I'm mot usually a list writer, but I've been thinking lately about some of the things that help to improve my mood when I'm in a slump and I thought I'd share. Of course, these aren't substitutes for getting medical help or counseling if you're struggling with something serious. These are just some helpful tips/reminders to help with the blues-y kinds of feelings that we all get from time to time.
1. Drink a cup of tea. There's something soothing about the process of boiling water, selecting a tea bag, and sitting for a few moments to enjoy the comfort of a warm beverage. It also gets you up and doing something when you might be tempted to sleep or mope around. I've become a rather avid tea drinker lately, which is probably a sign of my melancholy tendendies and an attempt to curb my ice cream cravings. =) Tea just has all kinds of benefits!
2. Do some simple form of exercise like body weight squats or planks. I've been setting a timer and trying to slowly increase how long I can plank. I've been doing the same thing with chin-up hangs. I can't do an actual chin-up yet, but I do static hangs with a chin-up bar that I attach to our bathroom doorway. If I'm feeling a little blah, moving around and getting my heart rate up helps to pull me out of my funk a bit and also gives me the satisfaction of knowing that I'm taking control of my life and my health, even if it's just in a small way. Of course, if you're at work or out in public it might no be possible to do chin-up hangs and would probably be little awkward to drop down on the ground and plank, but there have been quite a few times that I've done squats in the bathroom or other unoccupied room at work. It can be done!
3. Take a walk or sit outside. Vitamin D. We need more of it. Sometimes I'll walk around outside during my lunch break or sit and read on a big rock that's outside my building. It's refreshing and helps to clear my head.
4. Do a Random (or not so random) Act of Kindness. Write a note of encouragement to someone you know could use it. Drop an anonymous gift on someone's porch (it doesn't have to be expensive--$5 Starbucks gift card, box of tea, some cookies or muffins, etc.). Give a compliment or strike up conversation with a stranger. It will get you outside of yourself and bring you joy to know you've brightened someone's day!
5. Unplug from social media and journal or read instead. You'll be less likely to spiral into further blah-ness if you're not exposing yourself to a constant stream of information and photos to potentially spark feelings of comparison and envy. Save social media for when your're in better spirits, and instead write about what's already in your mind or escape into the world of a good book (some escapism can be healthy in moderation). The creativity that can be sparked through writing or expanding your mind through reading can really be energizing and uplifting.
None of these things will necessarily banish your blues, but I think they can offer some steps in a more positive direction.
What else would you add to the list?
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