs. That’s what life’s all about! But it’s important to pick ourselves up quickly to minimize the time we allow ourselves to remain demoralized.

So how do you keep your spirits up and motivate yourself to keep moving forward? Obviously, you have to have the willpower and the determination not to go under.

What is low morale?

It’s a behavioral disorder that plunges a person into a state of disinterest in the things of daily life. When a person’s spirits are low, he or she feels sad, wants to be alone and may close in on him- or herself. Also referred to as a kind of benign depression, low morale is a temporary low that lasts for varying periods of time. In fact, if it recurs and lasts, it can lead to real depression.

In fact, it’s important to distinguish between chronic depression and a slump. Most of the time, all that’s needed to overcome the latter is a phrase to lift spirits and a few gestures and actions, unlike the former, which requires genuine monitoring and care.

If you’re feeling down in the dumps, there’s bound to be a reason, apparent or otherwise, why. It could be that you’re overworked, tired or discouraged because of a setback. Seasonal depression, bereavement, worries at work, personal conflict, etc. can also be at the root of low morale. One thing’s for sure, there are many reasons why your morale can be ruined. They can come from your professional or personal life. So it’s important to get to the root of the problem, so you can resolve it effectively.

Having a low morale can have multiple consequences on your daily life. These usually include: sleep disturbances, reduced desire and libido, extreme fatigue, loss of appetite… In addition, a person with low morale may also experience somatic complaints such as: headaches, joint pain, digestive problems, blood pressure…

How to keep your spirits up: tips and advice that work

It’s inevitable to experience a dip in morale at some point in life. After all, we’re only human. The most important thing is to have the willpower to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. You can’t simply ignore the problem and hope it will go away. On the contrary, such an attitude will only make the situation worse.

Are you feeling down in the dumps? Sad and weary? Are you demotivated or discouraged? I invite you to discover 6 tips to restore your smile and joie de vivre.

DISTRACTION, AN EFFECTIVE WEAPON AGAINST LOW MORALE
Many of our thoughts are focused on painful memories of the past and apprehensions about the future. These thoughts lead to negative emotions that dampen our spirits. To free ourselves from sadness and get back into a good mood, we need to distract ourselves. This is the best way to let go and enjoy the present moment. To lift your spirits, you need to :

Go out (show, movie theater, restaurant…) ;
Read a book or novel ;
talk to someone close to you;
listen to music;
Going for a walk or a bike ride;
Play a video game;
coloring a mandala ;
Go shopping…

SHOW GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION
Another way of overcoming low morale is to focus on your successes. When you’re grateful for the positive things in your life, you’ll feel better. This is because gratitude puts you in a state that allows your brain to release serotonin and dopamine. As a result, you’ll feel better in the short term, more productive and less anxious. So, take a piece of paper and write down three things you’re grateful for. What you write should normally have something to do with what discourages or saddens you.

The aim is to overcome the low morale by focusing on something positive. For example, if a job offer you were hoping for didn’t pan out, you can be grateful for having met interesting people at your interview, for the support of friends and family, or for something you learned in the process.

GET ACTIVE
Looking for ways to keep your spirits up? Sport helps combat depression and improve your mood. Being active releases substances that contribute to our well-being. If you’re feeling down and out, make an effort to spend at least twenty minutes a day exercising. If your health permits, take up cardiovascular exercise (swimming, cycling, jogging…) and observe the almost immediate effect on your morale. If possible, go for a walk or run outside to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. You can also practice meditation or yoga to overcome your low morale. These different practices will help you free your mind and feel better. All you need is the willpower to make up your mind.

GIVE YOURSELF MORE TIME TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
A drop in morale usually occurs when your expectations (what we hope for) don’t match reality (what’s actually happening). In many cases, goals are unrealistic in relation to the amount of time we think they should take. And because you don’t get the result you want, you’re discouraged and demoralized. But if you take the long view, redefine your goals and take the pressure off a little, it can really help to reduce discouragement. The reality is that most worthwhile things take a lot of effort and time to achieve. So be patient!

See failures as new opportunities
YOU MAY EXPERIENCE A DROP IN MORALE WHEN YOU FAIL. BUT FAILURE DOESN’T REALLY EXIST, EXCEPT IN THE SENSE WE GIVE IT. IF YOU DON’T GET THE RESULT YOU WANT, WHEN YOU EXPECT IT, YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO TAKE NEW STEPS. INSTEAD OF THINKING THAT FAILURE IS BAD, YOU NEED TO SEE IT AS A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED. KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU CAN SEE HARD TIMES AS AN OPPORTUNITY OR A THREAT. IF YOU SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY, YOUR REACTION AND RESULTS WILL BE AFFECTED.

SHOW INTENTIONAL KINDNESS
This is an excellent way of overcoming low morale. Help someone who needs help. It’s as simple as that. In fact, when we focus our energy on helping someone, we feel better. Since we’re busy doing something nice for someone else, we don’t have time to dwell on what’s going wrong, so it’s a quick way to lift our spirits.

REPEAT POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS
Positive thinking is an excellent ally in combating negative thoughts and ideas. With simple phrases, you can lift your spirits even when things seem difficult. So when you catch yourself becoming pessimistic, negative, it can really help to repeat a morale-boosting phrase like a mantra. You’ll find plenty of mood-boosting quotes and positive thoughts on the Internet.

When was the last time you felt down? How did you manage it?