Changes for the Better
Sometimes life can make us feel like we are out of control. I think a good reminder of this fact is when we get a cold. We try our hardest to be healthy, but every one of us still catches a cold now and again. A lot of areas of life are out our control, and it can make us feel anxious and stressed out. A few months ago I felt like nothing was within my control. I kept getting sick, I had eye infections, I felt helpless, discontent, and frustrated. I still feel this way often, because that is just how life is. It is out of our control, it’s frustrating and the availability of constantly seeing what others have that we don’t breeds a lot of discontentment. For me, that also means anxiety (not an anxiety disorder, but just a general tightening of my chest over certain things). When I realized that this out of control feeling was taking a toll on my ability to enjoy life, I started evaluating the things that I can control. Based on that evaluation, I started doing things that I could control, and changing the things that frustrated me. I’m not great at doing all of these consistently, but it is helpful to me. I've noticed a better start to my day, a happier attitude, and more patience! I wanted to share them with you, because they are just generally good things to do, that could probably help you too. I want to be clear that I'm not calling this self-care. The current connotation that comes along with self-care irritates me, and goes against what I know as truth. These are just some things I do to have a better day, that I thought would help you have a better day as well!
ONE // Intentional Sunshine
When I kept getting sick, I made it a point to get in the sun for a little bit most days. I figured that since it was winter, I probably didn’t have as much Vitamin D as my body needed to remain healthy and fight viruses. So when that sunshine came through, I bundled up and stood with my face in the sun for at least five minutes. Now I don’t know if it actually improved my health, but it definitely improved my mood. Now that the sun shines a little warmer, it is a lot easier to go outside. Whenever I feel drained, groggy, and sick, I try to get some extra sunshine. (This time of year though, I can't seem to spend more than 15 minutes outside before the allergies attack).
TWO // Getting Fully Ready for the Day
For most people, this isn’t optional. For me, I don’t have to be “put together” for work. I watch two little girls in their own home who couldn’t care less about whether or not I wear makeup. It is amazing how much better I feel and how much more motivated I am to have a good day when I dress cute and put on some mascara. Getting fully ready for the day is a great change I’ve made and it makes my entire day a little bit better. If you are struggling with being motivated and feeling good, I suggested dressing nice (ish) and wearing some makeup. It really will make a difference! Look good, feel good, right?
THREE // Drinking More Coffee
As ridiculous as it sounds...I realized I need more coffee in my life. One day I was thinking about how much energy I had when I was in school. I would go to classes, intern, work a job, workout, and get all my homework done. I was way busier than I am now, but somehow I had more energy. Then I realized I would sometimes have 3 coffees a day, and I would nap when I had the chance too! Since I can’t really nap now, an extra cup of coffee in the afternoon gives me the extra energy I lack. I don't have one *every day* but I do if I'm feeling particularly poopy about life. If you are feeling drained, maybe you just need another cup of coffee! (I didn’t say these were all healthy...just helpful).
FOUR // Unfollowing People
This one is simple as can be. If I come across a post that made me annoyed, angry, jealous, or any negative emotion, I unfollow or unfriend that person. I realized I don’t have to be friends with everyone on Facebook. Neither do you. If you don’t like someone or the things they post, just unfollow them! It is completely within your control what you see when you pick up your phone. If those things are breeding good things and growing you in some way, then you should remove them from your life.
FIVE // Turning on Screen Time
The iPhone has a feature now that tracks how much you use your phone and what you use it for. I have had the feature turned on and it has been helpful in breaking the habit of spending a lot of time on social media and being distracted from where I am in the present. It was humbling to see how much time I spent on my phone on average daily...6 hours a day some weeks. If you find yourself picking up your phone and constantly scrolling, turn on the feature! It is just a reminder to me to break the habit. It's such an easy time-filler but it often steals time too.
SIX // Starting the Day with Worship
I used to listen to a radio talk show, or just regular music on my way to work. But I made it a point to start my day with worship music. It sets my heart in the right spot, puts my mind on the right things, and gets me in a good mood. Starting the day can be rough (especially for a me, who is neither a morning person nor a night owl), you often want to just sleep some more. Listening to the praise and worship of the God of the Universe can help make it that much better. Instead of filling your head with silly talks about certain celebrities you can fill your heart with a reminder of how good Jesus is.
SEVEN // Journaling
I’ve always loved writing, and I’ve journaled for many years. I got out of the habit once I started going to college where I wrote papers constantly, but now that I have more free time, I’ve picked it up again. I do it about midway through my morning and it helps to just get everything out! I write whatever comes to my mind, and I have a 500 word minimum goal. It helps my writing here, but it also just helps me heart and mind throughout the day. I sometimes call it "brain dumping" because I just dump out everything in my brain and it my head feels more clear! If you find yourself overwhelmed with thoughts, do a brain dump!
EIGHT // Reading Before Bed
I think most of us are in the habit of scrolling through our phone before we head off to dreamland. In some ways it helps me wind down and get sleepy. In other ways, it just doesn’t feel good. I’ve been trying (not always successfully) to instead pick up my current book and read before I fall asleep instead. I love reading, and I always have, so it doesn’t make sense to me how I don’t do it regularly anyway! On occasion, reading is worse for me than scrolling because I can’t put the book down, but most of the time it is helpful. Reading books makes me feel smart and creative, when I end my day doing something good for my brain, I feel like I sleep better.
What are some things you do that just make you feel better all around? I’d love to try some more good things! Remember, most of life is out of control, but finding a few things that you can control can set you up for a good day.
