When it comes to self-love, I’ve always been an all or nothing kind of gal. I’m either on top of my routines doing the absolute most (6 a.m. wakeup, 7 a.m. hot yoga, 9 a.m. saying positive affirmations to myself in the mirror) or I’m feeling anxious and low on motivation while simultaneously avoiding human contact and responsibilities because I just can’t—there’s no in between. So if there are any sort of wellness tips I gravitate to in life, they’re the ones that are realistic, no-hassle, and attainable which proves to be especially important on those days where I’m feeling like I’m in a little bit of a slump.
In an effort to find balance and consistency between who I am when I’m super high energy and who I am on days where I’m simply not feeling it, I’ve built up quite the repertoire of go-to wellness tips that I turn to to stay loving myself, even if I’m not up to moving mountains. Tried and true, here are 10 no-hassle steps I’m taking today to feel better by tomorrow:
1. Going grocery shopping, filling my fridge full of nutritious foods
If there’s one sure way that I know I can get myself out of a funk, it’s doing a grocery run to fill my fridge with plenty of nutrient-dense foods. Time and time again, I’ve fallen into the “I’ll just get fast food delivered” pit which, while initially indulgent, nine times out of 10 leaves me feeling sluggish and super guilty about the fact that I just dropped $30 instead of making something that would make me feel better. To set myself up for a better future, I love to fill my fridge with lots of fruits, vegetables, and foods high in fiber and good fats.
And when it comes to making sure I’m showing myself love by fueling myself with nutrient-dense foods I love having fresh avocados on hand. It’s virtually the only fresh fruit with good fats and plays a dual role in helping me meet both my fruit and good fat recommendations. It helps me honor my body in a small but significant way. Fresh avocados are a staple in my grocery cart, and they provide me with a satisfying snack as well as nourishing my mind and body. They are also delicious. Click below for a FREE handout featuring delicious avocado-based snacks inspired by a Mediterranean-style of eating!
2. Listening to mood-boosting music
If I’m having an “off” day, one of my favorite tried and true ways to get back on track is to have a one-woman dance party to one of my favorite playlists. Listen—don’t knock it til you try it. I pop on my favorite playlist and start dancing and singing like nobody’s watching. And TBH, it’s super therapeutic. There’s something about scream-singing along to my favorite song that makes me want to run through a wall and definitely boosts my mood. 10/10 recommend.
3. Tidying up my workspace
When I’m feeling overwhelmed, one of the first things to go and one of the areas that I pay attention to least is the cleanliness of my apartment. I feel less happy when my environment is messy. I’m not super type A, but I’ll admit: I feel so much better when I tidy up even a small area, especially if I’m spending a decent amount of time there (cough, cough: my workspace).
If my place is a mess, I’ll set a five-minute timer to clean up as much as I can beginning with one small area at a time. I find that five minutes is enough to motivate me to continue working beyond that time. I’m definitely motivated by progress, so once I get going, I’m usually inspired enough to Keep going. And if for some reason I just can’t go on after those five minutes, it’s still five minutes of tidying that I wouldn’t have done otherwise. It’s truly a win-win situation where I’m investing a small amount of time in something that I know will make me feel better.
4. Connecting with others
When I’m not feeling the greatest, there’s one task above all that I simultaneously dread the most and know will likely cure me. That task, my friends, is calling someone I love. Working up the courage and energy to ask for help or just put myself out there isn’t always the easiest task, but I’ve never left a phone conversation with my bestie or my mom feeling worse or the same as before. Connecting with people I love, even if it’s for just a few minutes over video chat, gives me a sense of belonging, reminds me I’m not alone, and usually results in a good, unexpected laugh that boosts my mood exponentially.
