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Got
the colder weather, sour relationships, no money, poor health,
plain ol' down 'n dirty blues? Try some of these strategies to
blow away those dark clouds and let the sunshine into your life again.
1) Dance! Put on your favourite music,
turn it up loud and dance! This is guaranteed to make you
feel good. If you are unable to dance, don't let that stop
you having fun--sing at the top of your voice instead.
2) Smile! Force yourself to smile even
if you don't feel like it. This tricks your brain into
thinking that you are happy. You do want to be happy don't
you? Okay then--a great big cheesy grin. After three, one,
two, three--smile!
3) Spend time with children. Their
natural zest for life is infectious. As well as the
pleasures of a spontaneous hug or a chubby little hand in yours,
try to take away with you some of their joy in simple things,
licking an ice cream, playing with water, tramping through fallen
leaves or following a butterfly.
4)
Reward yourself. If there is a job that you hate to do,
household accounts, home repairs etc. don't keep putting it off so
that it is constantly nagging at you. Just get it done. Then reward yourself with whatever you love, a shiny
new magazine, a bunch of flowers, a long soak in an aromatic bath,
two bars of chocolate or an evening in front of the TV doing
absolutely nothing. Or even all of the above if you can
afford it. The peace of mind that comes from having got the
job done will be the greatest reward of all.
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5) Clear out your clutter. The ancient
art of Feng Shui believes that getting rid of clutter rids your
home or work space of negative stuck energy and allows space for
positive energy to surge into all aspects of your life. Whether or
not this is correct, it is an undeniable fact that clearing out
what you no longer want or need makes life easier. Your home
is neater, looks more spacious and is easier to clean. There can
also be a tremendous feeling of freedom as you let go of the past
and trust in the future to bring you what you will need. Emotional
clutter can be even more damaging. We've all said or done
things we regret, the trick is to do anything you can to repair
the damage and if that is not possible, forgive yourself and toss
it out of your life.
6) Take action. If something is
worrying you, be it a health problem, or debt or divorce, make
that doctor's appointment, get some debt counseling, find out your
rights. The reality is often less stressful than sitting
alone worrying about it. Try to talk over your problems with
a friend, or if that is impossible find a support group on the
Internet by typing debt, divorce or whatever into a search engine.
7) Positive thoughts. When you leave
the house each morning, say and mean, I'm going to have a great
day, it's going to be lots of fun, rather than thinking, Oh no,
another dreary day at the office to get through. The first
attitude will attract good vibrations and positive fun people to
you, the second will ensure a depressing day.
8) Have more fun. Apparently children
laugh approximately 400 times a day yet adults laugh only about 20
times a day. When do we lose our sense of fun? Claim it
back. Play games, watch comedies, have daily jokes delivered
to your mailbox or throw a fancy dress party.
9) Make something. Being creative
gives you such a buzz you won't stay down in the dumps for long.
Stencil a room, make a cake, plan a garden, sketch or paint a
picture. Express yourself with a modern collage, change your rooms around,
display your collections or start a patchwork quilt.
10) Keep a gratitude journal. Write
down half a dozen things every day that you are grateful for, from
waking up and seeing your children's beautiful little faces to the
smell of the roses in the local park. This cannot fail to cheer
you up if you do it regularly as it gives you a whole new way of
experiencing your life.
11) Start a new project. Learn a
language, trace your family history, redecorate your home, learn
to ride a horse, gain a new qualification, take music lessons,
learn to make your own soft furnishings or do your own auto
repairs. Visualize yourself successfully completing the
project and the benefits it will bring to your life. Then make a
start and follow it through to the end. An added bonus will
be the increased self esteem that comes from having planned,
problem solved and perfected the whole project yourself.
12) See your old friends. It's easy to
get into a work, family, housework, shopping, sleep and back to
work again routine that leaves you no time at all to be the person
you once were. The funny, up for a laugh, outgoing young woman you
used to be. Spending time with friends who knew the old you seems
to resurrect that side of your character. You will come away
feeling younger, more positive and excited by life than you were
before you met up. Go on, invite them over to share a pizza
and catch up on each other's lives.
13) Paint or accessorize a room that you
spend a lot of time in a lovely bright yellow. The colour of
sunshine will lift your spirit and bring positive vibrations. We
subconsciously know about the effects of colour on our emotions
which is why we talk about the future looking rosy or having the
blues.
14) Take the happiness option. You
have the choice whether to spend this day, which you will never
live through again, in a state of happiness or unhappiness.
Choose to spend it as happily as you possibly can.
Colleen Moulding is a freelance writer from
England where she has had many features on parenting, childcare,
play, travel, entertaining and the Internet published in national
newspapers and magazines. She has also written a variety of
women's and children's fiction. Her work frequently appears at
many sites on the Internet and at her own site for women All That
Women Want.com a magazine, web guide and resource for women
everywhere.
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