You've only realised the microwave's set to defrost after trying to heat up your dinner, you've burnt your tongue, your toast got stuck in the toaster, you're heatings broken and when it rains, it pours (we are living in Ireland after all). So you've had a bad day. The Daniel Powter kind. If it's really bad, you might have even played the song a few times. We all have them, but when you're stuck in a rut it can be all too difficult to get out. Luckily, you're not alone. Today I'm sharing some of my top tips on how to find happiness in even the worst of days.
1. Plan your day
So you can sense a bad day coming on from the minute your alarm goes off. Take five minutes to plan out what you're going to do for the day; what you're going to eat, where you're going to go and what you can do that will make you feel happy. Find something that you can look forward to. Lately I've decided to take my mood into my own hands, so I've started swimming again. I've always loved swimming, I'm even an instructor/swim teacher for Irish Water Safety, but for the past while I've really neglected my love of swimming. Since I started going to the pool again, I've definitely noticed a change in my mood. I know swimming is not for everyone, but try to find something that's for you. Maybe it's cooking, reading or listening to music. Find something that makes you feel calm, and add it into your plan.
If you feel like your mood is only beginning to deteriorate during the day, try planning your evening, so you have something to look forward to.
2. Listen to a great playlist
Music can be a real mood booster. Try putting together a bomb playlist, with all your favourite good-mood songs. Whether that's a bit of the Jackson 5 or George Ezra, some music just puts you in a good mood. As a side note, don't add any slow/sad music to this. No matter how much of an Ed Sheeran fan you are, he does not belong here.
I don't usually share my Spotify playlists, but I made my mood-boosting playlist back in the Autumn. It's not for everyone, but I'll drop a link HERE in case you're in need of some inspiration.
*This is me shaking off all the bad feels
3. Meet up with your friends
I'm so lucky to be living with some of my best friends. Even when I've had a bad day, I know we'll all have a laugh in the evening. If you're not living with friends, it can be hard to reach out to someone when you're feeling down. No matter how hard it seems, a problem shared is always a problem halved. Try to meet someone for coffee, or for a walk. You don't have to go into detail about what's going on, you just need to find someone that you can be yourself around.
4. Make your bed and break out a clean set of pyjamas
If you make your bed every morning, you've already accomplished one thing before you've even begun your day. And better again, when you get home in the evening and all you want to do is go to sleep, you'll thank yourself when your bed is made! Everyone has time to make their bed, no matter what's going on, so take 30 seconds to do something nice for your future self.
If you're being really good to yourself, you could even leave out a clean set of PJs for yourself. There is nothing better than having a shower and putting on fresh PJs before bed.
5. Exercise
No eye-rolls please! Exercise is a mood booster, so try to go outside for a while, even if its just for a walk. If I'm having a bad day, it's unlikely that I'm going to want to be around loads of people, so for me the gym is an absolute no-go zone. Instead I like to go for a run to clear my head and get some fresh air. If you're only beginning to exercise regularly, and you're feeling a bit nervous, find a friend who's in the same boat as you, and try to start together.
While I would of course love to include retail therapy in this list, I'm starting to believe (in my old age LOL I'm getting wise in my twenties) that buying yourself something nice isn't going to do much good. Instead, try to invest your time/money/energy in something that actually matters. Find your spark and light a fire.
Until tomorrow,
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