Singing the Blues? My Favorite Tips to Get My Happy Back…
I don't know about you guys, but I can definitely struggle with the blues sometimes, especially during the winter, but even during the rest of the year, there are occasional times that I find myself struggling to get my spirits up.
I have a few tricks I want to share that I use to keep my spirits up, and hopefully, they can help you too!
If you follow me on INSTAGRAM, you probably see me posting about my crazy-early workouts in my Insta-story. Now, I’m not saying that you need get up at 4 a.m. like the Mr. and I do to hit the gym, but getting a daily-workout in will make such a difference in your attitude + energy level throughout the day!
My Happy Light is one of my favorite things! I have one on my office desk, so I can soak up the beneficial “rays” while I work. The light itself is brighter than a normal lamp or over-head lighting and mimics natural light. Daylight helps our sleep cycles, moods, focus, and energy levels. I can tell a difference when I haven’t used my Happy Light for a while, because everything just seems a little “off.” You can find the light I have HERE, as well as several other sizes + options!
I know you’re probably thinking…’Hilary, am I a Kindergartener and you’re telling me to have a milk and snack break?’ Well, kind of…but me too, so no worries. Planning for a couple of nutritious snacks throughout the day will keep your energy up and (hopefully) help you from making bad decisions at mealtime because you’re starving. Some of my favorite snacks lately have been peppers and cucumbers with red pepper hummus, energy bites with plenty of FLAX and CHIA seeds, and LAUGHING COW light spreadable cheese. YUM!
I am a loud-and-proud introvert (Enneagram 4); I need a lot of quiet downtime to recharge and feel like myself. Depending on your personality, you may need to be a lot more intentional about reaching out to friends and family to make plans, to help get you out of the house and have that vital human interaction. This is a great time to add-in the exercise I mentioned earlier because you’re crossing a couple of things off your list at once. I’ve been mall-walking with a friend lately and it’s been great! We get a little chit chat in and we’re moving our bodies!
This tip is more for the colder months, but here’s the deal, I spent so many years working behind a desk and was always FREEZING! All I could think about was how cold I was…let alone actually being able to focus on my work. Cut to me working from home and suddenly, I’m the boss and approved the purchase of a space heater—HA! Now, I’m able to focus on work again (well, until I get sucked into my phone, but that’s another story). You can find my favorite style of space heater HERE.
