For me it’s dressing up. Something about a clean, crisp shirt and necktie just works to better my mood. If I’m really depressed, I’ll go the whole suit route.
But no tuxedo. “Tuxedos are for waiters.”
Anyway, that’s just me (and just one way I work myself out of a funk). Anybody else?
I read about other people’s problems on the internet, and think to myself, “Jay-zuz! Those poor, sorry bastards!”
I almost immediately feel better.
I talk to people who are willing to talk to me.
Buy a girl flowers, usually. Cheers me up no end.
Go out people-watching. Cute kids, fashion faux pas, the human condition, no man is an island.
I always feel better.
I take a look at my enormous penis and my troubles start a-melting away.
(The link is audio only and mildly NSFWish, but may cheer you up too.)
Exercise. A walk, some time on the exerbike or the ski machine, anything.
A nice long shower or a bath with a book.
Upbeat music that really grooves. Get up for the down stroke.
I think of how far I’ve come, and realize that whatever I’m going through now ain’t squat compared to what I’ve already overcome.
Failblog.
Porn.
I’ll play my guitar. Or break some boards.
Change of scenery. I take a short drive, and, if that isn’t working, sit in an empty parking lot and take 15 minutes to just fantasize about better things.
I go through a drive-thru, buy my food… and then pay for the person behind me, as well. Works every time.
Someone did the same thing for me, years back, and it made my week.
Chocolate.
Serotonin.
Brain.
Happiness.
jokes, friends and coworkers with sense of humor. Nothing like a good laugh and it puts it all in perspective about what’s really important.
Back when I was a freshman in college, I told a dorm-mate I was feeling down and he came and surreptitiously taped a bunch of pictures of sea-slugs to my door. I didn’t even know they existed!
So whenever I’m feeling blue I go find pictures of sea-slugs. Look! Here’s one now.
Seriously, how can you feel sad knowing they exist?
Getting caught in a YouTube warp. One video leads to another, which leads to another, until I’ve totally forgotten whatever was supposed to be bothering me.
Usually I get sushi.
No joke.
I’ve got a nicely tacky “conveyer belt” sushi restaurant near me. The sushi is pretty average - not great, not terrible.
But the place itself has a nice warm ambiance. The music is nearly always to my liking - down-tempo electronic with a bit of indie rock tossed in. The tea is free. The people watching is always enjoyable. Plus I can finish a meal and then sit there for hours reading my kindle and drinking tea. The place is so huge that it’s never full and the servers never rush you out. You’re sitting at a conveyer belt “bar” so it’s not like you’re taking up a particular server’s table. I can just relax there, drinking tea and reading. Always makes me feel good.
Plus they make a pretty good Tonjiru soup.
Why…I come here of course. I just stay out of the BBQ Pit and avoid depressing topics in GQ. Junk food helps as much as it hurts. Loving the dog is a good pick me up too.
Finding a place where I won’t torture anyone else (ideally, in a car) and cranking up music that I can really and truly sing along to. Loudly. With feeling. The music doesn’t even have to be happy music. Just so long as I can wail.
Read a book.
Get some sleep; lack of sleep for me is one of my most common causes of depression. If I find myself think thoughts of gloom and doom, that’s often my cue that’s I’ve forgotten to check the clock and it’s past time for bed.
I put on some great music and work on my art.
Terry Pratchett books. Pictures of my nephews. Blowing pixelated stuff up. A movie with lots of big explosions and too-buff half-naked guys running around… (I’m a chemist, explosions count as porn)