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#1 Get out in nature with your dog.
Just five minutes in nature can lift your mood fast—even if it's only five minutes parked on a bench in an urban park, University of Regina researchers found after running two studies.
'When you need an emotional boost, the fastest and easiest way is to spend a few minutes with nature,' one of the study's authors, Katherine D. Arbuthnott, told PsyPost.
These aren't the only studies showing that reconnecting with nature can chase off a bad mood and reroute negative thinking. Harvard University research suggests mood disorders can be eased by spending more time outdoors. And a growing field called ecotherapy points to a deep link between time in nature and reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.
In a 2015 Harvard study, researchers compared brain activity in healthy people after they walked for 90 minutes in either a natural or an urban setting. The nature walkers showed lower activity in the prefrontal cortex—a brain region active during rumination, the repetitive thoughts fixated on negative emotions.
'When people are depressed or under high levels of stress, this part of the brain malfunctions, and people experience a continuous loop of negative thoughts,' says Dr. Straus, director of geriatric psychiatry at Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance.
Natural spaces have also been shown to lower blood pressure and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. The beauty of nature also soothes and engages your mind in a positive way, says Dr. Strauss. 'Having something pleasant to focus on like trees and greenery helps distract your mind from negative thinking, so your thoughts become less filled with worry.'
Research shows that selfless acts of kindness boost happiness and popularity. An experiment published in PLOS ONE found that when nine- to 11-year-olds performed acts of kindness over several weeks, they not only grew happier over time but also became more popular with their peers.
One idea: foster a puppy or a dog. Organizations like San Antonio Pets Alive (SAPA) in San Antonio, TX, constantly need fosters for puppies and adult dogs alike. SAPA pulls at-risk dogs from the city shelter and places them in foster homes, buying the dogs time until they find a forever home. Thanks to SAPA's grassroots network of foster volunteers, they save death-row dogs every day. Modern Dog's Jennifer Nosek regularly takes in foster pups. Once they find homes, she fosters a couple more—often littermates around eight weeks old—until they too are adopted. (The cuteness!!) Shelters and rescues across the U.S. and Canada are desperate for temporary fosters for rescued dogs and puppies—check with your local animal control, shelter, or rescue to get started.
Get those mood-boosting endorphins pumping! A walk, a hike, a trail run—choose the most strenuous option you and your dog can comfortably handle and make it a habit. Beware the three-day slump, when your body acclimates to the feel-good boost and tells you it doesn't need to go anymore. Push through, and you'll be rewarded with better mental and physical health.
A New Zealand study had participants log how creative they'd been and how they felt. A clear pattern emerged, pointing to 'a particular kind of upward spiral for well-being and creativity,' says Dr. Tamlin Conner, a psychologist at New Zealand's University of Otago and the study's lead author. 'Engaging in creative behaviour leads to increases in well-being the next day, and this increased well-being is likely to facilitate creative activity on the same day.'
Not sure where to start? We have tons of fun DIYs (leash hooks! No-sew dog beds!) and dog-approved recipes to get you going! Find them here: moderndogmagazine.com/diy-projects
#5 Learn something new with your dog.
Research shows that learning new skills boosts mental wellbeing by raising self-esteem and self-confidence, increasing your sense of purpose, and helping you connect with others. Even better, bring your dog along. Why not set up a backyard DIY agility course or try nose work? Find how-to's at: moderndogmagazine.com/diyagility and moderndogmagazine.com/nosework. Step two: join an agility club or nose work group! Being part of a community has also been shown to increase happiness.
#6 Make time for a good petting session. A 2019 University of Washington study compared salivary cortisol—a major stress hormone—in students who had interacted with pets versus those who hadn't. The findings suggest that as little as 10 minutes of petting time can significantly lower physical stress levels.
Yes, there are incredible chances to volunteer with your dog, like youth reading programs and nursing home visits—but it can also be as simple as offering to walk your elderly neighbor's dog or pick up groceries. The benefits of volunteering are well documented. Research shows that volunteering is significantly predictive of better mental and physical health, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and happiness. Studies demonstrate that donating your time helps people feel more socially connected, warding off loneliness and depression, and supporting better physical health—including lower blood pressure and a longer lifespan. A Carnegie Mellon University study published in Psychology and Aging found that adults over 50 who volunteered regularly were less likely to develop high blood pressure than non-volunteers.
#8 Practice gratitude. What we focus on shapes our experience. If you steer your attention toward gratitude instead of ruminating on the negatives, you can transform your life. That doesn't mean being in denial. It simply means refocusing on the positives wherever possible—like that dog beside you snoozing on the couch, feet twitching, dreaming of rabbits.
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