DR. WALLACE: Lately, I've been having the blahs. I'm not deeply depressed, but I have been finding myself in the dumps lately and I don't know how to think positive things. I guess all this started a month ago when my boyfriend (for a year) and I ended our relationship, mutually. I'm glad we are not together anymore, but somehow I don't feel good about the split.

I'm 17, enjoy school, get good grades, and I teach Sunday school to younger children. I'm anti-drugs and alcohol, and I've got a wonderful family, but I've still got the blahs. I don't know what's wrong with me, so any help that you can provide me will be appreciated. — Nameless, Orlando, Fla.

NAMELESS: Let me give you my definition of the "blahs": You feel you should have stayed in bed; you feel dreary and lonely; you wish you could snap out of it and be your happy smiling self, but you don't know what to do because you see no way out.

Give the following ten TEEN Magazine tips a try. You have nothing to lose but the "blahs."

1. LIST YOUR GOOD POINTS. Start out by making a list of all your best qualities. Think only of your positive traits and special talents. Also include any accomplishments you've made that make you feel proud.

2. WORK WONDERS FOR YOUR MOOD BY WORKING OUT! Ever hear of "runner's high"? It's the euphoric feeling runners experience after pushing themselves to the limit. This feeling of intense well-being is brought on by opiate-like hormones called beta-endorphins that your body produces. Any form of exercise that works your heart and lungs will release beta-endorphins.

3. TALK THINGS OUT. Sometimes, the best way to deal with a bad mood is to have a heart-to-heart talk with a trusted, understanding friend.

4. GRIN 'N' BEAR IT! Feel like frowning? Force yourself to smile into a mirror instead. Studies show that facial expressions can create moods!

5. REMINISCE ABOUT HAPPY TIMES. When you're feeling depressed, it's important to remind yourself that your bad mood isn't permanent. Life is like a book, full of happy and sad chapters. If you're in a sad one, get out your photo album of favorite times in the past and relive them!

6. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PALS. Recharge your batteries by forcing yourself to get out and socialize with high-spirited friends! Good moods are contagious!

7. GET OUT OF YOUR RUT. Sometimes, a bummed-out mood is just a sign of sheer boredom. Get involved in a new hobby or project! Whether it's playing the guitar or photography, you'll enjoy the challenge of trying something new, and you'll meet new people while you're at it!

8. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE. Thinking happy thoughts nips the blues in the bud. Pepper your thoughts with as much positive pep talk as you can muster, such as "Today will be a good day for me," or "Next time, things will work out better."

9. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. When you focus on all the things you have going for you, you may feel lucky — not to mention happy!

10. HELP SOMEONE ELSE. Turn the spotlight off yourself. Forget your own troubles. Instead, focus on helping someone else. Your spirits will lift when you do something nice for others.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.