Everyone feels low sometimes. The lows people feel are often related to something bad happening at work or home or even just the general blahs. It’s the little things or even nothing at all that can bring about the blues every now and then. Sometimes those lows can seem continuous and even become a rut. When this happens frequently, things feel pointless and it’s hard to feel happy. If this becomes severe enough, it may be diagnosed as major depressive disorder.
But most people aren’t dealing with depression. Most people are dealing with the blue moods of everyday life. And if these lows are happening to you, you may want to create habits that fight the lows before they even occur. You can create a blues-beating schedule every day.
What Is a Blues-Beating Schedule?
A blues-beating schedule is a way of scheduling mood elevating habits into your daily life. Sometimes these are tiny things and sometimes they’re bigger, but they all work together to lift your mood. It’s important to realize that while a whole day is outlined below, you don’t need to do every activity in order to feel its effects. Even just adding one or two activities to your day can make a difference.
A Blues-Beating Schedule
(Note that times are approximate but used for illustration.)
7:00 a.m. – Wake up and don’t hit the snooze button.
One of the things that can bring about a low mood is not sleeping well and one of the things you can do to improve your sleep is to wake up at the same time every morning. This means not hitting the snooze button and waking up at the same time every morning, even on the weekends. While this sounds difficult, over time it becomes easy. Doing this will help regulate your circadian rhythm – your sleep-wake cycle and improve your sleep at night. This improved sleep will make waking up easier. Try to make sure you have eight hours of time you can devote to sleep every night.
7:10 a.m. – Take a moment to breathe or even meditate.
Many people find that relaxation or breathing exercises in the morning can set the tone for the day. A short meditation – even just five minutes – can do this too. If you choose breathing exercises, place your hands on your belly. Make sure you stand up straight, feet firmly planted on the floor and breathe slowly and as deeply as possible. If you’re doing it right, you should see your hands moving out and in as you inhale and exhale.
While you’re relaxing, breathing, or meditating, try setting a positive thought for the day. It can be something you’d like to accomplish or just something that is generally positive. This can help put you in the right mindset to take on the day.
7:30 a.m. – Eat a healthy breakfast
We all know that our body runs on fuel and yet we often neglect to give it the fuel it needs to run well. But don’t worry, you don’t need to even turn on the stove to make this happen. If you’re not sure what to eat, try overnight oats to make your morning run smoothly and feel full for hours.
A basic recipe for overnight oats is the following.
Combine in a container with a sealable lid:
1/3 cup milk (non-dairy works, too)
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup yogurt of your choice
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
Put the lid on the container and shake to combine. Leave in the fridge for at least three hours before eating.
That’s just the basic recipe, it’s even better when you jazz it up with berries (frozen work well here as they are less expensive and thaw overnight) or even flax or chia seeds for extra texture, flavor, and nutrients.
Note here that while a cup of coffee might be a great pick-me-up in the morning, having more than one or two cups can actually increase anxiety in a person.
Noon – Eat a healthy lunch.
Some people don’t take the time to eat a healthy lunch and that is a mistake. It’s hard for your body to maintain a good mood when it’s hungry all the time. Now is the perfect moment to take time away from your work eat slowly and mindfully and enjoy every bite. Make sure to include protein in your luck and avoid processed foods and sugar, if you can, to avoid that mid-afternoon energy slump. You can also choose to chat with your coworkers now if that’s something you like to do. Adding a social component to your workday can also help beat a low mood.
12:30 p.m. Go for a walk.
After you’ve eaten your lunch don’t just go back to your desk, try going for a walk outside instead. Connecting with nature and getting some fresh air can go a long way to beating the blues and so can getting a little exercise. While a 30-minute walk may not feel like much, it’s infinitely better for your physical and mental health than being still or sitting all day. In fact, if you walk for 30 minutes a day, you’re much more likely to lose five pounds over the course of a year rather than gain them (as the average American often does). Yes, vigorous exercise is great for your mood too, but if that’s out of reach right now for any reason, a walk can do in its stead.
5:30 p.m. – Get social.
