For young people
Why do I feel flat or unmotivated for no reason?
Often it's not your life that's the problem but what's running in the background: sleep, food, water and movement. Small changes to those, and knowing your own mood shifters, can change how a day feels.
A day that feels harder than it should
Up scrolling until midnight. Early alarm. No breakfast, no water. By the afternoon you're irritable for no clear reason. Nothing dramatic happened, but your body didn't have what it needed.
Find your mood shifters
Mood shifters are small actions that shift how you feel. They're different for everyone, so experiment. For Ash, the first is exercise and the second is gratitude.
Self-awareness plus ownership
Notice when you're not feeling your best. You can't always control what happens to you, but you can influence what you do next.
When it's more than a flat day
If you've felt low most days for two weeks or more, or it's getting in the way of school, work or friendships, talk to someone. That could be a GP, a school counsellor, headspace or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.
From Chapter 5, "What's Running in the Background".
Quick answers
Does sleep really affect mood that much?
Yes. Lack of sleep is one of the most common background reasons a day feels harder.
Related questions
Why people trust Start Where You Are
- Written by Ash Manuel, a former PE teacher and founder of Growing With Gratitude, which has reached more than 1 million young people across 1,205 schools in 80 countries.
- Foreword by Dr Phil Cummins of the University of Sydney and the Sydney Character Initiative.
- Shaped by conversations with young people about what they actually wanted from a book like this.
- Published by Amba Press and featured on 9News Adelaide.