No one can predict how a day is going to go. We could always receive some terrible news or we could come into some very good fortune. We could wake up in a foul mood with a cold on our period. Or it could be Christmas morning with 25 presents waiting under the tree and gingerbread pancakes for breakfast. Lately, the days (for me) have been hard to get through. My mental health has taken a toll and I’ve been going through a lot. But here are six things that increase the odds I’m going to get through the day all right- without extra medication.
1) Getting out of the house. When I feel bad, the last thing I want to do is put on pants and sneakers. But getting out of the house (whether for a walk which is scientifically proven to boost happiness and creativity) or going on errands with my dad (he lets me listen to my stations in the car) or best of all, going out with my boyfriend or friends, has always given me a lift, even when I return back home. So if seven o’clock is approaching and you haven’t left your room grab your phone (more likely it’s already in your hand) and text someone saying “Dinner?” It helps to have preplans for certain nights of the week. For example, Tuesday night is trivia. Even during a national pandemic (should it ever occur again) a quick walk around the block will leave you feeling better than before.
2) Putting on a bra. Guys, you can skip this one. But just like taking a bra off at the end of a long day feels good, so does putting on a bra to get you ready for the day. It tells your body you mean business, that you are here to get things done, and that you’re not about to waste the day sitting in a braless lump feeling sorry for yourself. Put on your bra and stand up straight.
3) Take a shower/ bubble bath. Either way, get yourself clean. I take a shower when I first wake up or if I’m about to go out or if I sweat. I have been known to take multiple showers in a day. Each shower is like a reset button. In fact, if your day is going badly you could treat it as such. Mentally, it helps you think more clearly. I take a bubble bath at the end of the day when I want to destress and let the pressures of the day ooze out of me. I can literally feel tension ebbing out of my muscles. Very relaxing. I highly recommend Epsom salts or aromatherapy by Bath and Body Works so you get the benefit of the smell as well.
4) Getting sunlight. Vitamin D is so important and no that is not a cliché. On sunny days, I will ditch my schedule (yes, I am advocating shirking your responsibilities) to go “work” outside (of course all I do is read and write). Another way walks are great. You get Vitamin D and you get some physical activity. You can even get Vitamin D when it’s cloudy outside (and UV rays so just remember to put sunblock on no matter what the weather looks like).
5) Getting up early. This is a new development for me since all my medication practically puts me in a coma. Oddly enough in the hospital, I always did get up at the crack of six (it’s very hard to actually sleep in a hospital). Now I’m just getting in the habit of getting up at 9/9:30. I read somewhere not to check your email when you wake up but to do the hardest task first so I edit a chapter of my memoir before I’ve even had my coffee. Or I do three pages of writing (morning pages as defined by Julia Cameron in the classic The Artist’s Way). You may prefer to slide into your day with a little light reading but one thing is proven…staying off social media is important for the first twenty minutes to half an hour for creativity and productivity purposes.
6) Having a good breakfast. So many choose to skip breakfast entirely. Poor saps. Not only is it bad for your diet and your weight (it won’t help you lose weight), but it is also bad for your energy. I try to have protein in my breakfast. Two eggs, toast, and a banana. And a pickle because I’m weird. Then, I’ll have my coffee. Trying to scrape by on coffee alone is inadvisable and will only make you weak and cranky.
Find these helpful? I’ll probably discover more. In the meantime, I hope you can utilize them to put together a fantabulous day.
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