15 WAYS TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BETTER

1. Put in your ear phones – Listen to a podcast or some music, something that inspires or relaxes you, takes you out of your own thoughts and to a different place for a while.
2. Take a walk – Grab the kids, the dog or go by yourself. Enjoy the fresh air, a change of scene and get your body moving.
3. Clear the clutter – Clear all the worktops or table tops in your home, go through your bedside table, or check out these quick declutter projects. Set a timer for 10 minutes and see what you can achieve. It won’t change the world but will instantly make your home feel more manageable.
4. Meditate – Take 10 minutes to slow down, focus your mind and block out the noisy world around you.
5. Make a cup of tea or coffee – Sit down and enjoy drinking it whilst it’s still warm! Think about what’s making you feel down and what you can do to help lift yourself up when you’ve finished your drink. Sometimes all we need is just some mental space to re-group and find clarity.
6. Call a loved one – Have a chat with someone you love, who loves you and makes you feel good.
7. Give yourself a home spa treatment – Do your nails, wash your hair, put on some make-up. Do something to boost your feelings about yourself. When you have confidence and think you look good, you tend to feel a little better too!
8. Sing and dance – Turn up the music, sing and dance for all your worth! Just changing the vibes can change how you’re feeling and give you an outlet for any difficult emotions. Music can be a great source of therapy!
9. Read a chapter of your book or magazine – Take your thoughts to a different place for a while.
10. Get creative – Do some colouring, write a short story, write in your journal. Practice mindfulness and being present in the moment. So much of our negative emotions are caught up in how we’re thinking about the past, the future or things that are beyond our control. Be mindful and content being right here, right now.
11. Go through your wardrobe – Throw or donate the clothes that don’t fit, are worn out or damaged and that you don’t love to wear. Make space in your wardrobe so you can see what you do have and make it easier and quicker to get dressed next morning. That will take away one decision out of the thousands of others you’ll have to make throughout the day. One less decision means one less drain on your mental energy.
12. Write a gratitude list – One of my favourite ways of swapping negative thoughts for positive ones. Jot down 5 things you’re grateful to have in your life and focus on these when you’re feeling down.
13. Do something nice for someone else – Send a friendly text, smile at the next person you see, give a hug, write a love-note. Share your love and see what love comes back to you.
14. Go for a drive – Either on your own or the kids can come too. Turn up the music, explore your neighbourhood, get out of the house and see where you end up!
15. Reset your home – Home is where the heart is and when my home is messy, dirty or chaotic then my mind and heart definitely feel less than peaceful. Have a quick tidy of your home, create a calmer and more organised environment and maybe you’ll be able to find your own inner peace now too.

I hope you find these ideas helpful. Pick and choose which suits you best at the time. Not all of them will work for everybody all the time. It’s about finding what works for you.