I think we all have days where we just feel a bit, you know, crap.
Rather than just mope about on the sofa, unwashed, watching Netflix whilst stuffing crisps into our gobs, we can make some positive life choices and try to fix it instead!
I guess it all depends on what is making us feel this way. Sometimes we might not know, other times we probably have a rough idea; in which case you may be able to choose what you think might help from the list below.
I should probably chuck in a disclaimer here… if you’re feeling more than just a bit ugh and you’re actually ill, you should probably seek professional medical advice and not look for help from this blog!
I’m keeping this one straight to the point. Here’s some ways I think you can help yourself to feel a little bit less crap:
Get hydrated – this is always my first go-to, especially at a weekend as I can let my water intake slip. It doesn’t just have to be plain water either there’s a whole list of things including tea, coffee and juice. Dehydration can cause tiredness and headaches amongst many other things.
Make a healthy meal – the main symptoms of eating too much junk food are listed as anxiety, fatigue and low-moods. Straight away I know that for me and possibly others, that this equates to feeling crap. Make an effort to put together a decent balanced meal and see if it helps perk you up.
Go for a walk – In the words of Elle Woods “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands.” Even just a ten minute walk can improve how you’re feeling. It’s always worth a go.
Take a nap – I don’t have to be asked twice. Nothing lifts me more that this one! Now each to their own, but apparently naps shouldn’t be too long (aim for twenty to thirty minutes) and it’s possibly not the best idea to nap an hour before you’re actually going to bed. It wouldn’t stop me though!! On a more serious note, a quick Google search shows there are soooo many health benefits to taking a Nanna nap.
Talk to a friend – who needs a reason for this one anyway? But it can definitely be beneficial to vent to a close friend every now and then. Make a mate date with the kettle, even if it’s just for some idol chat.
Music is my medicine – I love this one. Choose your track choices carefully… there’s definitely some tunes out there that would probably make you feel worse! But you know our own taste, stick on a track or an album that lifts or energizes you. The power of music is actually amazing for changing a mood.
Tick off a to do list – even if it’s just one thing. The feeling of accomplishment can lift your entire mood and outlook for the rest of the day. You know like when you clean a room and keep going back to look at your hard work because you feel good about it? Just like that.
Self-Care Day – if you really must mope about on the sofa, unwashed, watching Netflix whilst stuffing crisps into your gob, then do it. We know ourselves and what we need, but you really should only do this if you know it is going to make you feel better and not worse. Some other options are a pamper day, a retail therapy day (budgeted for), a life admin day, practising mindfulness or meditation.
Cut out negative vibes – this one can be a difficult, but very effective. Think about your environment, the kind of things you are watching, the music you are listening to, what you read, even the people you spend time with. Evaluate it all. If anything or anyone is dragging you down, it could be wise to spend less time around whatever or whoever it is. Just a thought.
Be your own best friend – would you tell your bestie that they look like crap in that dress or that they’re ugly, stupid, or don’t deserve anything good? Thought not. So why say these kinds of things to yourself. Change your internal voice and talk to yourself kindly… the way you would talk to a loved one.
It’s just all about taking care of ourselves. I touched upon it in my last blog where I talked about sleep.
Life can be crap, people can be annoying, work can be hard. It’s okay for us to take a minute or so for us. It’s not selfish. When we do this we usually come back stronger; we are much more useful to everyone else after a little bit of self love (that could be suggestion eleven – ahem)!
Rid It and Reap 