It's okay not to be okay!

16^th August 2017

You are so much stronger than you realise.

So much has been going on at home lately but we’re handling it and it just reminded me, if I take everything in my stride, one day at a time, I can pretty much handle anything the universe feels the need to throw at me (that’s not a challenge by the way Universe!).  My mom raised me to be strong, determined and resilient but also not be afraid to show my feelings and to know that sometimes it’s okay not to be okay.  Lately I’ve seen a lot of people who aren’t okay but think there’s some kind of shame in that, in asking for help - there really isn’t.  Asking for help this year has meant I’ve been able to do some things I didn’t think I could for one reason or another, it’s also made me stop and think and realise whatever I want to do, there’s always a way, it might just mean thinking and doing things differently and you know what – I’m really good at that.  So here’s to new challenges I say, to never staying stuck!

So if you’re not feeling yourself right now, that’s okay, just think how bright and fabulous a glow stick is and they have to be broken before they brighten, so today see yourself as a glow stick in waiting and go ask for help, talk to people, don’t bottle it all up, it’s not healthy to bottle up your feelings.   As I have before also recommend reading Stepping Out of the Cloud by Emma Triplett, such a good read full of positive suggestions.   Here’s a few suggestions from me to lift your mood a little;

Smile (even if you’re not feeling happy), just the action of smiling triggers mood-boosting hormones in your brain, so even if you’re not feeling the love, put that smile on your face.  Try watching a comedy on tele, that will help honest and it’ll distract your brain from all those thoughts that are rushing through it!

Get doing something, I don’t care what it is, tidying up the garden (come do mine if you want), washing the dishes, taking a dog or yourself for a walk, anything, just do something to break up your day, give you a sense of achievement. 

Talk to someone, anyone, face to face or over the phone, online, just connect with others, don’t lock yourself away.

Help someone else, yep research shows helping others lifts our mood, so go be kind, do a good turn, clear out your closet and donate it to charity or volunteer to help out with something. 

Focus on the now, live in the moment, if you’re feeling low, stop thinking about the past, worrying about the future, take a deep breath and pay attention to what you can see, hear and feel right now.  This hopefully will help you feel a little calmer and balance your emotions out a little.  Overthinking is not a good thing!  I know this is gonna sound stupid but when I’m a bit out of sorts I chop veggies!  Yep I find the repetitiveness of it therapeutic and then using those veg to cook a delicious meal for me is a great way for me to unwind, plus I get to create something, showing that despite everything that’s going on around me, I’m still capable of doing things.  Go make yourself a healthy meal, you could make someone else a healthy meal, that way you’re helping someone else too J

Right I’m away to sort my mom, then I’ve got a busy day and how sad is it that I’m excited for a clean floor, I’m going to have the lino laid this morning then hoover and clean all through so there’s some cleanliness in my house for a couple of weeks at least until September.

Enjoy your day BeYOUtiful and hopefully you’ll find things to smile about xx