Hey There Earthlings! Ok. Real talk...Some days us humans feel rubbish, not each day is a great day. Life can be unrelenting, unexpected and at times unforgiving. However, in difficult times I have found little tricks that help me feel less rubbish when life isn't going to plan. I’m a great believer in positive thinking. The old cliché ‘You can’t control what happens to you, only how you react’ is genuinely, theoretically helpful. However, I often find it essential to have some practical, actual, physical actions which enable and encourage my positivity to shine through and thrive. Here are my top 10.
1. Find Perspective Finding physical perspective has always been essential to my well being. My number one perspective place is the ocean. Something about its grandness, inevitability and complexity reminds me of my minute place within this universe. The mesmerising constancy of the waves paired with the unpredictably of the conditions is a paradox I greatly enjoy observing. My tiny human life feels insignificant and minisule in relation to the enormity of both ocean and universe. With this massive perspective check my problems somewhat melt away. Here I feel at peace, calm and centred.
2. Meditate Due to a not-so-positive life event 6 months ago, yoga and meditation were abruptly thrust into my lap whether I wanted them or not. From this abrupt and somewhat unwanted arrival, yoga and meditative practice have gently nudged further and deeper into my daily life. Over the past 6 months I have cemented them into my being. No matter what is happening within my world or the greater world, I can gain peace at my mat and find my centre. Yoga is a gift for which I cannot thank the universe enough. (This will be a whole other blog post on its own soon).
3. Eat Well Why is it that when feeling rubbish the first food reached for is rubbish itself? (yes, vegan TimTams are a recent discovery). When feeling low they seem immeasurably more appealing in the short term than a granny smith. However, since living the plant based life I have a whole new appreciation for the power and positivity that lies within plants. If I’m feeling low I now naturally look to nourish my body, give it fuel and thank it for all the amazing actions it is doing to keep me alive. (Carrot and celery juice is my latest craze) One of my greatest advisors, Ali, once told me to try and eat the rainbow whenever possible. I often remember this and since integrating it more and more my body and mind has thanked me. Seriously, that plant power is strong!
4. Hydrate As crazy simple as this sounds, this is the one I forget most often. We are 70% water. What water does for our bodies is quite miraculous when you think about it. Feeling low? Drink Up! This is as much a reminder to myself as it is to anyone reading my blog.
5. Exercise Ok so you're probably thinking ‘Is she serious? Thats so obvious’ and you're right. But thats the most wonderful thing. Exercising and moving your body (along with feeding and watering it) are so utterly obvious because they make us feel good. In the words of one of my Idols - Elle Woods ‘Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy’. But seriously, moving my body by going to a dance class or jogging along a deserted coastline fill my mind with happiness. When I arrived home from sitting at my desk all day yesterday, binge watching Handmaid’s Tale (Thanks Han and Katie) was an evening which sounded immensely enticing. However I knew that today’s Bridie would thank me if I went for a jog then watched a more socially acceptable amount of episodes. And I'm so thankful I did. Moving your body is paramount to mental and physical strength. (Side Note: I highly recommend The Handmaid's Tale to anyone who likes dystopian fiction with a consistent underlying nudge to the importance of feminism. Blessed Be the Fruit)
6. Pursue Passions I often get lost in the daily work/study/life grind. Today I felt this heavily upon me and felt the need to escape the daily rhythm. Unknowingly a new friend of mine also nudged me in this direction. He simply asked "How is the next blog post going?’’. It was only then I realised how busy I have been and how neglectful I have been to my earthling pursuit. An hour later and here I am, sitting at my favourite place, blog writing, taking photos and reading my french magazine. Deep Breath.
7. Call a Friend Many of my closest friends live in geographically unideal places. I am so thankful for video calls which allow us to connect in good times and in bad. I have one friend in particular, (he will know who he is by the very next words) whose hilarious inappropriateness and pure positivity can brighten the darkest of days. He perfectly balances his charming ability to lighten the mood and his deep empathy to listen and understand. My cheeks always hurt from cry laughing and despite the distance our friendship grows stronger with each cheeky chat.
8. Write a List Ok, so this is the one that anyone outside of my own brain will probably relate to the least. For me writing lists calms my mind and gives me an unnatural amount of satisfaction. Here I am, feeling a little rubbish today and writing a list of 10 ways to feel less rubbish. Coincidence? I think not. To do lists, pros and cons lists, practical lists, emotive lists. They all help. (p.s. how equally satisfying is breaking these hard sections of dry sand?!... Just me?)
9. Get Outside that Comfort Zone Most of the time when I feel low I can pin point exactly why and, as a solution based person, I pretty quickly find a way to mend, if not fix it. However, sometimes I feel rubbish for no tangible reason. This is when I like to put myself out of my comfort zone, mix it up a bit. Talk to someone I wouldn’t usually talk to, go somewhere new, see a movie alone, plan a weekend away. This helps to be more spontaneous and brave while reminding myself that life is continually fluid and adaptable.
10. Take Care of Others & Yourself My final point is a bit of a wild card (bit of a cheat because it is so open ended). Firstly, Look after others! Looking after animals and humans, offering my time or skills to someone in need always makes me happy. Making other people smile is literally my favourite activity. Secondly, look after yourself! This point somewhat contradicts #9, (I quite like being a walking paradox at times) because if taking care of yourself means staying IN your comfort zone do it! If you want to get dressed up and hit the town, do it. If you want to stay in your pjs and watch Fern Gully, do it. Read a book you love, watch a film that makes you laugh, listen to music that inspires you, drink tea that warms you. What ever makes you feel good. Do it! (Unless you're hurting animals, don't do that).
These are just 10 practical ways I help myself feel a little less rubbish. Here I am today, pursuing my passion of writing from my favourite place of perspective while eating veggies, drinking water and writing a list. As they say, write what you know. Hope this helps someone feel a little less rubbish because remember, life has so much to offer and you have so much to offer it.
Peace and Love The Little Earthling
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