5. Doing light exercise
One area that I’ve made progress by leaps and bounds over the course of the last few years is my relationship with moving my body. In accordance with how I typically tackle things (all or nothing), I used to truly believe that if I wasn’t dripping sweat, burning an upwards of 500 calories, or crushing a new fitness goal every day, it simply didn’t count. This would have a negative impact on my motivation to exercise and cause me a lot more anxiety when I was going to the gym. Especially on those low-energy days, I couldn’t muster up what it took to hit those high-intensity workouts, so—*spoiler alert*—I’d do nothing at all.
Since I’ve healed my relationship with fitness, I know just how much a lower-intensity, quick workout can do for my body and my mind. It’s gone are the days when I was a complete wreck at the gym. Don’t get me wrong: When the stars are aligned, I’ll do a high-impact workout here and there. My 15- to 30-minute walks, 12–3-30 treadmill days, and stretching have all proven to improve my mood tenfold (no anxiety or pre-movement dread).
6. Write in my journal
If there’s one therapy takeaway that I turn to above all others, it’s journaling. When I’m feeling anxious or low, one of my most tried-and-true ways to get my ruminating thoughts and feelings into the physical world are to brain-dump them onto paper through journaling. I’ve tried some more structured prompts in the past, but I’ve found that they work better for me when I’m feeling a little more inspired and high-energy. On those in-between days or if I’m in a bit of a mental slump, brain dumping has been my saving grace. My mind feels clearer after a good journaling session. New thoughts and challenges feel a lot easier to manage.
7. Do a 5-minute meditation
OK, I can’t lie. I may be the worst meditator I know. But the way I see it, that also makes me someone who has a ton of potential (my “most improved” award will be here Any minute now). I’ve found that doing guided meditations works a lot better for me and, like my brain dumping via journaling, helps me most when I have a far-too-full brain and not a lot of energy to spare.
Sometimes, I’ll meditate in the middle of my workday to clear my mind before a meeting or when I find myself getting overwhelmed by tasks (especially when every single one is labeled as high-priority). I have found that taking a step back has helped me manage my anxiety and helped me focus more and calmer. Other times, I’ll meditate at the end of my workday to help get me out of “work mode,” which has been a game changer for my end-of-day shutdown routine.
8. Move my nighttime routine by 30 minutes to get an early start to sleep
I’ve gotten a lot better at prioritizing my nighttime routine, but the reality is that even with a curated system for sleep, I don’t always get to sleep as early as I’d like. As I age, I am more aware of how sleep affects my mood, alertness, productivity, and mood the next day.
I’ve found that cutting down my evening TV binge sessions by just 30 minutes has helped me start my nighttime routine earlier and has helped me get to bed at or before my intended sleep time. I’m definitely not cutting out my TV time altogether, but three-hour-long episodes are a bit excessive. As long as I tell myself “it’ll be there for me tomorrow,” I can usually peel myself away from the screen and get a good head start on my sleep game.
9. You can switch scrolling on social media for a light reading to wind down and relax.
For years, one of my worst habits has been scrolling social media (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook—you name it) as a way to “wind down” when I’ve time and time again learned that it does the exact opposite. Between being blinded by blue light, seeing something that can make me anxious and get my adrenaline pumping, or falling down a TikTok rabbit hole until 2 a.m., I’ve learned my lesson when it comes to scrolling. I’ve started reading lighter novels before bed which has done wonders for my wind-down routine. After a few pages of focused relaxation, I’m able to let sleep catch up to me and take me into the night.
10. Setting tomorrow’s alarm for 20 minutes earlier than normal
If there’s one “I-hate-to-admit-it” way that I can ensure that I start tomorrow off on the right foot, it’s setting my alarm for a mere 20 minutes earlier than I normally do. Starting my day off with an additional 20 minutes to prioritize myself—journaling, meditation, doing my skincare routine at my leisure, romanticizing my morning cup of coffee, or reading (the world truly is my oyster)—is probably my favorite way to kick off a day. Even if the day ends up being hectic, knowing that I carved out a few minutes to show myself some love is such a good feeling that surprises me Every Single Time.
This post contains a sponsored inclusion of Fresh Avocados — Love One Today, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board.
Source: The Every Girl
