Have you heard of Maye Musk?
In September 2017 she made history in the fashion world.
Because that year she became the CoverGirl (an American cosmetic brand) spokesmodel at the age of 69.
She also wrote her first-ever book at the age of 71.
In it, she mentions that she didn’t even want to write one.
But her friends and family encouraged her to tell her story.
So she could inspire people to not give up on themselves just because of their age.
“People seem to be scared of ageing” she mentions in her book. “They think life is over after a certain age.”
And this way of thinking can lead to blue moods.
The thing is, Maye is right.
The blue moods and general apathy to life are very common in people over 65.
As a matter of fact, more than ⅓ of the UK population over 65 is affected by depression.
Not to mention that the current state of the world is making things worse for a lot of people...
So if you’ve been feeling a bit down lately, know that you are not alone.
But there IS good news.
Because there’s a way to boost your mood, even during this global pandemic… without pills or any unwanted side effects.
Here are a couple of expert-approved strategies that could boost your mood:
#1. Pick a new hobby
I have a friend who recently discovered an immense love for painting.
Susan is 64 years young.
And she picked up a brush right after her youngest daughter got married and left home.
It was a hard transition for Susan.
She was used to having a house full of kids and family.
And now she was alone with all the time in the world.
So one day she tried painting just to kill some time.
But to her surprise, she found it helped her to stay focused.
She even told me it was meditative.
Plus, she discovered friends and family LOVED receiving her painting as gifts, as they’d been made with love.
But here’s the thing - if you’ve never held a brush in your hand, don’t worry.
There are many other crafting projects you can pick up.
Things like knitting, crocheting, and puzzles come to mind.
Whichever you choose, be sure to have fun with it.
#2. Get moving
I realise that due to lockdown it might be a challenge to do so.
But you can perform simple workouts at home without much equipment
And you don’t need to spend a full hour exercising or moving around either...
Because French researchers discovered that just 15 minutes of walking or moderate exercise a day can improve heart health by 22%.
Plus 15 minutes a day gives you a surge of “happy” hormones which can instantly boost your mood.
#3. Pick up a new language
Imagine surprising your friends and family with a few phrases in a new language by Christmas?
What great fun it would be, right?
And better yet…
Picking up a new language can prevent the development of dementia.
That’s according to multiple studies one of which also suggested that patients who speak more than one language have a 20% lower risk of Alzheimer’s
The best part?
You can learn a new language without ever leaving your home.
Thanks to pandemic there is a tonne of options to learn a language online via zoom.
#4. Pick a book… or write one?
Remember Maye Musk?
Well, if you haven’t figured it out yet, she’s also mom to Elon Musk.
So she could’ve retired a long time ago and done nothing with her life because of the success of her famous son.
Yet she’s not slowing down one bit.
At the age of 70, she set out to write a book.
And by the time she was 71, she’d published it.
Perhaps you might not aspire to write a novel.
But just writing out thoughts and creating stories can help your brain to release “happy hormones”, ease a busy mind and make you feel joyful - without any medication.
#5. Help someone in need.
You probably know this already, but helping others is the best “feel good” medicines there is.
But with COVID parading around the world, it’s almost impossible to do good deeds in the usual manner.
Yet, there are still ways.
One of these ways is to find a penpal.
Projects like Compassionate Pen Pals is a great way to lift someone else’s spirits during these tough times…
And lift yours too.
These are just 5 of many ways to help you combat the blue moods this winter.
I hope you find these helpful.
And if you know someone who can benefit from knowing these, be sure to send them this email/article.
Speak soon!