At the risk of starting off January with a post with a rather cliché sounding title, I wanted to write today’s post as much for me as for everyone reading it. Let’s just be honest, things in the world aren’t really that great right now.
Depending on where you live, your health, and all sorts of other factors some people seem to be managing fairly well but for others, things are hard and just don’t seem to be getting better. Christy and I continue to struggle with how to share content that is a distraction to what is going on in the world without also being oblivious to what is going on in the world. So, with that said I wanted to share some things I do to help cope with the heavier side of life and some of the things I am trying to do more of this year so each day can be a good day.
Gratitude
First off, starting with this because it helps. I own that I am guilty of grumbling about life but I find when I stop and take time to think about the good things I have that I always feel better. There is great truth to the saying, things can always be worse, right? My theory is this helps your mental state more when it’s an ongoing practice, I find trying to take a few minutes regularly to appreciate all that is good is a mood booster that has a cumulative effect.
A FRESH PERSPECTIVE
This has been inspiring to me in a new year, I came across this quote recently in the book It’s All Under Control by Jennifer Dukes Lee, and my perspective completely changed.
“(There is a) type of Western-world Christianity that promotes “self-care” more than taking up the cross–as if “resting in Jesus” means we need to take more naps and book weekly massages… God doesn’t call us to risk-free living…” She goes on to use the parable the servants and the talents to remind us that “As partners with God, we are called to invest what the Master has given us.” (not burying our talents and resources for ‘safekeeping’).
This reminded me that as a Christians we aren’t promised a life free from trouble, in fact we are called to take up our cross, so waiting for things to get better next month or next year may very well be futile. However, we are told to use our time and talents wisely while on earth so I am approaching this year with that in mind.
FREE YOUR MIND (from News and Social Media)
It is a proven fact that you can reduce your anxiety by turning off the news–and unfortunately nowadays that can mean staying off social media too. I find the less ‘noise’ I allow in the easier it is to stay focused on the things that matter most in life.
If you feel like this will make you entirely too disconnected and uninformed I find balancing regular news sources with something that looks for the positive instead of only sharing bad/scary/negative news helps reduce how stressed I feel. Recently I have been reading (at least skimming) Coffee and Covid each day because it gives counterpoint to all the doom and gloom being reported about the pandemic by most news organizations.
If you can’t give up social media all together, you can always “mute” friends on social media whose posts tend to make you feel riled up (and we all have those in our feeds). I keep our blog Instagram feed filled with other home decor feeds (and a few cooking/entertaining/travel feeds) and overall I enjoy the time I spend scrolling there. I am quick to unfollow someone when other topics start creeping in which allows it to continue to be positive and place to spend a few minutes.
Reach out to Friends
Remember when the pandemic started and people were having zoom happy hours? Connecting with friends is important even if you can’t get together in person. I have a few close friends I text with throughout the day about everything, anything or even nothing. Being connected is important, the saying we aren’t meant to do life alone rings true. I make it a point to check in with friends throughout the day especially when I am at home for long periods of time, it helps to feel more connected to the outside world.
Elevate the ‘Everyday’
I love this concept and I have been trying to do it more and more in my daily life. This simply means finding small ways to brighten your everyday tasks. I have tons of ideas on ways to do this but here are just a few of my favorite ways to make the mundane parts of life brighter that have now become daily habits.
Use pleasant, fresh smelling (non-toxic) cleaning materials when you clean. We all have to clean, and I like the Ms. Meyers line which I get from Grove.co. There isn’t anything wrong with plain old Windex but I just find that having a nicer set of cleaners (especially that smell good) makes the task more enjoyable. {You can see my cleaning closet here, another thing that makes cleaning easier!)
Take time to make everyday tasks less unpleasant. Listen to music (or an upllfting podcast) while you fold laundry or do the dishes instead of frantically plowing through. Worst case, consider it as alone time. My kids will try to scramble when it’s time to do the dishes so if nothing else it can be a chance for some peace and quiet. Also, things like pretty dishtowels, nice smelling dish soap and a scented candle help make everyday tasks more pleasant.{our laundry room is here}
Light candles. Especially on these early dark winter nights and if you can (or diffuse essential oils), a fire in the fireplace is nice too. Cozy blankets, fresh flowers, anything that makes your space happier and your day better is fine, it is OK treat yourself. {our kitchen is here}
Improve Drive Time. If you are in the chauffeur stage of life (always driving your kids around as I am most days) or if you have a work commute, keeping your car clean and use these air fresheners (based on our favorite laundry detergent) makes driving more enjoyable. Again podcasts or audio books also make that time pass more pleasantly. Note: We love this portable vacuum which makes it easy to keep our cars clean.
Plan meals and try new recipes. (Unless you hate to cook and in that case, maybe try a new meal subscription service to change things up?) I enjoy cooking but constantly struggle with being prepared, as well as having time to cook while juggling all our evening schedules. I find my success rate is higher when I actually plan out meals (while allowing for flexibility) and prepare for dinner on busy nights ahead of time by meal prepping. I also enjoy finding new recipes online and trying them on nights when I have more time. {you can find more about meal planning in this post here. }
Physical Health
Being outside, moving around. Getting fresh air always makes me feel better even on the grayest of days. I admit at this time of year it is a huge struggle for me to do this regularly (I really hate being out in the cold!) but even if I can’t get outside just stretching and some light yoga helps me feel better. Someone said to me once ‘sitting is the new smoking’ and I dare say that she is right!
Drinking water. Thankfully this isn’t something I struggle with, I pretty much only drink water during the day (after of course, coffee in the morning!) but I know some days I still don’t get as much water as I need. I keep a Yeti cup filled with water that I refill throughout the day but I am eyeing this glass cup with a straw for even more motivation.
Take time to do what you love. My husband is great at pursuing his hobbies and I truly believe that keeps him in balance. He makes it a priority to go fishing after dinner, or hiking on Saturday or hunting when the season is in because those are things he loves to do. I admit that I am not as good as he is at carving out time to truly do things that make me happy, but I am working on being better at it this year.
Get organized to lessen the load in your brain. I find I am less stressed when I brain dump all the things I am trying to remember all the time. Especially as the wife, mother, employee, volunteer, chef, etc. etc. etc. Writing it down releases it from my head and allows me more time to think creatively. I just ordered this pretty floral planner to help keep all the blog schedules and tasks organized, it would be great to keep all of life’s things on track.
What ideas do you have to improve everyday life? I’d love to hear!
XO,
Please visit my Health and Wellness website 11MLWellness here.
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Amy and Friends – Words from my favorite minister, who died years ago, was ‘be a blessing to others.’ I believe this is what God asks of all of us. Since I’m no longer working, I seek ways to do just that – small and big. I love to bake and am always sharing with anyone and everyone in my town of 12,000. As you can imagine, many of these folks know me by now! ha. And for how the world can seem, at times, It’s not that my head is in the sand, yet I can start feeling helpless too. So I focus in what I CAN DO and that is hopefully making a difference in someone’s day as it has a positive effect on mine too. Remember no small word or deed goes unnoticed, and such an act is for all to see the face of God when doing so…….giving hope all will be ok. Keep the faith Friends! ox
This is excellent advice! Thank you for sharing, we all should take this to heart! I appreciate your thoughtful words (as always!).
XO,
Amy
A really helpful post, Amy. Thank you.
Thank you Liz, I am glad you enjoyed it!
XO,
Amy