What to do when stressed or blue..

You know those days when nothing’s necessarily going bad but for some reason, you’re just not feeling it? Or maybe you’re not happy or sad but can’t seem to get going with your day? It happens. The important thing is to acknowledge your emotions, but not get stuck in them. You should acknowledge that it’s “one of those days” but know how to snap out of it since you don’t always have the time to just not do anything because you feel like it. I’m not saying that not doing anything is bad or forbidden, sometimes you just don’t have that luxury so here are a few things that from my experience help with “those types of days”:

1. Find water.
2. Go outside
3. Get ready
4. Do “low energy” tasks that need to be done
5. Eat something high in nutrition

1. Find water.
I am a huge believer that when we feel “low” using water to raise our energy is the way to go. You can drink water, take a shower or even (my favorite) go for a swim. If not for a swim then just go for a walk near the water. Studies have shown that spending just 20 minutes looking at the sea/ocean raises your energy levels and overall happiness and calmness. Anytime I feel sick or have a lot of work to do and it’s taking a toll on my mental health - taking a shower helps my body release some of that stress. If I’m feeling tired and sleepy but can’t take a nap - drinking some water is the way to go. I just highly believe that water is the answer to 90% of our low-energy moments.

2. Go outside
We were never supposed to live in cubicles. You need the Sun, you need fresh air to feel good and function properly. If you're feeling down and don't wanna leave the house because "you have a lot to do" - you're most likely going to end up spending the day on your phone because you don't feel like doing anything yet you know you have things to do so you'll just procrastinate until it's too late.. All that work that you have to get done will be here once you get back from a nice little walk. Even better, after going outside you'll realize that you wanna get everything done as soon as possible and you'll be motivated to do so. If you're feeling blue for "no reason" go outside!!

3. Get ready
This one goes hand in hand with the last one. When you look good you feel good. When you feel good you get stuff done. It's that simple. Your hoodie may be comfortable, and you don't have to dress up in something uncomfortable, however, dressing up in your favorite pair of pants and putting on your favorite shirt, and doing your hair or makeup will make you feel so much more put together and ready to get on with your day. This goes for everyday life too, not just when you feel "bad". When you look good you feel good, and when you feel good you get stuff done. That's it.

4. Do “low energy” tasks that need to be done
That laundry pile in your room, the grocery list that's hanging on your fridge.. Sometimes you can use the "low energy" days to do non-work related tasks that are still time and energy-consuming. Since they're not "work" you might've left them to pile up and now they might be taking a toll on your mental health. Perhaps your living space is a mess and it's affecting you. Your room is a mess so you don't feel like getting up in the morning, and you have to take a trip to the grocery store because you have no fresh food in the fridge and you might've been ordering food in or eating out and the food quality hasn't been the best so now you just don't feel your best. Work/school/uni is important, however, if your everyday life is getting out of control you'll feel bad, you'll think you look bad and you'll lose your spark. This "low energy" day is just your body and brain showing you that it's time to take care of yourself by showing up for yourself and putting energy in for yourself just like you do for your work.

and finally,

5. Eat something high in nutrition
As I've mentioned, what you put in your body plays a big role in how you'll feel. Eating "unhealthy" is normal and here and there necessary, however greens, fruit, and all the other higher quality foods aren't just a tool for you to look good, but even more importantly - for you to feel good. You'll notice if you haven't been thinking about what you're feeding your body. Your body will tell you. You'll feel more tired, more sluggish, and more prone to complaining. While, if you make an effort to eat maybe some fruit for breakfast, and some natural protein for lunch - you'll notice an improvement in your everyday functioning. Your post-meal brain fog and sluggishness will decrease, you won't feel the need to be snacking at all times and you'll want to do more in the day because you'll have the energy and "motivation". I'm not a nutritionist and do take everything with a grain of salt, however, I believe that some things are not that complicated. Food that is high in nutrition feeds your body, brain, and soul. I'm not saying never eat fast food again, but do try to make a conscious effort when it comes to what you put in your body.

That's it from me for today, hope you found something helpful for yourself. You can always message me on any of my social media and let me know if anything has worked for you. Thank you for reading and see you next Sunday!