Well, hello again, lovelies!
Although Gilded Twenties was quiet for a little while, we promise we are back and ready for some wonderful content in 2019! The end of 2018 felt like a mad dash to meet deadlines, finish papers, and cram in as much studying as possible. But after the winter break and some much-needed rest and retail-therapy during the holidays, I have to say I’m feeling refreshed and ready to write some brand-new posts!
This post is all about getting out of a negative mindset. You know when you have those days and it seems like no matter what, you can’t get rid of that little gloomy storm cloud above your head? Today, I had one of those days. Nothing went wrong – actually, it was a pretty fine day. But I felt so gloomy this evening all of a sudden for no reason. After a brief cry session and too many chocolate chunk cookies, I shook my head and realized I wanted to shake off the bad mood and get back into happier times.
Here’s what worked for me tonight – plus some additional tips!
1. Change the channel.
When my bad mood struck me – I took a second to look at what was going on around me. Was there something I could immediately change to improve my mood? Well, yes, actually. I was watching a really intense and depressing show on Netflix that was only making that storm cloud above my head darker.
So I changed what I was watching. I put on a rom-com. And the lighter tone and funnier moments made me feel the tiniest bit better right away.
2. Clean your room.
Seriously. There’s a line in my favorite movie of all time (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before) where LJ says, “my life was a mess, but I could clean my room.” And whenever I’m in a rut, I find myself repeating this. And you’d be surprised just how therapeutic it is to clean your room, and then how refreshed you feel afterward when you see the progress you’ve made. It is especially fun if you turn on a wonderfully cheesy chick-flick or Shania Twain.
3. Turn on the best booty-shaking music you own.
Whatever it is that you like to get groovy to, as long as it’s happy, turn it on and turn it on LOUD. It will feel silly and awkward at first but forget about it. Nobody is watching you, just let the music fill up your mind and let it move your body mindlessly. Sing along, dance in your underwear, or listen while you clean your room. Whenever I do this, by the end, I’ve usually made whatever was weighing on me seem so fixable and insignificant that I forget why I was even in a bad mood in the first place.
4. Take the bubbliest of bubble baths.
A good movie (or book!) a lot of bubbles, something yummy to drink, and a candlelit bathroom can make the world and all its troubles seem far away when inside the safety of your warm bubble haven. Facemasks and hair treatments can also help put all your worries and anxiety to bed.
5. Talk it out.
If something is weighing on you, sometimes it’s best to let it out rather than keep it all inside. Find someone who is in a good headspace to help you talk it out and work through it. Let them know what’s going on – and if you’re not sure, it might be through conversation that you’ll find the source of what’s bugging you. A lot of the time, once I’ve talked to a friend about my mood, I feel 100% better. Even if I haven’t solved all my problems, I often feel like I can better handle what comes my way.
6. Go outside or do something active.
Weather permitting, if you’ve been cooped up all day away from the fresh air and sunshine, this might be a good time to take a break from all the screens and stale air and get some distance from everything. If it won’t make you feel more overwhelmed, leave your phone behind or put it on airplane mode. Listen to the sounds of the outside world, or a podcast (I recommend Harry Potter and the Sacred Text) and get moving.
7. Get some rest.
If you’re overtired, you might feel overwhelmed simply because your body needs a rest. When we get overtired, it’s easy to feel cranky and irritable at the littlest mess-ups. You can take a nap, and get back to work, or if it’s a good time and you’ve finished everything you need to finish then, go to bed early. Getting an early morning start the next day can also make you feel more productive and in control.
So tell me about how you get out from under the proverbial rain cloud in the comments below! Always remember that there’s another good day just around the corner.
See you on the next post,
Madi
Gilded Twenties 