21 Little Ways to Lift Your Spirit During Turbulent Times

Overcome powerlessness, frustration, and despair with one of these constructive, inspiring, mood-boosting activities.

Positivity might feel like a tall order right now, and that’s okay.

But life is still beautiful. The sun is going to keep on rising. And we all need you to shine your light.

When a spiritual person awakens to their joy and empowerment, it’s not just personal—it’s transformative. Your heart light, when switched on, can shift the energy of a room, a family, or even a community.

Of course, it’s important to honor your feelings. No spiritual bypassing here. Feel what you need to feel.

But when you’re ready, try focusing on just a tiny glimmer—one small, positive, accessible thing. One step at a time, you can begin to rise above the spiral of doom.

This list is here to help you start.

The next time you catch yourself doomscrolling or stuck in a quagmire, come back to this list. Choose just one idea that feels easy, doable, or even fun—and give it a try.

(This post contains Amazon affiliate links.)

1. Clear Clutter from One Limited Space

This is one of my favorite ways to improve my outlook and mood. It works EVERY TIME.

First, choose one space, like your medicine cabinet, your closet, or your fridge.

Then pull everything out.

Sweep, dust, or wipe out the debris.

Then only put stuff back in if you want to keep it. Otherwise, throw it out, recycle it, or pack it away to donate.

Now that you’ve got some momentum going, feel free to repeat as many times as you’d like.

2. Clear the Energy in Your Home

Here’s another sure way to change your vibe for the better.

Clear the space in your home. Get that stuck energy out and replace it with freshness and flow.

You can do this by burning incense or a bundle of sage, ringing a bell or a chime, clapping loudly in the corners and the perimeter of the space, or misting the space with rose water or an herbal mist. (Just be careful if you have pets, and make sure to carry a dish or a plate to catch any burning embers.)

3. Do a Spell for Planetary Healing or Social Justice

Instead of sitting around feeling frustrated, calm and inspire yourself by working magic to help bring about positive change.

There are many such spells on this very blog. For example:

Here are some spells for promoting racial justice.

Here are simple instructions for lighting a candle for peace.

Here are 3 spells for sending love and healing to the world.

4. Donate or Volunteer

If you can afford it, it can be encouraging to donate even a little money to a cause you care about. For example, here’s an article with a number of vetted organizations that provide disaster relief for the LA fires.

And, I have personally found great joy in volunteering. Look around until you find a volunteer position in your community that’s just right for you. Something enjoyable, that suits your talents, will be the most sustainable over time.

5. Cook or Bake Something

You’ve gotta eat, and making something delicious will not only please your tastebuds and nourish your body, it will also provide a creative outlet and a sense of accomplishment.

If your appetite is affected by world events and the political state of affairs, try to think of at least one thing that sounds good. Then make that. (Baked oatmeal has been a comforting go-to of mine lately.)

Or, make some cookies or muffins to share with neighbors, family, or friends.

And maybe add a little kitchen witchery in there too.

6. Schedule a Coffee or Lunch Date with a Friend

Trust me: just seeing your friend’s name in your calendar will cheer you up.

We all need moments of connection

So text your friend and get something in the books.

7. Garden

Gardening is always way more satisfying than you expect.

The only hard part is getting started.

Once put on those gardening gloves, you’re good to go – so start there. Then go out and take care of your own personal patch of nature.

(I know it’s still snowy in many parts of the world, but where I live it’s just about time to prune the roses.)

8. Paint Your Closet (or Something Else)

A little while back, I had a day where I was so heartbroken and confused, I didn’t know what to do.

Somehow, I got the idea that instead of sitting around feeling awful, I could paint my closet.

It really took my mind off of things, and in the end, I had a bright pink closet, which is the best kind of closet to have.

If you don’t have a closet to paint, you might paint a door, or a laundry room, or a wall in your garage.

Here’s a post about magical colors to paint your door.

9. Practice an Instrument

Maybe you have a guitar lying around, or a mandolin, or a drum.

But even if you don’t, chances are good you can afford a harmonica.

YouTube makes learning a new instrument so accessible.

Don’t rush, and don’t feel any pressure to excel. Just get started and see how it goes.

10. Practice a Language

We all have that language want to learn.

