mental health Archives - Leaf and Steel

I’m irritable right now. I am beyond irritable – I am crawling out my skin with grumpiness.

I’m well versed in the idea of “man plans, and God laughs” – no matter what time I get up in the morning or how detailed my to-do list is, things never quite go how I lay them out.

And that’s okay!

I will say that the days when I don’t get some alone time to recharge, I can get super grumpy!

I’ve always needed time to center myself and take mental breaks – very hard to do now with a busy toddler. I use nap time just for me, but on days when my husband works late, a 1.5 hour break out of a 12 hour day doesn’t feel like enough.

So, here are some things I do throughout the day to get out of a bad mood – quick!

Drink water

Have a snack
Do a 5 minute clean of my space
Meditate

Do a quick exercise
Text a friend
Put my face in a bowl of cold water

Go outside
List 5 things I’m grateful for
Write it out

I think the most important one for me on this list is doing a 5 minute clean because now that I have a toddler, it’s one mess after another. I can never seem to keep on top of it all! There is always laundry to be folded or dishes to be washed or toys to put away. I know that this is a big source of stress for me so I plan on getting super organized in the new year!

Another one that almost always works for me is drinking water. I always feel like I’m doing my body a disservice by not staying hydrated, so this one really helps.

As you can see, a lot of my discontent stems from not having enough time or poor planning – definitely things I need to work on!

At the end of the day, when I take a step back and realize the things that I get stressed out about are fixable and not immediate.

I know that my job these days is to be present for myself and my child. The laundry can be folded later, the mess can go another day.

I always feel good when I’m plugged into the moment and rooted in gratitude. Spending quality time with the people I love, writing, moving my body and connecting with the world is when I feel most fulfilled – not when my house is sparkling clean or I’ve checked everything off of my to-do list.

I definitely need to remember that when I get a little grumpy!

What do you do to get out of a bad mood? Do you also believe you have to make a choice to get out of a bad mood?

Do you use anything on this list?

Let me know below!

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Ever have one of those days where you feel like crap? You know, like nothing in particular is wrong but you just feel…off? Me too. About every other month, I’m in need of a mental health day. A day where I intentionally take things at a slower pace and do the bare minimum. These days differ from my typical Sunday “relax days” where I don’t work and take a 20 minute shower before slathering myself in coconut oil and binge watching Sister Wives. These crap days are when my ability to focus, work efficiently and generally care is diminished.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of articles published on what to do on these days. I’ve tried many different things to get through these days, and I don’t have a one-size-fits-all remedy for the feelings of disappointment, frustration, and dismay that can come up on days like this.

I do, however, keep a list of things I can do to make me feel better and I’ve compiled them here. Breaking these ways down into mental, physical and spiritual categories ensures that all needs are met.

Mental

Make a to do list for the day. This can be as detailed as brushing your teeth and feeding the cat. Just the necessities for today!
Focus on the next 5 minutes.
Allow yourself to take today slowly – we all need mental health days.

Physical

Shower. You’ll feel instantly better.
Eat a healthy snack. I like almonds, peanut butter on rice cakes or celery, apples and granola. It’s important to put down the salty, crunchy, fatty or sugary snacks in order to feel better faster.
Drink water. I know I am prone to sluggishness, irritability, and depression when I’m dehydrated! Signs of dehydration include thirst, hunger (surprisingly), dry skin and lips, and dark colored urine.

Follow the 20-20-20 rule. I always, always have increased energy and optimism after a 20 minute nap, a 20 minute walk and a 20 minute shower!
Use essential oils in a diffuser. I prefer lavender diluted with water. As far as oil, I like this one from Mary Taylor Naturals ($14.95 from Amazon). It comes with a convenient dropper. This is the diffuser I use – I received it as a gift and I love it because of the many timing options ($24.99 from Amazon).

Spiritual

Pray. Talk. Send out good vibes. This one is open to interpretation, you don’t have to get on your knees for this. Sometimes, just putting my worries and fears out into the universe helps calm me.
Meditate. Even for 5 minutes. This is proven to lower blood pressure and boost mood.
Make a gratitude list. I have a post on how to do that here.

I hope this provides some ideas for those days when you feel like absolute crap. What do you do on these days? Have you ever tried any of the ideas above?

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