We all have those days, weeks, months, etc. where you’re in a funk that you can’t seem to get yourself out of. Did you try to ignore it or sleep all day hoping your stresses and anxiety would disappear? It didn’t work right? If you’re tired of life driving you down this negative road, it’s time to take control of the wheel with these 5 easy steps…
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Go Outside
Yes, you read that right! Stand up, walk out your door and go outside. Countless studies have proven the positive correlation between mental health and just simply going outside. The way it works is that nature boosts endorphin levels and dopamine production, which promotes happiness. Aside from simply standing outdoors, going for a walk or run helps too! When walking or running outside try to breathe deep, smell the outdoors and observe what’s around you. This will help you have more of a well-rounded perspective on everything that’s going on.
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Smile
It’s a given that when you’re smiling you are happy. But, did you know that smiling can actually increase your happiness? When you smile, you are activation neural brain circuits which are associated with happiness and our overall well-being. Therefore, it’s kind of a fake it will you make it situation where smiling can trick your brain into thinking you’re happy. This turns into actual happiness due to a chemical reaction caused by the initial smile.
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Practice Gratefulness
We all have something in our lives to be grateful for. Reminding yourself of at least 5 things you are grateful for and appreciate the blessings in your life will help center your mind. Feeling grateful will actually lead to higher levels of perceived social support and lower levels of depression and stress. You can also practice meditation in order to help keep yourself living in the moment and appreciating everything around you. Therefore, adding a moment of reflection and gratitude into your daily routine will help facilitate a feeling of support and happiness.
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Take Care of & Treat Yourself
In order to take care of yourself, you should be following a healthy lifestyle consisting of enough sleep, eating nutritious foods, hydrating, exercising regularly, etc. It is also important to treat yourself by doing something that makes you happy! Treating yourself may look like spending time with family and friends, or even spending some time alone. Treating yourself can also look like taking a break to watch your favorite movie or going to get your favorite type of food. Overall, when you are taking care of and treating yourself you are being kind to your mind and body which will bring you happiness.
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Get Organized
Getting yourself organized can help you feel a sense of control in your life when everything feels hectic and out of control. You can do things like decluttering your living space, organizing your belongings, writing out a to-do list or even making a list of goals for the week. Doing things like cleaning can help by either de-stressing you or distracting you. Whereas making a to do list or writing out your goals can help you identify what you have to do, and plan accordingly in order to achieve productivity.