Wouldn't it be nice if every time we felt a bit down, we could just take the day off work and head to the beach? Or better yet, make it a week and head overseas to some island where you can let go of your bad mood and bliss out in the sun?
Sadly, that isn't an option for 99.99% of us. When we wake up in a bit of a fog or just feeling low, we have drag ourselves up and out to our daily lives - work, kids - whatever our commitments, they tend not to be things that can just wait until we are in a better mood.
So, what can we do?
Well, over time, I have come up with a bunch of small things that I can do that cost next to nothing (and in some cases are totally free!) and that can just make things seem a little brighter. Some might seem obvious, others ridiculous, but I thought I would share them anyway, just in case there is something in there that might help you out the next time you are feeling a bit crappy.
- Duh - I do some yoga! Whether it be going to a full class, doing some invigorating poses before I get dressed in the morning (and yes, occasionally in my office if the mood takes me) or taking time to do some breathing exercises and/or meditation. Yoga brings our focus back inside, away from external stressors and even away from our own thoughts. So it is particularly great to do if your mood is connected to an event, a person or your environment or if it is driven by negative thoughts that are running on repeat through your mind. By tuning back into your self through yoga, you can create some space between you and the cause of your mood - almost like a circuit-breaker - so you can start to see things more clearly and start moving forward.
- I wear bright coloured socks. Ok - so this one probably seems a bit daft. But bright, cute socks totally make me happy! It is only a recent discovery, too. For ages, I would just buy (or steal my husband's) plain, mostly black socks because I figured this made it easier to always find a pair. But so boring!!! And then for some reason, I think it was during a big sale, I decided I would buy a pack of 3 Happy Socks socks which were multicoloured and a mix of spots and stripes. Since then, I have never gone back to black socks. It isn't like you can see them when I wear them because they are normally hidden by my boots or jeans. But I know that under all of that, there is a pair of brightly coloured, spotty socks. And that just makes me ridiculously happy. I own so many different pairs now - tie-dyed, hot pink animal print, little hamster faces - the cuter and brighter the better!
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- I take a nice, long hot bath. Sometimes, even just promising myself that I will have a nice, long hot bath when I get home can get me through a crappy day. Of course, it only works if I then follow-through with my promise! And I make the most of it - candles, bath salts, play my favourite music, put on a face mask (the steam from the bath can actually help the mask sink in and be even more effective) and plenty of time to just lie there and do nothing but soak in the goodness. It is something that I like to do on a Sunday evening - I tend to have the time then to really make the most of it and it makes me feel ready for the week. I especially recommend this if you get the "Sunday evening dread" - that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realise that the weekend is almost over and that you have to face a perhaps unpleasant job for the next 5 days. (Also, maybe consider changing jobs - because Sunday evening dreads are, in my experience, a sign that something is not right at work.)
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- I listen to some old tunes and dance like I'm a teenager. When I am feeling good, doing something that makes me super happy, I don't *feel* like I am in my 30s. It is only when I am stressed out or feeling bummed that I feel my age - or sometimes even older. So I tap into those carefree younger days by putting on something old school, sing along really loud and dance, dance, dance! (Or, if I am listening to grunge, I kind of mosh about the house and maybe even air guitar a bit.) But, while this is heaps of fun and a great stress-reliever, if you are going to do this, it is VERY important to make sure you are on your own and no-one is likely to walk in on you. Because it could be hard to explain.
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- I hang out with my cats. Sometimes I just need a bit of time out away from other people so I can recharge. But I never feel the need to spend less time with my cats. Because cats are great. They just want food, sleep and cuddles. And so long as you don't forget the food, they will give you all the love you could ever ask for. Just sitting on the couch, surrounded by my furry little guys makes me ridiculously happy. (I am pretty sure it will work with dogs too - dogs will lavish you with undivided attention and unconditional love, like you are the most wonderful person in the world. Pretty hard to stay unhappy with that kind of energy around you!)
So those are a few of the things that make me ridiculously happy. And I try to do them as often as possible - but especially when I'm feeling a little less than awesome.
Would love to hear your own happy tricks - what do you to bring the smiles on?
