What do you do when you’re feeling down?
How do you handle your own negative thinking or low energy?
I take time to acknowledge how I’m feeling and consider the cause (so that I can do something about it if it’s within my control).
Then, here are 9 things I find effective to lift my spirits.
- Asaburo – a Japanese-style morning bath feels like such a luxury to me – it reminds me of a relaxing onsen trip
- Danshari – cleaning, tidying, and especially decluttering always give me a sense of satisfaction and an energy boost.
- Singing – I love that we can create instant karaoke in our own homes through YouTube music videos with lyrics (current favorite is Shallow by Lady Gaga!)
- Dancing – even a few minutes of waving my arms around and swinging my hips helps me to start feeling more upbeat – lol!
- Journaling – getting it out of my head and onto paper helps to slow (and often stop) the thinking and gives me a chance to look at it objectively, remembering, “Don’t believe everything you think”
- Walking – being in nature – shinrinyoku – is my favorite, but any type of movement outdoors feels good to me
- Yoga – YouTube has so many options for short, long, rejuvenating, and relaxing yoga sessions that you can do anytime, anywhere
- Napping – I used to feel guilty about napping, but I’ve realized that it’s an effective way to reenergize
- Reading and drinking tea – my happy place is the corner of the sofa with a book (or Kindle) in my hand and a cuppa by my side
Here are two things that you might be surprised are missing from this list:
Meditation – I personally find it challenging to meditate if I’m not feeling good and the negative thoughts have already started snowballing
Talking with others – While I find it valuable to talk with close friends, mentors, and coaches to get their perspectives on difficulties I’m dealing with, when I’m down in the dumps, my negative emotions are usually running too high to really listen to them
For me, it’s better to do one of the other activities and then meditate or talk with others when I’m a little calmer to start with.
So, these are my ideas. I encourage you to choose what you enjoy from the list or something else.
Do what works for you 🙂
And, by the way, you don’t have to wait until you’re feeling low to do the things that uplift you.
What if they were a regular part of your daily life?
How could that impact you and those around you?