How to Improve Your Mood Right Now, By Personality Type
Everyone has a bad day now and then, and most people have some ideas about what they can do to cheer themselves up. But sometimes the usual methods go stale. That’s when you start searching for a different type of pick-me-up.
If you’re looking for a new way to break out of a funk, why not try something that’s customized for your personality type? Here’s how you can boost your mood today, according to your Myers and Briggs type.
INFP: Write a short story about what’s been going on
INFPs are creators who need to express themselves to deal with emotional conflicts. One way to let things out is to write a short story that somehow relates to the conflicts you need to resolve or the stressful life situations you’ve been managing. Unlike a novel, a short story can be finished in just a day or two, so you can get your ideas out quickly. If you do this regularly, you may eventually have a collection that could be published.
ENFP: Invite a friend or family member to the art museum
Most ENFPs find that art stimulates them emotionally and psychologically. They also enjoy good company and great conversation, so why not have it all by inviting someone to accompany you to an art museum or exhibit today? You can immerse yourself in the images and encourage your friend or family member to do the same, and you can both have a lot of fun sharing your impressions over a coffee or a sandwich later on.
INFJ: Resolve a misunderstanding before another minute passes
Do you have a conflict or misunderstanding with a loved one that needs to be addressed? Even if it’s minor, as a sensitive and empathic INFJ you’ll feel much better if you take the initiative to settle this issue right away. Some may find this stressful, but resolving the matter decisively and compassionately will leave you feeling better about yourself and about everything else.
ENFJ: Restart two stalled projects
As an ENFJ, you tend to leave a lot of personal or work projects unfinished (if you started them at all!). This can be a source of guilt and frustration, but you’ll brighten your mood considerably by getting back into one of these projects right now, without delay. And after you’ve spent two or three hours working on that one, you can lift your mood even more by jumping back into another stalled project. By the end of the day, your sense of accomplishment will be off the charts.
INTJ: Take some time away to practice a favorite sport
A stressed INTJ who feels overworked or depleted in energy can benefit by getting out of the house, out of their heads and out into the fresh air and sunshine. To make sure you stay productive and focused on self-improvement, it’s a great idea to spend a few hours practicing a sport you enjoy. This will shift the focus from your mind to your body and vanquish your lethargy, as you combine invigorating exercise with playful fun.
ENTJ: Plan a fun family outing
ENTJs who are feeling down or anxious can relieve their misery by planning a fun family outing with loved ones. You can discuss what you’d like to do together, and then you can take the initiative from that point on and plan the trip yourself. Your excursion won’t have to last more than a day, and ideally, it should include some new activities that at least some of you have never tried before. The combination of novel activities, your family and a pleasant environment will help you regain your emotional equilibrium.
INTP: Read a book that challenges your intellect, but out in nature
INTPs are avid readers who love to get lost in ideas, especially those that make them contemplate the nature of truth or reality. If you feel low on energy, take a book out into the forest, to a park, or to another majestic natural location. As you immerse yourself in the beauty and grandeur of nature, you’ll be even more inspired by mind-bending ideas than usual.
ENTP: Identify responsibilities you’ve been neglecting and start taking care of them now
As an ENTP, you’ll inevitably have a number of tasks you’ve started that still need completing, which may be a hidden source of stress for you. Even though you’ve been avoiding these chores for a while, you’ll be surprised how liberated you feel after you’ve eliminated at least a couple of them from your to-do list. Take care of one or two of them today and you’ll feel like your spirit has been set free.
ISFJ: Make a list of your bad habits and develop a strategic plan to defeat them
ISJFs are so helpful and responsible that they overload themselves frequently, giving them little time to breathe or relax. Your depressed mood is likely an outgrowth of this tendency – which is why you need to invest three or four hours in analyzing your life and figuring out why you’re overextended. Once you make a plan for addressing this problem you’ll start to feel better immediately, knowing that you’re putting yourself first for a change.
ESFJ: Seek advice and new ideas from people you trust
ESFJs tend to repeat the same approaches to problem-solving over and over again, which can leave you feeling bad when things don’t go well. One way to break this pattern is to ask your loved ones for advice on how you can change your luck. You’re always receptive to the opinions of others, so call someone you trust today and invite them over. The enlightening conversation that follows should elevate your mood right away.
ISFP: Watch three videos made by successful innovators and take notes
When you’re feeling low because your life isn’t progressing as you’d like (a common ISFP concern), boosting your sense of self-empowerment could lift your spirits quickly. You can start right now by watching three videos made by creators you admire who will reveal the secrets of how they did it. Be sure to take notes as you watch, so you can look for common themes that inspire you enough to get you up out of your seat and moving forward today.
ESFP: Call a friend you haven’t seen or talked to in awhile
Getting together with people can cheer you up and distract you from your issues. Your supportive attitude and your infectious enthusiasm are likely to delight your old friend, and that will make you feel good knowing you’ve had a constructive impact on someone’s life. You’ll also enjoy getting together with someone who you haven’t seen in ages, which is the type of fresh and invigorating experience ESFPs crave.
ISTP: Construct something you design yourself
You know you can fix just about anything and take pride in that ability. But to really lift your mood, you should try building something from scratch instead. This is a fun challenge for ISTPs, who get to apply their ingenuity to their own projects rather than just repairing something that someone else constructed and designed. Perhaps you can build something simple that can be finished in a day or two, so you’ll see those exciting results right away.
ESTP: Create a time management plan
When you’re feeling stressed, it’s often because of the disorganization that tends to take over your life. As an ESTP, time management issues can prevent you from getting things done efficiently, so why not make a time management plan to help you get your act together? Just sitting down to create one can be empowering, and with your can-do attitude, you’ll get actual enjoyment from putting your new plan into effect today.
ISTJ: Study dream interpretation and start a dream diary
An ISTJ may feel trapped by their own adherence to schedules or rules. To get in touch with your more spontaneous side, you should immediately start a dream diary, recording any dream experiences you remember right after you wake up (tomorrow morning can be your first entry). Begin reading up on dream interpretation so, when you have material to work with, you’ll be able to search for more self-understanding that can help you break your routines and change your patterns.
ESTJ: Try walking meditation
With walking meditation you’ll slow your mind to a peaceful standstill, concentrating only on the environment around you and on your own movements. This helps keep the intrusive thoughts that have been stressing you out at bay. Walking meditation works marvelously for ESTJs, since it gets you away from the sources of your stress while letting you get some much-needed exercise. This is a great remedy for down moods, and for the over-dedication to work and being productive that can sap you of your resilience.
