Mood Reset: How Behavioral Activation and “Silly Little Hobbies” Can Gently Rewire Your Brain

Depression often traps people in a cycle of withdrawal and inactivity. You stop doing things that bring joy or purpose—not because you want to, but because even the simplest actions feel overwhelming. Over time, this lack of engagement deepens the low mood and feelings of hopelessness. Behavioral Activation (BA), a core strategy in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), offers a way out of that loop—by encouraging action first, even when motivation is missing.

What Is Behavioral Activation?

Behavioral Activation is a structured therapeutic approach designed to help people reconnect with activities that bring a sense of meaning, accomplishment, or joy. It’s built on the idea that action precedes motivation—that is, we often need to act even when we don’t feel like it, and the good feelings will follow.

In essence, Behavioral Activation encourages:

• Re-engaging with daily life through intentional actions.
• Interrupting patterns of avoidance and inactivity.
• Gradually building up routines that support emotional health.

As the saying goes, “It’s easier to act your way into a feeling than feel your way into an action.”

How Behavioral Activation Helps

When someone is struggling with depression, they often withdraw from people, responsibilities, and things they used to enjoy. This leads to fewer positive experiences and less reinforcement from the environment—essentially, life starts to feel flat or even pointless. Behavioral Activation flips the script by:

• Interrupting the avoidance cycle: Even small actions can shift momentum and disrupt disinterest.
• Creating positive experiences and structure: Scheduling enjoyable or meaningful tasks brings back a sense of stability.
• Building mastery and achievement: Completing tasks (even minor ones) creates a sense of competence.
• Regulating mood through engagement: Routine and activity help stabilize mood and reduce rumination.

Core Principles of Behavioral Activation

• Track your mood and activity: Logging your daily activities and emotional states helps you see how behavior affects how you feel—and where changes might help.
• Identify values and goals: Ask yourself- What actually matters to me? What kind of person do I want to be, even in small ways?
• Schedule meaningful activities: Choose small, doable actions that align with your values—such as calling a friend, walking outside, or doing something creative.
• Start small and build gradually: You don’t need a full to-do list. Start with one thing. Fold a towel. Water a plant. Put on socks. That’s activation.
• Address avoidance with compassion: When you notice yourself procrastinating or isolating, gently choose an alternative—even if it’s just for five minutes.

The Joyful Medicine of “Silly Little Hobbies”

Here’s the best part: the activities you choose don’t need to be serious, impressive, or “productive.” In fact, some of the most healing forms of activation are the ones that feel light, pointless, or just a little silly.

We’re talking about things like:

• Building a Lego set just because it looks fun
• Crocheting tiny hats you’ll never wear
• Baking cookies at 10 p.m. with no one to share them with
• Collecting shiny rocks or sea shells on your walk
• Drawing doodles that only make sense to you
• Writing fanfiction or making a playlist for a fictional character

These activities might seem pointless or “unproductive” from the outside, but here’s the thing: mental health thrives on play, curiosity, and self-directed joy. These kinds of hobbies can be the very antidote to the heaviness and rigidity that depression brings.

Why Silly Little Hobbies Are Perfect for Behavioral Activation

• They spark interest and pleasure: Even a flicker of “this feels kinda fun” can cut through depressive numbness.
• They offer a sense of completion: Unlike never-ending tasks, hobbies have natural endpoints that build confidence and momentum.
• They’re low pressure: You can do them badly. You can do them halfway. You can do them just because.
• They reconnect you with play and curiosity: Depression often robs us of play. Silly hobbies invite us to reclaim it.
• They don’t require perfection: No one’s grading your watercolor mushrooms or your color-coded spice rack. That’s the point.

Helpful Mindsets for Behavioral Activation

• Activation Energy: The hardest part is often starting. BA helps reduce that barrier by breaking tasks into small steps.
• “Do the Next Right Thing”: Don’t worry about the whole day—just focus on one meaningful action at a time.
• Action over Emotion: You don’t need to feel motivated to start. Doing something—even imperfectly—can generate a sense of relief or progress.

Is Behavioral Activation Right for You?

BA may be especially helpful if:

• You feel stuck or unmotivated but know you used to enjoy certain things.
• Your days feel unstructured or monotonous.
• You’ve withdrawn from relationships or responsibilities due to depression.
• You want to feel more connected to your values but aren’t sure where to start.

Final Thoughts

Behavioral Activation is not about forcing yourself into toxic productivity. It’s about choosing life in small, steady doses. It’s about trusting that even the tiniest action—especially a silly, joyful one—can slowly change the emotional weather inside you.

So, start small. Let the hobby be goofy. Let the walk be short. Let the painting be bad. Let it not matter—except for the fact that it does, because you do.

You don’t have to wait to feel better to take action. Start with action—and the feeling will follow.

‍

Katie Coon, BSN, RN
Clinic Manager & Lead Nurse – San Antonio

Katie Coon is the lead nurse and clinic manager at Transcend Health Solutions’ San Antonio location. With over five years of trauma critical care experience at a Level I trauma center, she brings deep expertise in patient safety and crisis care. After the pandemic, Katie transitioned into mental health nursing to support healing on a deeper level. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her family, traveling, and enjoying her "silly little hobbies".

References

Dimidjian, S., Barrera, M., Martell, C., Muñoz, R. F., & Lewinsohn, P. M. (2011). The origins and current status of Behavioral Activation treatments for depression. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 7, 1–38. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032210-104535

Jacobson, N. S., Martell, C. R., & Dimidjian, S. (2001). Behavioral Activation treatment for depression: Returning to contextual roots. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 8(3), 255–270. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.8.3.255

Kanter, J. W., Busch, A. M., Rusch, L. C., & Sedivy, S. K. (2008). Validation of the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) in a community sample with elevated depressive symptoms. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 30(1), 36–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-007-9085-0

Pressman, S. D., Matthews, K. A., Cohen, S., Martire, L. M., Scheier, M. F., & Baum, A. (2009). Association of enjoyable leisure activities with psychological and physical well-being. Psychosomatic Medicine, 71(7), 725–732. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181ad7978

Tkach, C., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2006). How do people pursue happiness?: Relating personality, happiness-increasing strategies, and well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 183–225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-005-4754-1

University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry. (n.d.). Behavioral Activation for Depression: A clinician guide. Retrieved April 14, 2025, from https://medicine.umich.edu/sites/default/files/content/downloads/Behavioral-Activation-for-Depression.pdf