It's the simple things - stay cheerful on the cheap

Even though we don’t need scientific proof to convince us of the inspiring power of music, scientific proof does exist: earlier this summer, a study by the University of Missouri in the US found that listening to uplifting music boosted mood.

Walking the dog through Summertown last night I happened upon Joe’s Bar and Grill where people were spilling out onto the pavement, as live music rocked the whole street. As I walked by, I couldn’t resist a little shimmy, and I smiled all the way home. Even the dog seemed happier.

GO FOR A WALK My father’s remedy for the infamous words ‘I’m bored’, ‘I’m fed-up’, or ‘I’m cold’, was always, ‘go for a walk’. As a teenager, I hated this advice, since it meant firstly leaving the TV, and secondly, exerting some energy. Turns out, however, that he was right.

“Walking has been shown to improve self-esteem, relieve depression, anxiety and improve mood,” says Amanda Godsell, a fitness instructor who trains walk leaders for Walking for Health, a UK-wide walking group scheme led by the Ramblers and Macmillan Cancer Support (www.walkingforhealth.org.uk).

Better yet, in a city like Oxford we have huge parks, tree-lined avenues, and quaint cobbled streets in which – if you squint your eyes – you can imagine yourself as Doctor Who’s side-kick returned to the 1800s. Also, it’s cheaper than the gym to sculpt your leg muscles. You could even walk to one of our free museums and really enjoy the fruits of this city.

“It can give you valuable thinking time to put life's challenges into perspective, or it can be a great social way to exercise by going with a friend or joining a local group,” adds Godsell.

Also, if you walk fast enough, I’m sure it probably warms you up, too.

CATCH UP WITH A FRIEND A natter a day keeps unhappiness away. That’s right: apparently nothing beats a coffee break with your best pal. In Oxford, we’re lucky enough to have plenty of coffee shops – from the well-known favourites to independent ‘Central Perk’ type places. It’s been shown that regularly ‘checking-in’ with good friends over a nice cuppa, or a small lunch, is more beneficial than large reward days – like a massive shop, or an expensive, biannual spa week-end.

Interaction with friends is especially important as we get older. Research by the University of Greenwich in 2010 found that having strong a social network was crucial to pensioners’ life satisfaction. Being slightly younger than a pensioner, I still find that friends help me keep everything in perspective, which – in tourist-filled Oxford, alongside an increasingly hectic lifestyle – is a massive plus point for maintaining happiness.

WRITE A LETTER I know, I know: we have Facebook, and Twitter, and email, and text messaging... why do we need to get out our paper and pen? However, I love sending handwritten letters, or a little card here and there. Especially to old family friends who can’t resist a ‘dreaming spires scene’ postcard or two.

“Hand-writing letters is done so rarely these days that when people do it, it feels quite momentous,” says John O’Connell, author of For The Love Of Letters: The Joy Of Slow Communication (Short Books, £12.99).

We live in a city that sells ink, quills and wax sealing stamps in more than one stationary shop. Which means you get to feel like a student at Hogwarts sending letters via a faithful (Royal-Mail-wearing) owl. You can even sit on Christ Church meadow as you seal the envelope if it helps with the illusion.

In addition, sitting down to write enables you to focus your thoughts and reflect on what's going on in your world – and imagining the surprise on the recipient’s face (when the owl turns up) will make you happier, too. £A letter comes from the heart,” says O'Connell. £You feel as though you’re getting a unique part of that person’s soul, it’s a very rich experience for both the writer and the recipient.”

WEAR BRIGHT CLOTHES No, I don’t mean going into the nearest Oxford shop, and empyting them of every ‘Oxford Uni’ emblazoned sweater they stock. Wearing bright clothes - any bright clothes or accessories – has been shown to lift your mood, and the mood of those around you.

It’s been proven that our emotions respond to brightness and colour, and this is something fashion stylists have been using to their advantage for years. So for an instant mood-booster, throw on some colour.

