The healing power of fun

One good way to improve your mood is to do something you enjoy, whether it's watching a movie, spending time with a friend, or participating in a sport or a hobby. One of the ways in which people get depressed is that they withdraw from the things they most enjoy. The key is to find things that you can do that are both fun and meaningful. For example, going to get ice cream by yourself is fun, but it's not very meaningful. And studying for a test is meaningful (because you're more likely to get a good grade), but it's not fun at all. But if you went to get ice cream with a friend that wanted to study for the same test with you, you'll have fun spending time with someone important to you and you'll study for the test together-which makes it meaningful.

To harness the healing power of a good time, you have to think about how you can tie the fun and meaningful things you enjoy to the behaviors you want to reinforce-and not to the behaviors that you want to avoid. One example is to use those pleasant times as a reward, as discussed above. You can also work to make something that you enjoy a part of your life, such as taking time each day to practice the piano. This way you can build habits that let you do something you enjoy while giving you a break from the stresses of your life and a sense of rhythm and meaning you can look forward to. Pleasant events by themselves may not seem like a lot, but when used as rewards, they can do wonders for your mood.

What if I don't have enough energy?

In a way, this rule demonstrates a central theme of BA: people respond better to positive reinforcement rather than negative reinforcement. Part of the problem of a TRAP is that you respond badly to a punishment (of sorts) from the outside world. Don't beat yourself up! Give yourself positive reinforcement! In the fight to improve your behaviors and moods, be your own ally, not your enemy. On some occasions our energy level can be tied to our physical health as much as our emotional health. If you find yourself wondering if your energy level is a problem, talk to you doctor so they can help you figure it out!