Bringing our first beautiful baby home from the hospital was so special and exciting! It was a big life change that we had planned and looked forward to with great anticipation.
As with any big life change, there were times when my husband and I gave each other clueless looks as we wondered what to do with our little bundle of joy.
I remember wishing there was a handbook for parenting… and I wanted the feeling of “new normal” to come about! I didn’t get the handbook, but we did get a new normal that was well worth the wait.
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How Are You Doing?
The life changes that accompany these trying times that we’re all currently experiencing have me once again looking for a life handbook, and I also want life to feel normal again!
Unless you live under a rock, you have somehow been affected by the current world situation.
Although I feel like I’m one of the people who so far have been less affected, the anxiety in the air right now is wearing me down.
Are you feeling a little drained? I am.
My positive self knows that some good things will come out of this pandemic. We’ll all have new perspectives on life and priorities will likely be shifted.
On the flip side, I’m well aware of how very challenging things are for many people right now. No matter how you are affected by this chaos, my heart is with you.
Sooo… what to do about this world situation that’s slowly wearing so many of us down.
When my mood is not what I want it to be and maybe I’m feeling overwhelmed, the following are things I do to recharge myself.
My goal is to inch my way back to a place where I can maintain feelings of calm and joy. Recharging yourself on a daily basis is the best way to keep your energy positive.
5 Simple Ways to Recharge Your Mind & Body
1 – Get Some Fresh Air
Whether at home or work, get outside and enjoy some fresh air. You’ll get a boost of energy and you’ll get a fresh perspective on your problems.
The New York State Department of environmental conservation states that “research is showing that visiting a forest has real, quantifiable health benefits, both mental and physical. Even five minutes around trees or in green spaces may improve health.”
Whether it’s in nature or on city streets, get out there and enjoy the fresh air. You can simply sit on your porch. Or, go for a walk to receive the added physical and mental benefits of exercise.
2 – Hydrate
The human body is made up of over 50% water. We all know that as a general rule we should drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water per day. Yet, it is reported that almost half of American adults do not drink enough water on a daily basis.
Science-Based Benefits of Drinking Enough Water*
- Helps Maximize physical performance.
- Significantly affects energy levels and brain function.
- May help prevent and treat headaches.
* According to Healthline.com.
Healthline reports that staying properly hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your overall physical and mental health.
My tip for building a good habit of drinking enough water is to always have a water bottle with you. Fill your bottles at night so you can grab and go all day long.
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3 – Meditate
Feeling overwhelmed or stressed? Meditation may sound like a slightly woo-woo fix, but you will be pleasantly surprised at the results. Meditating for just a short time is like a shot of energy.
Benefits of meditating specifically related to recharging your mind and body are:
- Reduces stress
- Controls anxiety
- Promotes emotional health
- Enhances self-awareness
- Improves sleep
By meditating, you’ll learn to calm your thoughts and observe them without judgment. The ultimate goal is to better understand your thoughts.
Meditation can help you relax just long enough to recharge and get a fresh perspective on life. Take 10-20 minutes per day to close your eyes and become present with your thoughts.
> Don’t know how to meditate? You may be interested in reading Meditation: What It Is | Why You Should Do It | How To Start
> No time to meditate? Then this read is for you: How to Grow Your Calm with a 5-Minute Meditation
4 – Self-Care
Give yourself permission to take at least 10 minutes per day to do an activity that makes you feel good. I call it “me time” and it’s a real necessity when you need to recharge (and hold that charge).
Self-care can be as simple as curling up on the couch and listening to some relaxing music or reading a book. For more self-care activity ideas, read 31 Simple & Free Self-Care Activities for Busy Women.
Anything to help you rejuvenate from daily responsibilities, de-stress, and feel just a little pampered will help you be a better person – and therefore a better partner, parent, friend, etc.
A walk in nature with my dogs is one of my favorite self-care activities. Here’s a video with my thoughts about my mood that just wasn’t what I wanted it to be:
Be good to yourself and take time to recharge with some healthy self-care. Your health depends on it!
My Favorite Self-Care Products. (Click Image to Buy on Amazon.)
5 – Play!
Release your inner child! Have fun!
Yes, fun play may look different today than it did a year ago. We all need to make a choice: find new ways to have fun or sulk.
A group of us were going to go on an Alaskan cruise this summer, and of course it was canceled. Instead, we rented a pontoon and “cruised” the Wisconsin River for the day. Drastically different from our original plan, but still fun.
Bring back the yard games, help the kids make a blanket fort, go for a day trip and rediscover nearby attractions, or take a candle-lit bath. Whatever is your definition of fun play that is also considered safe in this period of time, go for it!
Proof That It Works
Through the skills and tools that I have learned from my journey as a Joy Coach (a Life Coach that focuses on building inner joy), I have practiced becoming aware of when I’m feeling down, drained, overwhelmed, etc.
So when I recognized I was feeling drained, I decided to do some much needed self-care. I took that walk (in the video above) with my dogs, and went to one of my favorite scenic views of nature.
The fresh air and exercise, along with the “play” that my dogs gifted me, all helped me inch my way to a new perspective. I even got inspired to write this post.
I can honestly say I’m proof that the above 5 tips to recharge yourself work! They’re not magic, but they are helpful stepping stones. Try to do at least a few of them on a daily basis to help maintain a good outlook on life.
Allow Yourself to Pause and Recharge
Let’s face it… life is strange right now. Eventually, things will normalize. It may be different, and there may be a new normal, but the world will stabilize.
Unfortunately there’s not a switch we can flip to get to a new normal. Until we get to that new normal, let’s all just do the best we can.
Be kind to yourself and have compassion for yourself when you feel drained. When your mood is not what you want it to be, recharge yourself!
If you were writing a handbook for getting through challenging life changes, what advice would you include? In effort to stand together, please share your best tips on how you recharge yourself in a comment.
If you would like to learn skills and tools to help you move your life forward, I invite you to schedule a free call with me. You’ll experience having me as a life coach who supports you as you transform your life.
I really-started my gratitude journal….you know one of those good habits I had let slide. During this time it seems especially important to remind ourselves of all we have to be grateful for.
Thanks for sharing, Anne. Couldn’t agree more, I also find a gratitude journal helpful in lifting my mood. It’s a habit that’s well worth the time!