November Mixed Bag: 3 Boosting Strategies to Lift Your Mood and Motivation This Season

I’m writing this the morning after the Dodgers won their 2nd World Series in a row. I have to say, it’s been a rough 12 hours (and that includes sleeping!) I won’t go into the many reasons why I’m sad (I’m a die-hard Giants fan, the richest team is winning, I can’t stand Blake Snell, etc.) But it’s times like this that I need to call on specific strategies to get me out of the mental slump. These boosting strategies are not just for baseball fans – they can come in very handy when you are decluttering, too. Oh and maybe your main focus right now is merely getting through the upcoming holiday season with your nerves intact. In that spirit, I’ve decided to use this month’s Mixed Bag to share them. Take what you need and leave the rest – welcome to the November Mixed Bag!

Boosting Strategy No. 1: Give Yourself a Hug

Well, not a physical hug (though I guess you could if it works for you!) What I mean is a figurative hug. Something that makes you feel warm and loved when the going is rough. There are multiple ways to accomplish this. 

One of my favorite boosting strategies is watching a favorite movie I’ve seen a million times, one where the characters feel like old friends. Or if you don’t have a list of your own, you could pick from one of mine below:

Something To Talk About

You’ve Got Mail

First Wives Club

The Way Way Back

Dan in Real Life

And if you have a stressful family holiday in your future, I recommend Home For The Holidays.

Another comforting way to give yourself a hug is through music. If you’re glumly going through mundane chores like folding laundry, cleaning or paying bills, a good playlist can help boost your mood. I’ve created this one on Spotify – you are welcome to use it (looking at you, Blue Jays fans.) Music is powerful, so tapping into its magic is really effective. Which is why I always recommend it as a backdrop for decluttering!

And lastly, if you just need a quick boost – I discovered a book this year called The Comfort Book. It has helped me through many a blue day. Curl up on the couch with this puppy for a few minutes and I guarantee you will feel at least marginally better!

Boosting Strategy No. 2: Say It Out Loud

This boosting strategy requires a bit of context. When you are feeling weighed down by emotions that are preventing you from doing what you need to do – talk to yourself. Yes, you read that right. I know it sounds weird, but hear me out.

Talking to yourself out loud sends a signal to the part of your brain that controls reason and fires it up. So arguing with an uncomfortable feeling or telling yourself what you’re going to do next literally helps you do the thing that’s hard to do. Here’s a decluttering example:

You’re considering decluttering something you haven’t used in years but you spent a lot of money on it back in the day. As you are thinking about the ‘lost’ money you remind yourself (out loud) – ‘Carrie, the money was gone when you spent it 10 years ago and keeping this thing is not going to bring it back.’

I also like to use it as a productivity booster when I’m not feeling motivated. I will literally tell myself what to do next: ‘I am now going to go over to the piano and practice for 30 minutes.’ And as a bonus, once you’ve used this booster a few times you are actually forging new neural pathways in your brain, which make it easier the next time you have to do a hard thing!

Boosting Strategy No. 3: A Countdown

I am a planner at heart, which means I’m always looking ahead. One of the boosting strategies I love to employ when I need to get my ass in gear is to give myself a countdown of how many days I have left before I need to get something done. It’s a booster that spurs me to action, and action is where the magic happens. Here are a few examples of how I’m using this booster for the holiday season ahead.

• 53 days until I play 3 Christmas carols on the piano while my friends and family sing along
• 24 days to refresh & prep my guest spaces before houseguests arrive
• 33 days left to make reservations and buy tickets for my weekend in NYC with my daughter

When I write these down it gives me comfort (because I have time) and also spurs me to get going (because I don’t have that much time!)

If you’ve had a decluttering project on your list for this year that is still stubbornly sitting in draft form, let me give you a countdown. You have 60 days left in 2025 to get it done! Granted, there are some pretty busy days in there but if you break the project down into smaller pieces that’s plenty of time to get it done!

We all need boosting strategies to help get us out of the mental valleys we experience from time to time. The holiday season (or a World Series loss!) can be a pretty deep valley – hoping you can use one or all of these strategies to give yourself a boost!