If you’ve spent all day with coworkers, clients, kids, or solo, it’s time to make a social connection of your choosing. Phone a friend. Chat. Make plans for the weekend. Decide how you’re going to maintain or make new social connections. These connections can help defeat a low mood and deserve your attention on a daily basis.
6:30 p.m. – Eat a healthy dinner.
Now take the time to make and eat a healthy dinner. Make sure you’ve got lots of leafy greens on your plate. Also, this is the perfect time to make sure you’re eating your omega-3s. Omega-3s are fatty acids that are required by your brain and ensuring you eat enough of them can improve your mood. You can find omega-3 fatty acids in cold water, fatty fish like salmon, and as well as in nuts and seeds among other things.
Just like with lunch, try to mindfully eat. Don’t wolf down your food while zoning out in front of the TV – that will make it more likely that you’ll overeat. Rather, eat slowly and enjoy good conversation, if that’s available to you. Sometimes a good book can make great company at the table too.
10:00 p.m. Wind down.
Now it’s time to set the scene for a good night’s sleep. One way to increase the chances of a good night’s sleep is to develop a sleep routine. A sleep routine is simply activities that you repeatedly do at night before you go to bed. Developing a routine before bedtime trains your brain to sleep as part of the routine. It makes getting to sleep easier in the long run.
Your sleep routine should include getting away from all screens. The light coming from screens can activate the part of your brain that signals wakefulness and alertness. Reading a book with a task light is a perfect activity during this time.
Other things that could be part of a sleep routine might be taking your dog for a walk, practicing yoga, meditating, doing relaxation or deep breathing exercises, brushing and flossing your teeth, taking a shower, cleaning the kitchen, journaling, etc. Anything that is quiet and gentle is a good activity to choose. Some people also like to make note of three things for which they are grateful that day during this time. (You can do this in a journal specifically for that purpose if you choose.)
11:00 p.m. Go to sleep.
Just like you need to wake up at the same time every day, you need to go to bed at the same time every night as well to get quality sleep. This benefits your circadian rhythm and mood. Other tips to get a good night’s sleep include:
Make sure your bedroom is at a cool temperature.
Make sure your bedroom is pitch black (or use a sleep mask).
Avoid shift work, if possible.
Make sure your mattress, sheets, and pillow are all comfortable.
Also, don’t use your bedroom for anything other than sleeping and sex (never work). This trains your brain to associate that room with sleep. This will help you get to sleep more easily when you lie down in bed.
Any time – Get help when you need it.
While it doesn’t need to be mapped to a specific time, make sure to reach out for help for a low mood if you need it. A blues-busting schedule is great, but it won’t help everyone, and if you find your mood is getting worse instead of better, it’s time to seek out the help of a professional. A medical doctor such as your family doctor, or a psychologist are great people to seek help from. Remember, it’s easier to fix a small problem than it is to fix a large, ongoing one, so get help sooner rather than later. Also, remember that it shows courage – not weakness – to acknowledge the need for help. We all need a helping hand sometimes and that’s okay.
Natasha Tracy B.Sc. is an award-winning writer, speaker, and consultant who lives with bipolar disorder. She is a mental health thought leader and subject matter expert in bipolar disorder. Natasha has written 1000s of articles on mental health around the web and is the author of two award-winning blogs: Bipolar Burble and Breaking Bipolar.
Feeling Anxious? Here Are 10 Ways To Naturally Alleviate Your Anxiety To Start Feeling Yourself Again
Decisions.
Most people make decisions by adding more to their life.
‘I must do this…’
’I must do that..’
‘If I can just do xyz, my life will be better…’
But, take a step back for a second. If we dig into the word ‘decision’, we learn it’s a Latin word that means ‘to cut off’. And if you think about it, that makes sense.
Why? Well, a closely related word ‘incision’ means something similar:
“Incision: The action or process of cutting into something”
So with that in mind, in order to reduce and even eliminate our anxiety, the first step is to make a decision to remove (or ‘cut off’) the ‘triggers’ that may be causing it to creep up on us in the first place.
However, we’re all different. What causes my anxiety might be different from what causes yours.
