In other words, it makes a blah day a whole lot worse.<\/p>\n
We also completely gloss over our feelings. We either try to push through without acknowledging our emotions, or we minimize them, telling ourselves: \u201cWell, other people have it worse so let me stop complaining,\u201d said Jefferson, also a writer, speaker and founder of the Self-Care Suite<\/a>, a multicultural and intergenerational community dedicated to easy living through the\u00a0lens of self-care.<\/p>\n And, sometimes, the opposite is true: We wallow in the frustration. We hyper-focus on why we\u2019re feeling this way, and what\u2019s not going right. And we quickly spiral downward, staying in this emotional space for too long, according to Denise Sumbry, Chief Energy Officer and Reiki master of Positive Life Haven<\/a>.<\/p>\n Thankfully, it doesn\u2019t take much to turn a tough day around. Even tiny tweaks can have terrific results. Here are nine tweaks to try.<\/p>\n Keep a list of mood-lifting activities.<\/strong> Jefferson stressed the importance of acknowledging that you\u2019re having a blah day and asking yourself what would help you to feel better. She keeps a list of 20 mood-lifting activities in her phone. This way when she\u2019s not feeling great, she scrolls through to see what she needs in the moment. Her list includes everything from watching an episode of \u201cScrubs\u201d to cooking her favorite meal. Sharing also shrinks shame, which is vital because shame flourishes in secrecy, Gunnell said. \u201cWhen we share our struggle, it automatically feels smaller and more manageable.\u201d<\/p>\n Create super specific playlists.<\/strong> \u201cMusic always helps me get my mind right, which is why I have playlists for several different\u2014and oddly specific\u2014moods I\u2019d like to feel,\u201d said Jefferson.<\/p>\n For instance, she has a playlist called \u201cTake Me Back to When I Had No Bills,\u201d which includes 90s songs and 90s R&B. She has another playlist called \u201cI Need to Reset with A Dance Party,\u201d which is basically all Beyonc\u00e9. A third playlist called \u201cFeeling Like I Need Some Spiritual Guidance\u201d features late 90s and early \u201900s gospel. A fourth playlist is called \u201cI Procrastinated and Need to Focus,\u201d and has a lot of Amel Larrieux.<\/p>\n Jefferson noted that our favorite music can transport us to a time when we felt light. What kind of music does this for you? What unique-to-you playlists can you create? Because you can use music to meet your specific needs. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has a powerful metaphor for this, which Gunnell writes about in this post<\/a>: Think of yourself as a bus driver. You\u2019re driving your bus and focusing on what\u2019s in front of you, such as the trees and other cars. As you begin making stops, you pick up \u201cthought\u201d passengers, and these passengers are quite noisy. They\u2019re so noisy that they hijack your attention, and you start feeling frustrated, distracted and tense.<\/p>\n Do you stop the bus, and go back to engage with the thoughts? Do you get the thoughts off your bus (even though more might come)? Or do you acknowledge the presence of the noisy thoughts and keep focusing on what\u2019s in front of you?<\/p>\n As Gunnell writes, \u201cthis week as you go about your business, try to keep driving the bus\u2014stay mindfully in the moment of what you\u2019re choosing to focus on and don\u2019t allow yourself to be too distracted or upset by anxious, fearful or distorted \u2018thought passengers\u2019 who hop on for a ride every now and then!\u201d<\/p>\n Redirect your attention toward joyful moments. <\/strong>According to Sumbry, one way of doing this is to create a photo album or Pinterest board with all your favorite, memorable photos. This might include photos of family vacations, birthdays, holidays, pets and natural surroundings. The key is that these photos \u201cbring you joy and happiness as you reflect and replay the moment back in your mind.\u201d Sumbry suggested taking an \u201caura cleansing shower,\u201d which can help you wash away \u201canything that doesn\u2019t serve you physically, emotionally or spiritually.\u201d An aura, she writes here<\/a>, is \u201cthe magnetic energy field that can be sensed, felt, or even seen around the physical body.\u201d<\/p>\n Begin by dry brushing your body in a circular motion, starting at the top of your toes, and moving to your shoulders. Express gratitude for the body part you\u2019re brushing. Next step into the shower, and tell yourself that you\u2019re cleansing the layers of your aura. Close your eyes, and visualize a waterfall. \u201cTake four deep breaths in and out, holding for 3 to 4 seconds as you inhale and exhale and envision a bright white or gold light embody your whole body and aura.\u201d<\/p>\n As the light envelopes your body, see the frustration, burdens and negativity going down the drain. Then consider three intentions you\u2019d like to embody, such as vitality and peace. As you wash each body part, mention again why you love it (e.g., \u201cI love my feet because\u2026\u201d). Finally, as you finish up, set your intention for the rest of the day or night, and give thanks.<\/p>\n Savor the sun.<\/strong> \u201cSunlight is a natural mood lifter, so finding 5 to 10 minutes to stand in the sun will perk you up,\u201d said Jefferson. Maybe you can get outside during your lunch break. Maybe you can take a walk around the block after you get home. Maybe you can eat your breakfast on the balcony, or sit and sip a cup of tea by an open window. (Jefferson drinks two cups of tea a day, \u201cfirst thing in the morning and last thing at night, and those are the two most peaceful times of my day.\u201d) Blah days happen to all of us. \u201cIt\u2019s not a matter of \u2018if\u2019 but \u2018when,\u2019\u201d Jefferson said. \u201cKnowing that, it\u2019s crucial to be a student of yourself and understand what gets you out of those funks so you can rest in that knowledge when you need to.\u201d<\/p>\n Visit Original Source<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You didn\u2019t get much sleep because your toddler was up half the night. You woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Just because. You got to work way too late, and it feels like nothing has been going right since. You had a misunderstanding with a friend that <\/p>\n Read More<\/a>
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\nReach out to kind-hearted others. <\/strong>Sharing our struggle with close loved ones helps us to feel less alone, said Gunnell. The supportive people in our lives \u201ccan validate our feelings and act as an encouraging and uplifting reminder that a blah day isn\u2019t our baseline. They can remind us of who we really are and what we\u2019re really capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\nTweak your perspective. <\/strong>When we\u2019re having negative thoughts, it\u2019s all-too easy to get wrapped up in them. It\u2019s all-too easy to let them dictate our day, and, as Sumbry mentioned already, to spark a downward spiral. Instead, the key is to shift our perspective.<\/p>\n
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\nTurn to water. <\/strong>For many of us water is grounding, calming and rejuvenating. For Jefferson, it\u2019s all these things and more. \u201cOnce I\u2019m done I usually have a better appreciation for how I\u2019m feeling,\u201d she said. In the summertime and fall she heads to the lake; year-round, she takes a bath or shower.<\/p>\n
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\nPractice a simple body scan. <\/strong>Gunnell suggested closing your eyes and scanning your body from head to toe. \u201cPause where you feel bodily tension and bring your breath to that area to loosen and soften.\u201d You also might try a guided body scan, such as this 3-minute meditation<\/a> or this 11-minute meditation<\/a>.
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\nExpand your gratitude. <\/strong>Journaling about what we\u2019re grateful for is a quick and powerful way to shift our energy, Sumbry said. She recommended finding a quiet place, closing your eyes and taking four slow, deep breaths. Then consider these questions to expand your gratitude, she said: What made me smile or laugh? What surprised me? What did I learn? Who did I help today, and why? Who helped me, and why? What special connection did I make with someone today?<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Shared by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., Contributing Blogger<\/a> January 26, 2019<\/p>\n