After nearly a month of not blogging; I. Am. Back!
After the highs of the holidays, January hit me with a bit of a low.
My pesky sinus infection has been lingering like the smell of Christmas Day sprouts, going back to work felt heavy like a bad day at the sales and life just felt a bit like I was on a crazy train with no station in sight!
I tell you this, not for your sympathy nor to get it off my chest – but to let you know it happens.
It happened to me.
And it’s okay.
Sometimes we need to retract from daily life, retreat to the comfort of our safe places and bunker in.
When you feel physically unwell you rest, you stay in bed, you eat what little you can making sure you drink plenty of fluids and change your routine to suit your energy levels.
So why not treat your emotional health in the same way?
Here are 5 tips to help you feel a million times better, when you’re feeling a little blue.
⭐ Recharge – I cannot rank this high enough. Go to bed early, play with your kids or pets, meditate, read, colour, stare out of the window, have a dance party in your kitchen, take long baths, go for a walk. Do something for yourself simply for pleasure. How you ‘rest’ and recharge will be different to everyone else. Alter the pace you are moving at, mix it up, have some fun! Your brain needs a break from the worries, never ending lists and million and one things you simply have to do today.
⭐ Water – again, top priority. We all know we need to drink more water so I’m not going to bang on about it, however in a nutshell if you want to improve your energy levels, skin, digestion and simply have your body working at it’s absolute optimum level – drink more water!
⭐ Notice – start reflecting on what areas of your life affect your mood and how. Start to notice when you feel good about yourself and your day. Who supports you and is great to be around? Who are energy vampires and bring you down? What areas of your home need a little love because they stress you out? What activities seem a chore and which ones bring a little magic into your day? What do you absolutely need in your day and what do you look forward to?
⭐ Change – choose one thing right now that you can change to improve your mood. Just one. It might be that you set your alarm 15 minutes earlier so you can drink your first coffee in peace. You might decide to tidy that kitchen drawer that stresses you out every time you venture there. How about buying coordinating stationary to help you feel inspired when taking notes at work? You might decide you need some new cushions for your favourite chair to entice you to sit and read. What if you were to explore changing your style and spend hours creating inspirational boards on Pinterest? Don’t look at the bigger picture as it may feel too overwhelming, this is about making one small change that will bring joy into your day.
⭐ Do all this with love – it’s not about being hard on yourself because you’re having a bad day. Nor is it about comparing your life to someone else’s. This is about improving your life, your way. A happy life can be created by a series of small moments that make you smile, no matter what your circumstances.
When I teach children strategies to manage their emotions, I tell to them that there are a million ways to enhance your day – but only you know which ones will work for you.
I hope this list is helpful if you’re feeling a little low, have lost your spark or are in need of a little love.
The thing is you’re not alone – we all feel like this from time to time, but there are things you can do to make yourself feel a little better. We just need to start.
What things improve your mood when you’re not feeling at your best? Let me know below.
Warm hugs and calm thoughts
💋 xoxo
The Shimmer Within Her 