Article by Jayasmita Ray
Life has its ups and downs. You can either work on the situation or your reaction. However, changing your reaction isn’t just about snapping out of the bleak mood that slowly engulfs you over a series of mismatches. Its about working on your overall style of “feeling good”. That may sound pretty hard but these tips will help you to cultivate the ability to feel good most of the day, irrespective of how good or bad it gets. So read on as follows:
10. Turn up the volume
Blast on some inspirational music first thing in the morning. Keep your iPod or phone nearby with the earphones. In case you are feeling lethargic and low on motivation, this is the perfect way to start off on a good note. Snap right out of bed and even sit there for a while. Keep listening and focus on the inspirational lines. Often many movies have certain music associated with certain scene which are very positive or full of life and thus induce very good images in the mind as well. Consider doing this before you get out of bed and go to brush your teeth. Your energy levels will instantly get a boost. A perfect song for the ladies would be “I am woman” by Helen Reddy to remind us why we need to go on with whatever matters to us.
9. Mirror thy talk
Mirror talk is very important for mood management. While brushing your teeth, make a conscious attempt to look straight into your reflection’s eyes and mentally affirm some positive ideas like you have inner strength and can conquer this day, come what may. It’s a good way to get fired up for what you are about to do basically. Repeat this practice even when you get dressed and speak out loud to yourself if possible. Say it out loud if you can with all the confidence you can muster. Pass yourself a compliment or two. It’s a good way to start feeling more comfortable with you.
8. Remember your blessings
Stretch out a lot and take in deep breaths. Spend 5 minutes remembering why you are grateful for what you have and the people who believe in you. Remind yourself that the situation can get a lot worse any day. There are millions of crippled and homeless people. Be glad that at least you have the power to walk and have a roof over your head. The night before you sleep, keep a small list ready of the things you are grateful for and of the things that need to be done. These are important for giving you a much needed sense of purpose about the day ahead.
7. The bath ritual
Go some spot-jogging or brisk walking is enough to get the blood rushing and your mood spiking up a bit, for a quick shower after some good and vigorous exercise. While in the bath, use a citrus based shower gel. It really wakes you up. Sneak in some soothing instrumental in background to make it the perfect experience. While taking that shower, make it slightly cold or lukewarm. Taking an excessively warm shower in the morning and proceeding with breakfast after that may promote sleepiness instead.
6. Power breakfast
Start your day with an awesome breakfast. Never miss this meal of the day. Starting off with oatmeal in place of cereal is better for your blood sugar levels and weight management. This is a better substitute as compared to cereal which is high in fructose and actually promotes weight gain. Artificial sweeteners may lead to hormonal imbalances if used excessively. Use them sparingly. Instead, toss in some grapes and a bit of banana. These fruits are known to increase serotonin content and thus help in your low mood. Keep the caffeine under moderation.
5. Keep a fruity paradise
If you are busy and short on time, then carry some fruit like an apple, orange or guava. Tuck in a fruit as a quick bite to ensure your energy levels don’t drop. Don’t forget to eat in the next 3-4 hours. If you incorporate these small changes over time, you will notice a change in your waistline and moods as well. However, keep the consumption of canned fruit juice in moderation and check the sodium levels of the tinned milk and juices you decide to buy. For example, pomegranate juice in packaged form usually contains 4 times the sodium level than usual fruit juices. Excess sodium consumption may lead to water retention and bloating of the stomach. This is also true for drinking most of your water intake from evening onward.
4. The notebook
Invest in a tiny notebook and keep writing down any idea or good thoughts that strike you during the day. In case you find that difficult, then keep a phone notepad application instead. Review your ideas in a more casual free time and think of ways they can be implemented. A useful tip is to keep a quick note of internship whose deadlines you missed in that year or the ones where your educational qualification wasn’t sufficient. For example, lots of fancy internships are available in post-graduation but we end up forgetting the last time we saw a page about them. By the time we stumble upon the page, the deadline has already passed. This little notebook will be very handy for people who are lazy about writing diaries.
3. The idle curse
Free time is often a period that feels like a blessing. However for some people, it may turn out to be a curse. It can often be a period of more negativity as well. The time for idle brooding is perfect then. We end up over-analyzing the situations that happened and how people reacted to us. Some analysis is good but an excessively critical approach is damaging to someone’s self-esteem. The subconscious mind often ends up playing a role in aggravating this thought process. Often, a deep mad mood spell can start even when things are actually going well. This is because our minds are sometimes inclined to search for those reasons in order to validate our feeling of doing things right and having things under control. Such subconscious perfectionism is harmful in the end. Therefore, spend your free time doing something that doesn’t involve sitting with electronic media. Go out for a walk with a friend, paint a bit or write something or better yet, play a sport. You could keep an interesting article ready which you didn’t allow yourself to read before. The possibilities of doing something useful and positive are endless. Join a club or go for volunteering activities to stay busy in a meaningful. Endeavor in learning a new language or if that sounds too boring, consider taking up dance classes. It’s always good to find your inner swan after all. If you are too busy for that, look for other ways to try something news to break the mundane routine. Often, we get more down when we are stuck in the same rut. Take a much needed weekend relaxing break or plan a special day out with friends. Or better yet, sit and have a heart-felt chat or playful session with a special someone.
2. Say no to them!
Avoid smoking and alcohol abuse to deal with basic stress issues. Emotional eating is also something that leads to unhealthy effects on your mood. Weight gain is a probable side effect of this. Smoking is particularly harmful despite the seeming short wave of calmness it propagates. It can do irreparable damage to your body. A particularly icky aspect of this practice on a regular basis is the irreparable darkening of the lips. So choose wisely and live well.
1. Back to basics
Water and sleep are two obvious things which most people miss on. Sometimes, the weather may be such that we don’t feel that thirsty at all. However, staying for too long without water will promote dehydration and tiredness. This may lead to cramps in the leg muscles as well. Overall, the effect on your mood is pretty negative. The same goes for improper sleeping. In case you have genuine sleep issues, such as you get too much or too little, try getting some exercise first and have a relaxing ritual before sleeping. If all fails, go and see your doctor. Feeling low persistently for over 3 weeks to the point that it interferes with your daily living can be a sign of a clinical problem that needs medical intervention. It may range from blood sugar problems to depression or even sleep disorders. You can never be sure until you get tested and evaluated. So don’t ever suffer in silence. Talk about how you are feeling to someone you trust.
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