So, as you learn more about yourself and what causes your anxiety, it’s important to note what things you should stop doing – both in terms of reducing your anxiety right now, and preventing it from happening in the first place.
It’s basically impossible to move forward with relieving your anxious thoughts without digging a little deeper and focusing on the root of the problem.
10 Things You Should Stop Doing If You Have Anxiety: As you learn more about yourself and what causes your anxiety, it’s important to note what things you should stop doing when you’re feeling anxious.
These certain things contribute to your anxiety and weigh you down.
It’s basically impossible to move forward with relieving your anxious thoughts without digging a little deeper and focusing on the root of the problem.
10 Things You Should Stop Doing If You Have Anxiety
It starts with realizing the bad habits you’ve become accustomed to and changing them. We all have our own ways of thinking and triggers that make us anxious.
Below are some of the most common things that people do that make their anxiety worse and how you can start putting an end to them today.
#1 Avoidance
If you get anything from this post, please try to remember this: avoiding things that make you anxious will only result in you feeling more anxious.
In short, stop avoiding what’s right in front of you. This is giving your anxious thoughts exactly what they want. It causes you to isolate yourself and ignore all signs that you’re struggling or need help.
Examples of avoidance are:
Drinking at a party to make social interactions more tolerable
Being on your phone in a public setting to avoid eye contact
Calling in sick to work on a day you have to give a speech
Avoiding things can cause you to isolate yourself. And isolation makes it difficult to build strong relationships with people. When you become isolated it is also a lot harder to reach out to people when you desperately need it.
#2 Trying to fight your anxiety
Your anxiety doesn’t have to be your best friend. But it also doesn’t have to be your ultimate nemesis either.
It’s possible to find a happy medium with anxiety. That means that you’re able to get through the day without a panic attack or breaking down.
Stop trying to fight away your anxious thoughts and feelings. They are there for a reason. Instead, you can work on figuring out what’s causing your anxiety in the first place.
This is honestly what causes most of my anxiety. I’m a people pleaser and care way too much what other people think.
When I used to get home from work each day, I would quickly think over in my head how the day and each conversation went. I overthink SO much!
But, something that has helped is practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness slows down your thoughts and allows you to be more in the present moment instead of worrying about things you can’t control.
You learn to accept your thoughts instead of trying to fight them all of the time. This helps reduce anxiety and calms you down.
There’s a cycle that starts when you become anxious. Anxiety is caused by feeling worried and stressed by certain things in your life.
Then, being anxious & stressed all the time leads to feeling fatigued and burnt out.
When you reach burnout mode, taking care of yourself goes out the window.
This is when we tend to reach for the comfort food and do whatever we can to get by. We ignore our needs in order to survive.
It’s time to put a stop to this! You’re the only one who can end the cycle.
That starts with deciding to put yourself first and making a daily commitment to do something that benefits you in some way. If you need help creating habits to take care of yourself, check out this 30-day self-care plan.
#5 Drinking too much caffeine
I love coffee almost as much as my dogs… but with that comes its own limits.
You can have caffeine. But work on limiting it to one or two cups a day (preferably first thing in the morning).
Caffeine screws up with your sleep schedule if you drink too much of it at night. And a lack of sleep leads to higher anxiety levels.
#6 Self-sabotaging yourself
Stop tearing yourself down! You’re not a failure because you have anxiety.
Try to let go of trying to be perfect and stop that inner critic in your head.
Anytime you hear a negative voice in your head saying you’re not good enough, counteract it. For every bad thought you have about yourself, make it a challenge to find something good about yourself.
Try to even out the playing field a little bit.
#7 Drinking alcohol
Drinking should be an occasional thing, like for birthdays or holidays.
This is especially true if you’re currently taking anti-depressants to help with your anxiety. Alcohol lowers your serotonin level. This means it’s basically reversing any positive side effects your medicine is giving you.
And I’m sure you’d rather wake up in the morning feeling refreshed instead of groggy and irritated.
#8 Falling into a deep negative thinking trap
Mental health professionals call this type of thinking “rumination”. Basically, you have repetitive negative thoughts going on in your mind.
