Hi guys! Today I wanted to share a few tips that have helped put me in a better mood during this time! I hope that these are helpful to you and feel free to comment with any other ideas 🙂 xxC
Wearing bright colors I don’t know about you guys, but anytime that I see or wear brighter colors I just feel “happier”?! It’s something small but seems to brighten my day a little bit.
Working out or doing something active I’ve been aiming to workout 4-5x a week and I really do believe it helps my headspace and helps me de-stress. Even though I haven’t been the most motivated, I remind myself that I always feel better after I workout. Your workouts don’t have to be anything fancy, even just 20 minutes of movement will do the trick! PS. I shared 5 workouts that don’t require any equipment here.
Focusing on helping & serving others. When we focus on how we can help others, we start to think less about our current situation and how much it sucks. Our time, energy, and efforts stop being so inward focused and so instead of constantly dwelling on our own circumstances, it forces us to put our energy elsewhere. Some examples could be:
-dropping groceries off at your church or someplace they are collecting supplies for those in need right now
-donating to a place that supplies masks and other PPE to healthcare workers (besillyproject.com is a great place, and you can also grab a mask for yourself!)
-writing and sending a card to a friend or family member to let them know you’re thinking about them
-getting takeout at a local spot, and leaving a generous tip
-sending a friend or family member a little “pick me up” –my sister’s bachelorette party was cancelled due to everything and we were supposed to have a Mexican theme dinner one night, so I ordered to-go food and margaritas from her favorite Mexican spot one night so she and her fiancé could still do something in lieu of her bachelorette party being cancelled.
-donate items to a local shelter or rescue mission.
Spending time outside. Sun and fresh air always make me feel better. I mean, especially after spending so much time inside, you need to get out some! Even if it’s just taking a phone call outside at the end of the driveway, or sitting on my porch for 10 minutes between work tasks.
Self-Tanning. Anyone else feel 100x better with a tan? That is all LOL.
Eating healthy. I think we can all cut ourselves some slack right now, especially given that takeout is one of the only things to look forward to LOL. But, I’ve found that maintaining some sense of my “normal” diet has definitely helped me feel better–physically and mentally. I typically try to have a “healthy” breakfast and lunch, and then if I want to snack some in the evening, get takeout, have wine, etc. I go into the evening feeling like I overall had a good balance for the day.
Limiting wine intake. I know, a travesty. I mean, y’all know how much I love my rosé! I’m still having drinks during the week but I’m limiting it to 1 glass during the week vs. the 2+ that were happening before lol. I’m honestly feeling better physically and mentally!
Starting a new hobby. Is reading considered a hobby? If not, I’m declaring it one right now haha. I think finding a new “hobby” (going to use this term loosely lol) is a great way to disconnect and distract yourself from what is going on. I’ve been reading a ton of psychological thrillers (giant list of books on this blog), and it’s been a great way to wind down, and disconnect.
Finding a home project. We all know how much our space can dictate our mood and since we’re spending a lot of time at home, now is the time to enhance your space! If you missed it, Nora (interior stylist), guest wrote a blog on how we re-designed part of our living room. Also, if budget is tight right now or you don’t necessarily have an area to re-design, there are a ton of other things you can do to make a difference in how you feel in your space. Maybe you get a new print for a space that has been empty, you get fresh flowers or plants for the house, or a new cozy throw blanket for the couch.
Writing down what you’re grateful for. This is something I’ve done prior to quarantine but feel like acknowledging what you’re grateful for is more important now than ever. Yes, we’re all allowed to feel frustrated with the current situation even if things “could be worse.” At the same time though, I am a true believer that if you only focus on the negative then that is all you’ll ever see. Focus on what you do have, and let that be what floods your thoughts.
Planning the future. Okay, so this can be planning something fun for the weekend (date night, movie marathon, takeout, etc). but it’s also about focusing on what the future can look like. I know a lot of y’all have had to cancel things (my sister and my best friend both had to cancel/reschedule their weddings) which truly does suck. And I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to be in their/your shoes if you’ve had to do that. However, I have always felt that there is something beautiful in the unknown because there is unlimited potential on what it can bring. This goes for anything. My friend, Cassie, summed it up perfectly in her IG post here.
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