Here are 5 simple and effective ways to lift your mood and feel better that you can do right now:

1. Look Up and Straighten your Back
When we are feeling down or discouraged, we often don't notice that our posture goes with it.  Whether you are standing or sitting, just drawing your shoulders back and lifting your head can brighten up your outlook and lift your spirits.  Tip: Pretend you are a periscope and look out into the horizon to see what's out there.

2. Smile to Yourself
This doesn't mean trying to feel happy.  This just means working your facial muscles to form a smile.  It may feel weird to do this but think of it as working out - 3 sets each with 5-7 repetitions per set.  Like working your biceps or thighs, it's more important that you focus on the motion rather than the speed.  Research has shown that you do not need to begin with a positive mood to receive the benefits of smiling.

3. Let the Light Shine
If you can, make your way out of the building.  If you have to stay indoors, open all the windows and blinds. If you can't open the windows, turn on all the lights in your room.  If you only have a desk lamp, turn it up so it lights up and warms the space around you.   Light is a powerful mood lifter that most people forget to utilize.

4. Establish Eye Contact with the Next Person that Passes By
It doesn't matter who it is.  The busy executive hurrying to catch a cab, the homeless person looking for a handout, your colleague walking down the corridor. When we establish contact using our eyes, our brain instantly gets ready for a response.  You can choose to ignore, nod, smile or greet.  By doing this, you lift the focus off yourself to someone else.

5. Hum a Short Tune
If you can't think of a tune, start with the musical scale i.e. "do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do."  Try varying the speed and pitch of your tune.  This exercise forces us to breathe more than when we are at our resting state.  Just for fun, assign each note to an object around you and let your eye jump from one object to another as you hum each note.  You'll be humming along to a better mood very quickly.

Enjoy these exercises, lift your mood and feel better!