These thoughts turn into problems that never get solved. Constant negative thinking causes you to start feeling like a victim in your life. You can end up feeling like you’re not worthy of anything.
This negative thinking trap is also where you develop high levels of anxiety. You start to worry about a specific outcome of a situation before it even happens.
Rumination is a difficult thing to overcome, so don’t expect it to happen overnight.
Talking to a therapist or a professional can help you walk through these thoughts and finally move forward.
#9 Black or white thinking
It’s either all or nothing, there’s no in-between. Well, when you have anxiety there has to be an in-between.
Black or white thinking leads to procrastination. It makes you feel like everything has to be perfect or else it’s not worth trying.
Try to work on finding the gray colors throughout your day. Try to lower your expectations. This doesn’t mean you have to settle for less, it just means you won’t get disappointed so easily.
If you have a test coming up that you need to get an A on, work on expecting a B. Or if you hate change in your life, accepting the fact that change will happen is a grey area.
Letting go of black-and-white thinking means you are learning to accept things the way that they are, without feeling disappointed in the process.
#10 Assuming
Assumptions hurt everyone involved. When you assume your boyfriend wants to take you out to dinner, but he assumes you’ll cook dinner at home, a fight is getting ready to boil.
The main way you can get rid of assuming is by communicating better. If you think a co-worker is upset with you, be upfront and ask them.
Or if you assume your boyfriend is taking you out to dinner, shoot him a quick text to double-check.
Lastly, if you do jump to conclusions, forgive yourself and everyone involved.
It’s so easy to get frustrated and blow up on somebody because you assumed something different in your head.
Take a few deep breaths and recognize what went wrong, then focus on moving forward. This will help reduce anxiety levels.
Moving Forward
When it comes to changing your negative thoughts, avoidance, or assuming things, these habits are difficult to change.
Typically, these habits were formed long ago, when you were a kid. Based on how others treated you, you started to believe certain things about yourself.
My point is, that it won’t be easy to change old habits, but you definitely can do it. I just want you to be patient with yourself and realize that improving your mental health is a lifestyle change.
It won’t instantly happen, but the more work you put into it, the less anxious you will feel and the happier you will become.
Today I want to share some Strong woman quotes to uplift you when you feel down, or just to give you some motivation or inspiration. Share these with your friends who might need them more than you do. Sometimes the right quote can open up your mind and make you realize that you are not alone and that there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Because You might forget the good when you’re having a rough day.
When you’re feeling down, it’s important to remember the good things in your life.
And the good things that come from you specifically.
15 Best Strong Women Quotes
Your thoughts invade your sense of wellbeing making you question things about yourself. Like your worth and how much value you hold in the world.
One main thing to remember is that “this too shall pass.” Your bad thoughts and feelings will fade. You will feel better again.
You just have to trust this and believe this.
Here are 5 strong women quotes to remember the next time you are having a hard day.
1. I’m proud of the woman I am because I went through a hell of a time becoming her
No matter what you’ve gone through, you’ve made it to this moment.
Which means you will make it through the next moment and so on. You will get through these tough times. When you’re feeling down it’s so easy to think that things will never get better.
Something about our brain convinces us that life won’t get better. And yet it does, through time and patience.
2. I forgive myself and set myself free
Go easy on yourself. Forgive yourself for the things you’ve done to make yourself feel bad. Forgive your inner critic for the way she speaks to you.
Forgive any negative thoughts you have. These thoughts don’t define who you are, they are just thoughts.
Allow yourself to feel free from the judgment you place on yourself.
Even though today sucks, I know I will get through this. Repeat this a few times a day. You will get through this.
Trust that you will. Even when you don’t truly believe it. Remember the times that you struggled but you pushed through.
Use those times as evidence that you won’t feel bad forever.
3. What I think and what I feel doesn’t define me. I am more than my negative thoughts.
You have thousands and thousands of thoughts a day. A lot of which you choose to ignore.
Some of the thoughts that you ignore are very positive ones (that are true). And yet you choose to give value to the negative thoughts.
