Curing the Blues - 14 Feel-Good Ways to Get Out of the Dumps

Everyone goes through that "in the blues" feeling once in awhile. The best cure is to be around people that you care about; family, friends; and keeping yourself busy enough to change your mind. Here are some "mood changers" to help you overcome those "down- in-the-dumps" feelings.

1. Less Fortunate

Visit a hospital or chronic care home to pass out small inexpensive surprises to the residents. They will enjoy the care and attention from something so unexpected.

2. Pamper Yourself

Pamper yourself with a candlelit bubble bath, then prepare your favorite gourmet meal while sipping on a glass of bubbly white wine in one of your special crystal glasses.

3. Something Special for Others

Plan some community work - help out at the local shelter, volunteer at your local church, work with other volunteers to spread some caring amongst your community. It'll make you feel better about yourself and happy that you've helped out others less fortunate than yourself.

4. All in the Family

Spend some quality fun time with your niece or nephew or other child in your family.

5. The Gift of Time

Offer to do some work to free-up some time for your spouse or parent. For example, cleaning Dad's garage or a full-house vacuuming for your wife. How about for your best friend - you can walk her dog or baby sit one evening.

6. Long-Distance Caring

Call your favorite aunt whom you haven't seen since she moved far away, or your best friend who transferred to another country - let them know you're thinking of them.

7. Just For You

Have you wanted that delicate pair of earrings for awhile but kept putting off the purchase? Give yourself a special gift - you deserve it!

8. Seize the Day!

It's a beautiful day! Invite a friend out for a walk to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air; the peaceful sounds of the birds and the wind blowing through the trees. Or go for an aerobic power walk with your friend or by yourself. It's a well-known fact that exercise releases endorphins, the body's "feel good hormones" which can calm and de-stress you and generally help to change your outlook on life.

9. A Movie Night

They say "laughter is the best medicine". Rent or go see a funny movie, either by yourself or with a friend.

10. Dance up a Storm

Go to a line dance class, one that you don't have to pay for a series of. You'll be amongst many happy people and you'll learn a few dance moves while you're at it!

11. Gym-Dandy

Go to the gym to work out (again, those endorphins!)

12. Holly Hobby

Get out your favorite hobby and start on that project you've been putting off - don't stress yourself about finishing it all in one day; at least start it and who knows...you might get into a feverish pitch and accomplish quite abit!

13. Tee-Time

Do you golf? Go to a putting range and hit a few. Or do another sport that you enjoy; invite a friend or relative..or go alone; you might make a new friend.

14. Thought Process

Start a journal - explain in detail why you feel "down". In a few months, read what you wrote on this day. Perhaps you will see everything in a new light and all those gloomy thoughts will have disappeared.

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Google News Updated : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:51:33 GMT Manatee dies before reaching rehab site - Boston Globe WHDH-TV Manatee dies before reaching rehab site Boston Globe - 4 hours ago By Emily Canal After a 27-hour trip to Florida, Dennis the manatee, rescued from the frigid waters of Cape Cod, died in Orlando yesterday as SeaWorld employees carted the mammal to a rehabilitation center. Video: Rescued Manatee Dies After Mass. Rescue AssociatedPress Manatee rescued off Cape Cod dies en route to Florida Sea World New York Daily News WFLA - eFluxMedia - Cape Cod Times - South Coast Today all 565 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:21:21 GMT Dodgers stand up to Phillies in Game 3 win - FOXSports.com Washington Post Dodgers stand up to Phillies in Game 3 win FOXSports.com - 4 hours ago by Ken Rosenthal Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005. He appears weekly on the FSN Baseball Report and MLB on FOX. LA revitalized at Moyer's expense MLB.com Kuroda's pitch serves its purpose for Dodgers USA Today New York Times - Los Angeles Times - Boston Globe - Philadelphia Daily News all 2,467 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:00:36 GMT Forecast: Summery Sunshine Sticks Around - Washington Post Chicagoist Forecast: Summery Sunshine Sticks Around Washington Post - 2 hours ago Columbus Day will feel a lot more like Labor Day as temperatures climb to around 80 degrees. This unseasonably warm weather will continue for the next several days. Enjoy a warm, sunny Columbus Day Times Herald-Record Beautiful start to the work week The Star-Ledger - NJ.com The Capital Times - Journal and Courier - Richmond Times Dispatch - The Virginian-Pilot all 241 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:03:26 GMT Fantastic finishes: 5 NFL games down to the wire - Washington Post Washington Post Fantastic finishes: 5 NFL games down to the wire Washington Post - 3 hours ago Dallas Cowboys' Mat McBriar (1) has his punt blocked by Arizona Cardinals' Sean Morey as Monty Beisel (52) looks on during overtime of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008 in Glendale, Ariz. Blocked punt downs Dallas San Francisco Chronicle Backups Burst Through Line and Lift Cardinals in Overtime New York Times Sports Network - FOXSports.com - Houston Chronicle - Philadelphia Inquirer all 749 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:15:50 GMT UK government takes stake in three banks - CNN International Canada.com UK government takes stake in three banks CNN International - 32 minutes ago LONDON, England (CNN) -- The British government on Monday said it would make a multi-billion investment in three of the country's major banks to help them through the "first financial crisis of the global age. In quotes: Bank bail-out reaction BBC News TEXT-Lloyds TSB terms for acquisition of HBOS Reuters guardian.co.uk - Wall Street Journal - Bloomberg - AFP all 1,923 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:18:47 GMT 1.5 million G1 Android phones pre-ordered - TG Daily Product Reviews 1.5 million G1 Android phones pre-ordered TG Daily - 6 hours ago By Wolfgang Gruener Chicago (IL) - T-Mobile’s upcoming G1 may not be the best-looking iPhone rival, it may not have the most complete feature set and T-Mobile may have undersold the device at the recent launch event. Get ready for next-gen mobile InfoWorld HTC G1 Android Phone Racks up 1.5 Million Pre-orders eFluxMedia Brighthand - InformationWeek - ReadWriteWeb - ZDNet all 153 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:21:21 GMT European, Asian markets bounce back - The Associated Press Vancouver Sun European, Asian markets bounce back The Associated Press - 1 hour ago LONDON (AP) - European markets opened strongly Monday following Asia's lead in response to the widespread government efforts over the weekend to shore up the world's troubled financial system. The financial crisis A light at the end of the tunnel? Economist World stock markets welcome European bank rescue AFP MSN Money - New York Times - New Straits Times - Voice of America all 769 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:23:04 GMT RSS2Blog RSS to HTML

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