Six things you can do to feel better right now
Do you have to do all the things? Heck no! Choosing even one thing from this list will have a positive impact on your life.
#1: Drink more water.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one! Wait, but…do we really have to drink 64 ounces of water?! Carry around an epic water bottle?! Hey, those could be goals. But for now, try to just drink more water than you’re currently drinking. Fill up a cup and keep it near wherever you are. Start carrying it from place to place like a two year old with a teddy bear. Pretty soon you really will feel like it’s your comfort object! Here’s another thing to try: drink a cup of hot water in the morning. Just one cup, before coffee, before anything else. It’ll kick start your metabolism, aid in digestion, and could even make you feel happier. It’s been a game changer for me!
#2: Go outside.
Notice that I didn’t say exercise? Yes, exercising outside is amazing, and a recent study showed that even an 11-minute walk daily lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer. But setting exercise aside, simply going outside has an incredible range of benefits. It improves mental health, decreases stress, anxiety, and anger, and helps regulate your sleep/wake cycle. If you have access to a lawn or park, try sitting in a chair or on the ground and putting your bare feet in the grass. If that’s too much for you, just go outside. Stand. Listen. Look around. Walk around. Look at the sky. Breathe. Feel human again.
#3: Put down your phone before bed.
Confession: I just love scrolling for way too long on my phone after I get into bed. Yet I’ve miraculously been able to cut down or completely eliminate my pre-bed scrolling by using a combination of methods. I set time limits on certain apps. I sometimes completely remove certain apps for a few days, weeks, or months to reset my relationship with them. I get my family involved. If I’m checking my daughter’s weekly screen time average, I let her check mine. (That one is hard!) I use 100% blue light blocking glasses in the hours before bed. By blocking out artificial light, your body becomes tired like it normally would after the sun goes down. It helps so much to feel tired instead of overstimulated by blue light. I charge my phone from across the room, not by my bed. I also read before bed! Actual books! Look at your daily screen time average. I bet you could shave an hour off.
#4: Get a therapist.
This one has maybe been on your list before, right? Yes, it can be overwhelming to figure it all out. Believe it or not, Psychology Today is one of the best resources for finding a therapist. A majority of therapists advertise their services there, and the search filters are fantastic. Want to see someone who shares your gender, race, and/or religion? Is covered by your specific insurance plan? Practices a certain type of therapy? You can search for all of that and more. Plus, so many therapists offer virtual appointments these days, opening up a much broader pool of people to choose from. You can see anyone who has a license to practice in your state. Don’t get discouraged if the therapist you want isn’t in-network with your insurance plan. Nearly all therapists will provide a “super bill” which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Yes, effort is required to find a therapist. And you are 100% worth that effort.
#5: Try the “M” word.
Yes, I mean meditation. Now don’t you roll your eyes at me, you little…person with eyes! Instead, use those eyes to check out this article that highlights twelve science-backed benefits of meditation. Spoiler: meditation is great for stress/anxiety reduction, attention span/memory improvement, lessening pain, lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, and more. Still, knowing how great meditation is doesn’t mean you know how to do it or where to start. Pro tip: Begin with a guided meditation. Some great apps include Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer, and even YouTube. Search for something specific if you want: “let go of anger”, “feel self love”, and “calm down and destress” are some ideas, but the options are endless. Something to try right now: Set a timer for two minutes. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply, and focus on that breath. When a thought comes up, which it will, notice the thought and let it float away. When the timer goes off, pat yourself on the back. You just meditated for two minutes! Wanna try five?
#6: Schedule “preventative” self care.
A lot of people use self care as a response to stress and overwhelm. What if you flip the script, and schedule self-care before the burn out kicks in? Carve out regular “me time” in your schedule, and look forward to it! An example: Every Wednesday night, block off 6-9 pm for “me time”. Schedule a massage or nail appointment, see a movie, go out with friends, or take a class. Resist the urge to read work emails, scroll on social media, or do any chores. “Me time” should be something fun and intentional. Have kids? Talk to your partner, hire a babysitter, or offer an exchange with a friend so that you can spend, say, Saturday mornings alone. Watch your parenting actually improve by spending more time on yourself, guilt free. Repeat after me: I deserve regular care because I am a living being. Being alive is the only requirement for deserving care, love, and nurturing.
By the way, Reiki is an excellent form of self care. Book an in-person Reiki session with me in San Jose, or a remote session from anywhere!
If you tried one or several of the six things, let me know how it’s going in the comments below!
Love,
Michelle