Thoughts are only true if you allow them to be, and you can choose to not give value to the negative ones.
They do not define who you are.
As a form of self-sabotage, making yourself feel bad is just a way to protect yourself.
It’s easier to feel bad than it is to feel better. Just remember that you are more than any negative thought you may believe.
4. I do not have to apologize to anyone for who I am
If others don’t fully accept you for who you are, that’s their problem. You should not have to change just to fit in.
Because no matter how much you change to make other people like you, there will always be someone who doesn’t like that side of you.
What helps instead is to just be yourself and attract the people who like you for you.
Because you don’t have to pretend or hide and you attract people who don’t ask you to ever be anyone but yourself.
5. I don’t have to have everything figured out, I just need to trust myself more
For some reason, we always think we need to have our lives fully figured out.
As if there will be this epic moment where you don’t struggle, you’re always happy, and you don’t have any more worries.
But, life doesn’t always work that way. Yes, you will feel great and happy.
But you will also feel sad and confused. And that’s the beauty of all of this.
You just need to remember that you don’t have to have everything figured out.
Even 80-year-olds don’t have their lives figured out, they’ve just learned to not care so much.
And I believe that once you let go of trying to have it all figured out, you will feel more at peace.
6. She wore her scars as her best attire. A stunning dress made of hellfire. – Daniel Saint
Never forget that if it doesn’t kill you, it will make you stronger. Don’t hide your failures or mishaps, be proud of the fact that you were able to make it through to the other side of the tunnel. Be an inspiration for other women who might be struggling to see or realize that there actually is a light at the other end of the tunnel.
7. Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it.
Strong women quotes can only help to make you think, they can only inspire or motivate you. But you need to know that sometimes it will feel as if you are standing alone with no one else to understand what you are going through. It is not easy to ask for help, but it takes bravery not weakness to ask someone for help.
8. A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. – Eleanor Roosevelt
The only way to build character is to face challenges head-on, and not be afraid. You can’t always control your circumstances or the situation you might be in, but by using your intelligence and your willpower you will make it through. And every time you make it through you build more armor as part of your character. Don’t let past actions or failures define you, take courage and determination in yourself as you have what it takes already. Believe and trust in your powers.
9. You may not be everything you thought you’d be by now, but you can be the one who loves, serves, and gives her all, and waters and nurtures every plant in the garden that God has already given her. – Morgan Harper Nichols
It’s easy to forget everything that you already have in your life when only staring at everything that is wrong. Sometimes you need to take comfort in looking at your current situation and look for the things that you can be grateful for. There are a lot of other strong women that aren’t as lucky as you.
10. Don’t let a little stormy weather get you down, there is always sunshine on the other side.
You are a strong independent woman, have faith. When life gets a little stormy or challenging, hold on and ride it out. Sunshine is usually right around the corner. The sun will always shine brighter than her fears.
11. Never ever mistake her silence for weakness. Remember that sometimes the air stills, before the onset of a hurricane. –Nikita Hill
Don’t forget that you don’t need to brag or tell everyone about your challenges or successes. Being silent is not a sign of weakness, in fact, the most powerful women of all time see the ability to be silent, listen, and then respond as their biggest asset.
12. You have to learn to get up from the table when love is no longer being served. – Nina Simone
Love is always worth fighting for, but to know when to give up or walk out is just as important. Sometimes giving up on one love opens up the doors for new love to enter your life. Never stay with someone for the wrong reasons, have the willpower and courage to stand up for yourself, and don’t be afraid of change.
13. A strong woman builds others up because she knows what it’s like to be torn down. – Anonymous
There is no better way to help yourself, than by helping others. The more you give the more you will get. Being able to help someone else will allow you to build up your own confidence and power. It is only when you realize that someone else needs more help than you do, that you start to heal yourself.
14. In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. – Albert Camus
You will only realize your true power and character when you face adversity and challenges. Experience is the king, and unfortunately, that is the only way to learn and grow. Experiences are required to test ourselves and it makes us realize how strong we really are (or aren’t), and that builds our character. With character comes confidence.