Play it safe with a bright scarf or earrings, or wear as much as you want - nothing says ’I’m happy, gleeful, and don’t give a damn what you think of me’, like a purple and orange polka dot ensemble. For example.

BROWSE OLD PHOTOS No, not the really bad ones, and not the ones of lost loves, that you keep in a shoe box under the bed (or hidden in your Locked album on Facebook). If you’re feeling down, dust off some old photos of people you truly love, having a fabulous time with you, and give yourself a happy boost of nostalgia.

“Reminiscing is a wonderful way to enhance your feelings of wellbeing,” says Dr Susan Krauss Whitbourne, a psychology professor at the University of Massachusetts who writes a blog about fulfilment during life's later years (www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ fulfilment-any-age).

“Going back through old albums and memorabilia can reconnect you with the good times you shared with family or get-togethers with your friends. Even small details that you’ve forgotten can bring back some of those past feelings.” So look back at old pictures, see how much thinner than you thought you actually were as a teenager, and take heart that your self-perception has always been vastly wide of the mark – so you no doubt look much better than you give yourself credit for.

REACH FOR THE TROWEL No, this isn’t a reference to your make-up application – this is a call to (gardening) arms. Recently, the courgettes in my garden patch grew so large I didn’t quite know what to do with them. Stranger than this: gardening is something I thought people like my mum did – I have always equated gardening with older people, declaring it beneath me. Nowadays though, I see it for what it is: a great stress reliever, a relaxing hobby, and every now and again, something that assists in my sun tan. Caring for someone else has often been shown to enhance our feelings of worth, and contentment, and I’d guess that tending to plants has a similar effect.

Earlier this year, a survey by Gardeners’ World magazine revealed that 90 per cent of gardeners believe their hobby boosts their mood. People who regularly gardened were less likely to report feeling unhappy or depressed, too.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m certainly no expert. Much more of the casual waterer than the faithful attendant, but nevertheless, nothing beats seeing the fruits of your labour or bringing in an oversized courgette for your supper.

DO A GOOD DEED This one seems like a trick: do something nice for somebody else, and you actually benefit too.

“Caring about others is fundamental to our happiness,” says Dr Mark Williamson, director of the Action for Happiness movement, which promotes happiness through all sorts of ways, including bringing people together and encouraging everyone to be more giving (www.actionforhappiness.org).

“Helping others is not only good for them and a great thing to do generally, it makes us happier and healthier. Opportunities to show kindness are everywhere and when we take them we find life to be so much more meaningful and rewarding.”

Fear not, your act of kindness doesn’t have to be a grand declaration of selflessness. It could be simply offering to pick up a neighbour's groceries when they’re poorly, or phoning a relative to let them know that you care. It’s the small things that make all the difference – to those around us, and to our own happiness.

PICK UP A BOOK Oxford is a little bit famous for its authors and books, so there’s no excuse for not reading great books that may stay with you for years. Even better, Debbie Hicks, the Reading Agency charity’s director of research believes that “Reading has some really powerful benefits, and health and wellbeing is one of these,” she says. “You can escape with a book. It takes you away from your surroundings, off into another world. It's almost like going on holiday.”

Borrowing books from Oxford Central Library is free, or you could spend a lovely afternoon wandering around our huge number of second-hand bookstores and see what grabs your fancy.

For inspiration, The Reading Agency's Reading Well Mood-Boosting Books scheme suggests a host of uplifting novels, non-fiction and poetry books (www.readingagency.org.uk/adults/tips/reading-well-mood-boosting-books-list.html).

GET BAKING Due to the sheer joy it brings me, I’m becoming something of a baker. I can’t cook for toffee (and I certainly can’t cook toffee), but I can certainly rustle up a tangy lemon drizzle traybake, or a chocolate fudge treat. Shows such as The Great British Bake Off have shown people what fun (and sometimes, terror) can be blended together in a mixing bowl. And nothing bits the simple fun of making a real gooey mess. Of course, eating the result can be a real boost, too. Just refer to point (2) if you end up licking a bit too much from the mixing spoon...and the mixing bowl...and the cake tin.