So download a language app, or listen to a podcast (like Coffee Break).

Instead of wasting your mind power on stuff you can’t control, how about using it to finally move toward that goal?

11. Dance to One Song

Even if you only have five minutes, dancing to one song will never fail to change your mood and energy for the better.

It doesn’t have to be a happy song! If you’re sad, pick a sad song. If you’re wistful and achy, pick a wistful and achy song.

And if you’re furious, which would make sense, obviously dance to dance to something by Rage Against the Machine..

Even if you feel like you’re sort of forcing it at first, if you stick with it, you’ll be amazed at how much better you will feel, and how much more tuned into yourself you will be.

12. Light a Candle and Meditate or Pray

When you light a candle and take a few breaths to relax and commune with Spirit, it’s never a waste of time.

You’ll always, always feel better, calmer, and more inspired.

Use an app or meditate without one. Use prayer beads, chant, or just sit there and breathe.

Here’s a free 10-minute chakra clearing meditation I recorded many years ago.

Here’s a Pagan Rosary I wrote, and a template for how you can make your own prayer beads.

13. Make a Charm Bag

Making a charm bag is an easy, crafty little way to work herb and crystal magic.

If you’re not sure where to start, this blog has again got you covered. For example,

Here’s where you can find a charm bag for love.

Here are some money drawing charm bags.

And here are some charm bags for healing.

14. Join a Band or Play Music Casually with Friends

When you’re very old, it’s likely you’ll cherish every memory of playing music with friends.

15. Start a Book Club

I love my book club. We talk about books but we also talk about our lives and eat chocolate and drink tea.

Book club never fails to boost my outlook and mood.

Right now we’re reading Untamed by Glennon Doyle.

If you can find the right folks to join you, 10 out of 10 recommend.

16. Have a Spa Day at Home

If you have a day or good chunk of a day, great! Pull out all the spa day treats – take a bath, do your nails, condition your hair, steam your face, etc, perhaps while reading Witches on the Hill or binge watching Yellowjackets.

…But if you’ve only got 15 minutes, even just one sheet mask is a lovely way to take care of yourself.

17. Write a Poem

Obviously, writing a good poem is probably not in the cards. No, you definitely shouldn’t expect to write a good poem. Very few people have ever done such a thing.

Just write A poem.

Don’t worry about whether it’s good or not. (Or at least worry about that later.)

Have fun with it and express what you want to express. Use words you like. Rhyme it or don’t. The important thing is that you bring clarity to your heart and mind, and get carried away in the process.

18. Paint a Picture

Same same as with the poem – you don’t need to paint the BEST picture, or even a good picture.

But if it sounds fun to put some acrylic on canvas, or some watercolor on paper, hey! Do it! Play with color, light, symbol, and shape. Let the process be the point.

19. Sew or Craft

If you love sewing or crafting, and you’re in the mood, definitely do that instead of worrying or spending precious attention on things you can’t possibly affect.

If you just keep creating awesome stuff, and it piles up, idea: sell it at a craft fair or on Etsy for a good cause or to help pay your bills (or both). Win, win.

20. Go for a Walk

Like gardening, walking is always way more gratifying than it seems like it will be.

Also like gardening, the hardest part is getting started, but once you have your shoes and your coat on, the rest is usually pretty easy.

So instead of convincing yourself to walk, just convince yourself to put on your shoes. Then your coat. Then…hey, why not go for a walk?

(To make the most of it, leave your phone at home or at least turn it off for the duration of the walk.)

21. Start a Longterm Project

Every big project is made up of a bunch of little steps.

What if you take one step toward something ambitious today, like writing a novel or sewing a quilt? Then, what if you plan to write a little bit each day or sew some patches together on the weekends?

For one thing, you’ll definitely be ready the next time you need a way to channel your energy and boost your mood.

You could also start something slightly less ambitious, but still ongoing (and fun), like following all the daily and weekly instructions in The Artist’s Way, coloring all the pages in a Coloring Book of Shadows, or embarking on a weeks-long workout challenge at fitnessblender.com. 

Well, what do you think? What’s it going to be today? One of these ideas, or something else entirely? We’d all like to know! Please share your thoughts and plans in the comments below.