15. If you live off a man’s compliments, you’ll die from his criticism. – Cornelius Lindsey
You never have to validate your own worth through the eyes of any man. What other people think of you is their own business, and don’t ever let that define who you are. Don’t fall for fake compliments, and don’t take criticisms too seriously. Do not overanalyze these as they are only someone else’s perception of you. You know yourself better and your own compliments and your own criticisms are so much more valuable than those of others.
15 Strong Women Quotes – Conclusion
I hope these strong women quotes inspire you today.
Remember to be content with how your life is now and you’ll feel more grateful for what you already have. Also, have a look at our massive list of affirmations for women post.
Mindfulness is a state of mind, like “Nirvana” or “Zen.” It’s a set of beliefs you completely digest and believe in to make a better person out of yourself. Mindfulness is the capability to become fully aware and present of the moment we’re in without being detached by pressure or emotions.
Most people think mindfulness is something you “conjure,” but it’s actually something we all have but might not readily be able to gain access to due to lack of practice.
The concept of mindfulness has gained popularity over the last few decades, and so have conferences, webinars, and books about mindfulness. Even big companies like Google have adopted a mindfulness practice or two to help their employees minimize their stress and anxiety while maintaining a high productivity level.
However, not many people are aware of the beneficial impact that practicing mindfulness can have on their lives, and that’s a real bummer. Understandably, it could be a little tough to grasp the concept, let alone find ways to implement it and integrate it into your everyday life.
That’s why I highly recommend mindfulness books as a way to start practicing mindfulness. I’ve picked out the best mindfulness books on the market to help you better understand the meaning, process, and goals of the practice and have added a little summary of each. Let’s delve right into them!
My Ultimate List of Mindfulness Books in 2020
I’ve gone through countless mindfulness books to find you the most helpful ones. Some of them explain the “why” and “how” of mindfulness, while others give you a step-by-step guide on how to practice mindfulness and mindful meditation.
Some of them rely on real-life stories or examples, some rely on scientific research, and some make ties between the body and the mind. Whatever doubts or second thoughts you might have, read on to gain a better understanding and perhaps start practicing mindfulness yourself.
The raw emotions and truth inside this book are what made me list it as the first on the list of the best mindfulness books. It’s like a memoir of Dan Harris’ journey toward becoming a better person, and the fact that it’s so real makes it one of the best books for mindfulness and learning all about meditation and mindfulness practices.
To fight against a world that perpetually tries to put us under stress and anxiety to drive us to fuel its benefits, Harris tries to explain how mindfulness can help you remain compassionate and lead a fulfilling life.
If you’re like me and enjoy reading about concepts only when someone has tried them out and proven them successful, you’ll absolutely love what 10% Happier offers.
Mark Coleman knows very well how each of us has an inner voice, always telling us we’re not good enough, not doing well enough, could have been doing better, and what have you. This is why he’s incredibly compassionate and truly understands those low moments when you’re second-guessing and doubting your value.
This is one of the mindfulness books that teach you how to manage your inner thoughts, channel your emotions, and get on top of your game. Given that he’s a meditation teacher and therapist, Mark Coleman knows exactly how to help readers with mindfulness through compassion.
In each chapter, he goes through how the inner critic is created, and by understanding how it comes to be, the reader learns how to handle it with maturity and calmness. He plays on the idea of neuroplasticity, which is the ability to form new neural networks in the brain to learn new behaviors and patterns.
Not only does he suffice with his own story, but his book offers real-life stories of people whom he had helped guide toward practicing mindfulness regularly and effectively. The fact that Coleman’s narrative is informal and sounds like a close friend giving you genuine advice makes this one of the best mindfulness books discussing the topic.
Though both of them have “Harris” as a surname and have written some of the best mindfulness books, Sam and Dan Harris are not related. That’s except that their content, mindset, and helpfulness are!
However, this book is not as easy to wrap your head around as Dan’s. I’d recommend it for someone who’s had a bit of experience in the world of mindfulness and perhaps has read a couple of mindful books.
The way he sees it, a person must let go of his “self” or “ego” to actually lead a meaningful life. One must “wake up” from the state of being controlled by things like wanting to prove ourselves in certain aspects, and instead, focus on being better humans that are actively living life instead of going on autopilot.
