I don't know about you, but 2015 was a tough year. It had me on the ropes every other day, my entire life was flipped upside down nine days into it, and here I am at the end, much better off than at the beginning. But wow. Some of these past 365 days have been the hardest of my adult life. I don't know about you, but I need a year nap. See you in 2017, don't fucking vote for Trump.
If only. Here are 7 of my favorite, specific things to do when I am at the lowest of my lows, and all have a 100% success rate of making me feel better. Hope you can take something away from this and give it a shot!
1. Watch Bo Burnham's "What." This is approximately 1 hour of dry, passive comedic excellence. Bo Burnham is a young comedic genius. I turn this on (Netflix y'all) quite frequently when I feel awful. My boyfriend adores it as well, as does my sister. It is unbeatable. Caution: the first time I watched it, I did not like it and now I am OBSESSED. Sit through the whole thing; I don't know why the first watch doesn't feel right, but I have heard the same thing from other Bo lovers. First watch was rough, but now they love it. Maybe it's subliminal messaging. Who knows. But it is epic, and it is amazing. An absolute mood-fixer.
2. Listen to "Go Getter Greg", By Ludo. On option when you are short on time. This song has never failed to have me bee-bopping around by the first round of the chorus, even when I am in the shittiest of moods. It's funny, catchy, silly, creepy, and has a great tune. It's only a few minutes, what do you have to lose?!
3. Go To a Bakery. I mean...you know where this is going. Why going to a bakery will make you feel better: there is coffee, there are baked goods, and REAL bakeries have that adorably cute, quaint feeling inside. The food in the display case is beautiful and coordinated, there are giant chalkboard menus with little doodles, maybe there are a few tables inside that look older than you. An atmosphere that sweet, paired with a treat, can probably take your mind off of whatever is going on, even for a little bit.
4. Take a Shower or Bath. Sometimes something as simple as getting clean can make the biggest difference. Baths obviously have the added relaxation effect. You may even want to throw in a glass of wine with the bath or heeeeey a shower beer! Who doesn't love a good shower beer? If you've got great soap, even the aromatic effects can be a bit of a stress reliever.
5. Color a Picture. It isn't silly; adult coloring books (not naughty ones, get your head out of the gutter) are totally a thing now. They have caught on as a stress reliever because they WORK. You give yourself an hour, put aside your phone, turn off the TV, get rid of distractions and just pay attention to coloring. For one hour, the hardest decision you have to make is what color to make that leaf. It's fantastic! Widely available at Barnes & Noble.
6. Watch a Charlie Brown Movie. As I type this, I am about to partake in this special number six. I am tired, I had four patients today, I haven't eaten, my dog pulled dirty laundry out of my hamper while I was at work, it's cold, my boyfriend has to work all day...so yes. I feel like s*&t and am going to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. This is a great feel good activity because Charlie Brown's character was created to have accentuated flaws and personality traits that everyone can relate to, AND BOY DO I. So by watching this, I can feel empathy for my man Chuck, laugh at the silly things they all say, and feel a twinge of nostalgia about watching this movie in years past.
7. Call Your Mother. Even if you refuse to admit it to yourself, this works like a charm. Mothers have magical powers of logic, reason, and comfort. They can answer the questions you didn't know you had and remind you of your worth. They can explain to you the why and lay out for you how and when it will get better. Moms have all the right words and put them in the right order. Call your mother. She loves you.
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