How to Cheer a Person Up

Knowing how to cheer a person up proves to be a useful skill throughout life. Whether a friend experiences a bad mood due to a recent breakup or he just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, cheering him up helps keep him from getting stuck in a bad mood. To boost someone else's mood, help the person change his thoughts or actions. Small interventions canhelp people feel better quickly.

Instructions

Changing Thoughts

• 1

  When people feel down, they tend to think sad and negative thoughts. Help the person feel better by changing the focus of her thoughts. Talk about some lighthearted subjects and engage her in a discussion. Thinking about other things will prevent her from dwelling on what has caused her to feel sad.

• 2

  Laughter helps lighten the mood, and when people think of funny things, it makes feeling sad more difficult. Reminisce about funny stories, tell a joke or watch a funny movie to get the laughter flowing.

• 3

  If the person seems to still need to talk about what causes her to feel sad, allow her to talk about it. Be a good listener and provide support. Even if you cannot change the situation, listening shows you care. This can help the person move through these feelings, which is sometimes necessary before feeling better.

• 4

  Help the person correct any cognitive distortions. When people feel down, their outlook can be extremely negative. Help correct these exaggerated thoughts by sharing a more realistic view. For example, a person who feels sad may say, "My boyfriend dumped me because I'm not pretty enough. I'll never find another boyfriend ever again." Respond by telling her something such as, "You are plenty pretty enough. He broke up with you because you had different values about life, not because there's anything wrong with you. When you are ready to date, you'll find someone who meets your needs." Offering a more realistic view helps the person look at the situation more logically.

Changing Behaviors

• 5

  Behaviors also impact mood. When people feel down, they tend to want to isolate themselves and refrain from activities. Don't allow the person to be alone but instead invite her to engage in social activities. Ask her to join you for dinner, attend a play, or go to a party.

• 6

  Be willing to do something that the person likes. If she usually enjoys shopping, go to the store with her. If she likes to bake, invite her to bake a cake with you. If he likes golf, be willing to spend an afternoon at the golf course. Even if the person does not feel like doing these things, she may feel better if she does. Staying home alone will not make her mood better so encourage her to leave the house. Even spending a few minutes outside helps improve a bad mood.

• 7

  Try to help the person engage in physical activity. Avoid sitting on the couch as exercise can help improve a bad mood. Go for a walk, weed the garden or shoot some hoops to help the person feel better.