How to kickstart your upward spiral

Stress, burnout, depression, grief, and anything that negatively impacts your wellbeing, can direct your life in a downward spiral. When you’re lurking at the bottom, it requires a great deal of energy, motivation and momentum to propel yourself upward…

Life can feel incredibly small and overwhelming when you’re in a negative state of being and self-imposed isolation. It’s difficult to break out of a downward spiral if you’re lacking incentive or a spark of joy.

To get out of the downward loop, it’s necessary to switch things up to generate and kickstart an upward motion. As the author John Green said, “There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.” 

Here are the best ways to start turning things around.

Change the scenery

A downward spiral perpetuates negativity in your mood, state of mind and behaviour. It also closes off the peripheral vision that allows you to notice positivity, opportunities, and the little things in life that can give you so much happiness and joy.

Changing the scenery of your physical surroundings can help to kickstart the upward movement of your emotional spiral. Spending time away from your usual day-to-day location and activities – at home or at work – can cause a shift in your perspective and mindset. As your sensory signal alerts you to the effects of the positive changes, you’ll become more open to opportunities for new experiences. 

Get moving

Doing something active takes your mind off the negative emotions that cause you to worry, cogitate and withdraw into a passive downward spiral.

Going for a walk or a run, exercising, weeding the garden, baking a cake, or catching up on mundane housework, are comfortingly meditative practices that can ignite a glimmer of joy.

Build on each physical activity, so that your body is moving more every day. If you’re feeling up to it, try a full-body stretch routine to improve flexibility. Dancing like nobody’s watching can also help with your unconscious processing.

Nurture your emotional health

When your emotions are out of whack, it can be challenging to monitor and adjust your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Although your unconscious thoughts are extremely powerful and can reinforce your negative mental state, they’re no match for the capability and force of positive emotion.

Nurture emotional health by establishing a feel-good ritual that boosts your mood and energy and kickstarts a chain reaction of positivity:

• set daily intentions to have upbeat experiences

• start a gratitude list and write down three things that you appreciate, each day

• meditate, practice yoga and spend time in nature

• play with your kids, take the pooch for an extended walk, and catch up with old friends

• express your creativity with words, paint or music

• savour a good cup of coffee, and mindfully eat your favourite foods

Rejuvenating your zest for life – gently and consistently – will gradually cause your downward spiral to flow, with momentum, in the opposite direction.