It’s been a long day. Nothing has gone as planned and all you want to do is take a day off from adulting. We’ve all been there. The struggle is indeed real, but here are some small everyday changes that might just help you step off the struggle bus.
1. Revamp your morning tea/coffee time:
Source: http://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Texas-AM-researchers-working-to-save-yo…
Have you ever monotonously sipped at your coffee/tea while you shrug off the Monday morning blues? Even your favorite rosehip hibiscus tea fails to induce the much-needed motivation? Including this small little practice could just revamp your morning routine and give you the much-needed boost to start your day off on a positive note.
The totally wacky yet simple idea is that when you are drinking that cup of tea or coffee, make it the single most important thing in your life. Sounds ridiculously simple, doesn’t it? Think about it- while you are inhaling that cup of tea, your mind might be busy plotting a scheme to steal your neighbor’s fuzzy dog, or more realistically, on how to pass your impending exam. When was the last time you really enjoyed the task at hand without worrying about what’s yet to come and what’s already happened?
According to the master of mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh, when you are doing something even as routine as drinking a cup of tea, you should be fully aware of that moment. The first time I was introduced to the concept of mindfulness was during an interactive mindfulness seminar. I know what you’re thinking- I must have gone home with a life-changing epiphany! On the contrary, focusing on chomping on bite-sized amuse-bouches for five minutes straight seemed very over the top. However, the message I missed in that seemingly ridiculous activity can be very life-changing indeed. Savor the moment at hand.
Being fully present in that moment can help curb that flustered response that spirals into a monumentally bad day. So make a pact with yourself to fully enjoy that cup of tea that you know cost way you way more than it should have.
2. Swat away those pesky thoughts:
Source: https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/type-2-diabetes-care/negative-thoughts-busted/
Did you know that around 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts filter through the human mind per day? This means we have about 35 to 48 thoughts per minute. What if more of those thoughts were happier, uplifting ones rather than anxiety-ridden, negative rants about how much the world sucks? Our patterns of thinking can play a huge role in shaping our outside realities.
While the world does suck on occasion, consciously challenging those streams of thought can help change your bad day to a bearable day. Ask yourself a simple question, “Why did I just think that?” Every time you notice a negative thought pop up, catch that thought, observe it, accept it and then release it. For all you visual learners, think of it like swatting away the pesky flies that sometimes buzz around you incessantly until you go insane.
If that persuasive fly swatting analogy didn’t completely convince you, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), used in psychology to treat mental disorders such as depression, is also a major proponent of exercises that help change negative patterns of thinking. And if you are anything like me and enjoy scribbling to express yourself, go one step further and log your negative thoughts onto a piece of paper. Gain familiarity with these patterns and make it a challenge to catch them in action. Challenge your limitations and grow with them.
While this is definitely more of an adjustment than just enjoying a simple cup of tea, this practice can have a tangible effect on the quality of your everyday life.
3. Update your nighttime routine:
Source: http://www.southerncurlsandpearls.com/2017/09/my-updated-nighttime-routine.html
Ladies just a disclaimer- this is not an open invitation to spend more money on skincare products. I do, however, urge you to update your nighttime routine to include a rather childish but potentially useful practice- look yourself in the mirror and say out loud one thing that you like about yourself.
At the expense of coming off like a complete snob to your roommate, learn to love thyself. Start small, but start now. Start incorporating the kind of love that leads to self-care. The kind of love that allows you to learn to be patient with follies and kind with your successes.
So while you are warding off those pesky negative thoughts, maybe replace them with appreciation and gratitude.
Rebuilding your self-concept can help in developing a sense of self-efficacy. In psychological terms, self-efficacy is defined as a person’s belief in their ability to accomplish some specific goal or task. So next time you are plagued by feelings of inadequacy which guide the narrative of your entire day, you will be more equipped to deal with distorted and irrational fears.
Follow these simple tips and tricks and change the narrative of that bad day to one written by you, for you. Make it positive and make it fun. Live life to the fullest as you incorporate these simple, wacky, yet useful tips into your everyday life!