Chin Up, Buttercup

Sep 21

Whether it's because of the rain, you're about to start your period, didn't sleep enough, or whatever plethora of reasons you can come up with, sometimes we're just not feeling up to snuff (whatever snuff actually is).

On those days nothing sounds more lovely than being able to stay in bed, or pour a large glass of wine (and I mean one of those glasses that holds an entire bottle) or call a friend and just complain. But sometimes none of those are options.

Sometimes all you have is yourself and you have a choice, you can spend your day cranky and feisty or you can make the conscious and harder decision to be cheerful. And never discount that choosing to be light is much harder than choosing to be heavy.

Here are 10 ways I've come up with to help get myself out of a funk, or even just support myself when I'm there.

Wash your hair: I don't know why but taking a shower doesn't have the same effect. A good hair day can change everything whether you're a guy or a girl.
Eat the rainbow: Color just makes me happy. And generally, if I'm eating color that also means it's healthy so I'm feeding both my eyes with beauty and my body with nourishment. A little self-care goes a long way when we're feeling low.
Take a nap: Deep down we are all still toddlers at heart. And even though I refused to take naps in preschool, a 20-minute catnap can change my world.
Set a timer and write it out: Give yourself 5, 10, 20 minutes, or whatever you have, and write out every bitch, gripe, and complaint you can think of. Get it out of your head and onto paper to give yourself some mental whitespace. If your head is filled with negative thoughts it's hard to have room for anything positive to come in and help you feel better.
Listen to a happy song: I don't just mean 1 kind of happy song. I mean one that makes you smile or laugh, one you can't help but tap your feet or wiggle your hips too, especially if it's guilty pleasure song that you know you shouldn't like but do (we've all got them). Maybe even allow yourself to let go and find some self-expression by singing or dancing.
Cry: Growing up is hard. Sometimes you just need to let it out. And then move on with your day.
Make a gratitude list: Your brain can't appreciate and worry at the same time. And if you really start to think about all those things most of us have that we take for granted: a home we can relax in, food for every meal, even knowing just one person loves and cares- then we can find a reason to smile. And in this instance, even if you're still not feeling happy, faking it will actually help you make it.
Do something, anything: Wash the dishes (which I find oddly cathartic), clean up one tiny corner around you, go to the store- anything that gets you up and physically moving so that you're focusing more on your body than your head. It will also get blood, energy, and lymph circulating in your body which can be an automatic pick me up.
Forgive yourself: generally, when we're in a funk we're mentally berating ourselves even if we don't realize it. We're thinking we should be happy or should be doing something productive or should have our shit together.... the list becomes endless. But guess what? We all have bad days. Give yourself some love. You wouldn't kick a friend when she's down and you should always be your own best friend.