We all have ‘them days’ where we just want to curl up in a ball and go to sleep. The days we are moody, hormonal, awkward bitches and want to punch everyone in the face.
The days when we struggle to enjoy the things we usually love to do because we feel tired and frustrated.
These days always crept up on me when everyone around me was busy and I was given the responsibility of entertaining myself.
I would get into the habit of scrolling through social media comparing my life to the perfect Instagram models with the beach blonde hair, sipping on cocktails in Caribbean sun, then wonder why I felt so shit.
I was becoming sick of the negative energy and something needed to change. I finally came to the conclusion that the reason why I was feeling so unhappy is because all of the time spent on my own was going to waste.
I would laze around, being unproductive, just waiting for someone to keep me company.
I had started to depend on others to make me happy which was causing me distress when I was on my own.
I decided to make a list of all of the things that make me happy. If I started to feel down, I would tick something off the list and would instantly feel better.
After weeks of practice, I actually started to enjoy my own company. The anxiety and frustration were slowly disappearing and I felt like a new woman!
Don’t get me wrong, on the odd occasion I can go back to my old ways being an agitated mess who is no good to anybody, but thankfully I have now learnt how to prevent the situation before it turns into a total shitstorm!
So for anyone reading who doesn’t think I’m a complete lunatic and can hopefully relate to my crazy ways, I have written my top 10 tips to transform your mood:
Mindfulness
This is soo important. I don’t think anyone realises how much it can make an impact on your life until you start to do it. All you need is ten minutes of the day to take a step back and do…nothing. Literally nothing.
Sit on your bed or somewhere comfortable for ten minutes with no phone, computer, TV or any other distraction and set an alarm on your phone for ten minutes. You need to focus on your breathing. In and out, in and out, until you are fully relaxed. Take this time to forget about all of the day’s stresses and your thoughts will slow down.
If you struggle to reach ten minutes without thinking about what you are having for tea that night, then it’s okay to start with a shorter time. You will need to train yourself to focus on your breathing without being distracted by everything going on around you.
Maybe set your alarm for 3 or 4 minutes to begin with and see how you go. Your mindset will completely change and that nagging voice in your head will slowly calm down.
Exercise / Go for a Walk
Urgh exercise really? Sometimes this is the last thing that you want to do when you’re curled up in bed feeling sorry for yourself but it can have such a huge impact on your day. It has been scientifically proven that exercise releases endorphins which trigger a positive feeling in the body and improve your general wellbeing.
Going to the gym or doing some exercise at home in the morning for about 30 to 40 minutes will set you up for the rest of the day and boost your energy levels.
The thought of exercise is always worse than actually doing it so don’t overthink it too much or you will talk yourself out of it.
When you force yourself to do something you don’t really feel up for, you will get a small sense of achievement and can give yourself a small pat on the back when it’s over.
If I still haven’t convinced you then try and make it enjoyable and go out for a nice walk. You won’t even notice the calories burning whilst you’re soaking in all of the fresh air and amazing views.
The Lake District is a perfect place to go walking and destress. There is something about the place that is so refreshing and relaxing.
This is a photo from Catbells in Keswick. I LOVE it.
Have a Clean out
I have only recently discovered this one and I am surprised on how much it works! I feel like a messy room is sometimes a reflection of a messy mind. When we feel tired and hopeless it is so easy to throw our clothes on the floor and leave them for the next few days until we feel normal again.
Messiness gives our guilty conscience a voice when we are trying to watch television with a cup of tea thinking ‘I should really move the dirty clothes that have been there for the last week’ and can cause us to feel frustrated with ourselves. We make up the excuses that ‘it can wait until later’ and ‘no one will see it’ but it only makes things worse.
If you are having ‘one of those’ days and have nothing to do other than lay in bed, it is the perfect opportunity to be productive without even leaving your bedroom!
Play some music and light a candle while you have a quick hoover, dust your bedside cabinets and change your bed sheets. Your future self will thank you for it when you have an extra cosy night sleep.
Find the draws that you almost can’t open because of all the crap inside of them and empty them all out. Bin all of the unnecessary rubbish you don’t need and you will have more space than you could imagine. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop.
Go through your wardrobe and pile up all of the clothes you haven’t worn since 2003 which you have been keeping ‘just in case’ and bag them up to take them to the charity shop. This will be your good deed for the day!
Self Care
There is no better feeling than running yourself a hot bath, grabbing your favourite book and zoning out from the rest of the world.
Scrape off all the mucky fake tan from the weekend before and moisturise until you feel like a baby’s bum.
Grab a face mask (Keep it in the fridge so it is nice a cool), jump in bed, find a chick flick on Netflix and chill the fuck out. A glass of wine is also optional.
Look Through Your Calender
Sometimes when we are feeling lonely, it is easy to forget about all the good times we have planned. Buy a calendar and write down all of the different things you have coming up. This will remind you that your life is truly amazing and you should feel lucky that you have so many plans to look forward to. It will also help you to feel super organised.
Here are some other things for you to try:
- Listen to music / podcasts.
My favourites are Shagged, Married Annoyed by Chris and Rosie Ramsey or Happy by Fearne Cotton.
- Write a new Blog.
If you do not feel confident to post your first blog to the world yet then you can even just write on a document or in a notepad.
- Cook a new recipe / bake / make a smoothie.
- Read a book
I suggest ‘‘Calm the Fuck Down’ by Sarah Knight aka THE BIBLE!
- Treat yourself to some new clothes.
Important – This is only if you can afford to. Do not add money stress into the mix. It is a whole different ball game.
Everyone is different and I do not expect this to work for everyone but everything I suggest only comes from personal experience. I know that every day can be different and sometimes curling up in a ball and hibernating is the best thing for us but it is important to make sure that it doesn’t happen all of the time.
Making the most of your days and doing things you love can only change your life for the better. No one will ever complain about feeling positive, happy and relaxed!
I want all of you lovely people reading to feel the best you possibly can and all of the above are my small steps on how to help you get there.
Love Charlie xx
charliesblogsdotcom.wordpress.com 