Hello friend!
I am so glad you’re joining me today. Can we just break the ice right out of the gate? These days, things are WIERD. I’m not sure what day we are on of “social distancing” / “quarantine” / “self-isolation”… but what I do know is, nothing feels normal.
Most days I wake up and forget the reality of how this pandemic has disrupted our daily rhythms. Everything, from the most simple act of going to my favorite local coffee shop in the morning, to getting dinner with friends, and even going to church on Sunday morning… it’s all different.
Honestly, I forget what day of the week it is more times than I would like to admit, and more often than not I feel in some sort of a “funk” at least once a day. But you know what? I would bet money that I’m not the only one… especially if you’ve made it here with me today, and I don’t mean that in a bad way at all.
I find comfort in the fact that I am not alone, and you should too…but that isn’t enough for me right now. I truly believe that this is a time not only to care for one another from a distance, but be proactive in supporting each other. The best way I know to do that is by sharing practical tools you can add to your “tool belt” right away, to use as little or as much as necessary, no expiration date included.
Sound alright with you? Let’s jump in!
5 Immediate Mood Boosters
+ bonus challenge
- Re-read a message that made you smile. Or maybe it’s a voicemail you have saved on your phone. Either way, remind yourself that you can carry happiness with you even when it feels like nothing in your immediate reality seems like it.
- Do something for someone else. Kindness is not only contagious, it’s heart warming. Maybe you send your neighbor some cookies anonymously, or do something extra at work to make someone else’s day easier. Even the smallest acts can have the big impact.
- Set a timer for 10 minutes and do one small task on your to-do list. One small burst of productivity can change your mindset.
- Make a list of all the things you are responsible for…then applaud yourself for taking care of YOU. Treat this as a reminder for how valuable you are.
- Put on your favorite dress and lipstick, just because! Remember the days when you used to play dress up? That girl is still inside you! Adults can play too. Give yourself permission to have some fun and feel fabulous…. yes, I said fabulous.
Bonus Challenge: Get dressed every day. Yes, even when you won’t leave the house. Start with 7 days… then see how different you feel!
Why? I’m glad you asked! The simple act of getting dressed every day may result in the following symptoms including (but not limited to);
A change in mindset. There’s just something about changing from the clothes you slept in that wakes up your mind. You’re suddenly ready for whatever the day throws at you.
Feeling good. When you put on “real” clothes, even if it’s just leggings and a t-shirt, guaranteed you will feel more put together and just overall more positive all day long.
Improved self-care. The fact is, when you get dressed you’re taking care of yourself, and that’s important.
P.S. – If you want to treat yourself a little, here is something that will do just the trick: Ivy & Leo is offering you 15% off your entire order when you use the code “meg15“.
Re-Framing Self Talk
I’m going to throw this out there, a lot of us are either alone, or “in our heads” lately. With less distractions, there is more room for thoughts to enter our conscious mind. This can be helpful, but if you’re anything like me, I KNOW I can be my own worst enemy. Our brains mean well, we talk to ourselves in a way that protects us from getting hurt. Sometimes this comes in the form of guilt, obligations, justifications, “what-if” scenarios, the list goes on. It’s time to pay attention to the way you talk to yourself, take the control back, and re-frame self-deprecating thoughts into positive statements.
Instead of…
“I have to…” I CHOOSE to.
“I should go to the gym/ eat healthy/ stop being lazy…” I WANT to feel better.
“I can’t do this…” I’m going to take this one step at a time.
“I must get everything done to feel accomplished.” I have accomplished what I can today, it’s okay to leave a few things for tomorrow.
“People won’t like me if I...” I can’t control what other people think, and I choose not to spend my time and energy worrying about them.
“I’m going to mess up.” I won’t assume the worst before trying. Plus, what if I succeed?
“If I make a mistake I will no longer be worthy or valuable.” Making a mistake makes me human, my worth is not measured by my mistakes.
“People will criticize my opinion… so I just won’t say anything.” I am allowed to have my own opinions and I won’t jump to a conclusion.
Emotional Audit
+ extra credit exercise
Feelings are coming up left and right these days…just me? I bet I’m not the only one. Okay, so what are all these emotions really trying to tell you? Let’s take a brief overview…
Insecurity – I’m human.
Emptiness – I need to fill my tank with something that fuels me.
Stuck – I’m forcing clarity.
Confused – I’m scared to choose (or afraid of what I don’t know).
Lost – I’m on the verge of a breakthrough.
I know this is a short list, but I think it helps to put our emotions in a place we can see them. By doing this, we can learn to recognize what we are feeling as it comes, practice rooting down into what we know, and using it to process how we feel.
Extra Credit: Take an inventory of all the emotions you are feeling. Write them down. Then, pretend you are talking to someone you care about. With grace, respond to that emotion with an “I am” statement.
These are just a few of the things I am doing to get myself out of the “funk” I have been feeling lately. Which, trust me, is easier said than done. I know I’m not the first person to experience these feelings, and I am certainly not the last. However, I think one of the most important things to remember through all of life’s up’s and down’s is, YOU ARE HUMAN. All of us are bound to make mistakes, have bad days, and to need someone to lean on. I am going through this with you, WE are going through this together. Let’s look out for one another. Let’s equip each other with tools to live better. Most of all, let’s be gentle with ourselves and practice patience and giving ourselves grace.
Verse of the Day:
He said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.” So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 CORINTHIANS 12:9