It’s no secret that Sam Harris always questions what everyone else might perceive as “facts” to reach a better understanding of the world. This is why he addresses spirituality, which is often tied to religion, as something independent of religion.
This read is definitely one of the best books on mindfulness practices because its core concepts are actually applications of the concept.
Michael Singer believes in the power of one’s inner monologue. After all, it’s the sound that is continuously resounding in your head, all day, every day. This is why, in this mindfulness book, Singer focuses on directing this inner monologue toward a more beneficial direction that turns our “autopilot” mode into a more positive and peaceful standard.
What makes The Untethered Soul one of the best mindfulness books is that it encourages the readers to “observe” their thoughts as though they aren’t their own. This detachment can help you become ten times more mindful because the exercises it presents are calculated and clear, so it’s a good place to start getting more informed on the topic of mindfulness.
This also helps you realize that your thoughts don’t define who you are, but rather indicate that you have an active mind. What defines you is which of these thoughts you choose to feed, pursue, and live by.
A mindfulness book that is actually a step-by-step guide to reaching higher mindfulness levels, how great does that sound? What makes Declutter Your Mind an incredible read on mindfulness is that it comes with mindfulness practices, tricks, and tactics that enable you to work out your “now” muscle.
SJ Scott and Barrie Davenport believe that regrets belong in the past, and anxiety belongs to the future, so you shouldn’t dwell on either and focus on the present moment.
You can do so by realizing plenty of concepts like the paradox of choice, negativity bias, stress, and the number of issues you have to worry about that are beyond your means. Those are the pillars of the clutter in the mind, and those are the things that Scott and Davenport try to deal with in the book.
They give advice on how to declutter your social relationships, obligations, and even your home and surroundings. It’s so well-written, and integrated, and covers more or less all the questions anyone could have about mindfulness.
This is only one book of the many incredible Jon Kabat Zinn books on mindfulness meditation and mindfulness practices. It focuses on acceptance, a concept in mindfulness that is often overlooked and not given enough attention.
While each of us has our own issues relating to self-image, how people perceive us, and how to live a fulfilling life despite that, Jon Kabat Zinn finds that absolutely okay.
This book tries to tell you that it’s perfectly fine and actually normal to have these thoughts; the important thing is to envision the version of yourself you want to become and prepare the groundwork on how to get to this version, starting with the present moment.
The book offers motivation and guidance to mindful meditation exercises and explains how and why mindfulness could change your life upside down, making it one of the best books on mindfulness for both beginners and well-seasoned meditators.
You might have seen the Headspace app here or there, perhaps even used it, and enjoyed it along with many users whom it helped find ways to reduce stress and anxiety. It comes with a 10-day mindfulness challenge that you can use to learn the principles of mindfulness or jog your memory if you already know them.
The focus on “slow and steady wins the race” is incredible as the book (and the app) encourage you to engage in mindfulness practices for only 10 minutes per day, and the biggest testament to how effective mindfulness is would be the world of difference you start noticing after.
This is one of the best books on mindfulness because it was written by a former Buddhist monk. Andy Puddicombe has many years of experience when it comes to teaching mindfulness practices, which came after years of being busy and suffocating under the weight of everyday stresses.
It’s worth mentioning that Bill Gates has given this book 3 out of 5 stars with a fantastic review on goodreads.com, which speaks volumes about what this book has to offer in terms of reducing stress and improving the self.
In this book, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us through stories and practices how to access and hone our mindfulness skills. Not only is it an interesting read, but it’s also helpful and definitely leaves an impact.
This is because the book teaches you mindfulness through the most mundane tasks. Things you do every day like washing the dishes, talking to a friend, and eating a tangerine, all become mindfulness practices with what Thich Nhat Hanh teaches.
Its main focus is introspection and making it your default. Thich Nhat even incorporates actual steps to help you reach an introspective mindfulness state, which makes it a great book for both those who are new to mindfulness practices and those who want to improve on their mindfulness.
Mark Williams and Danny Penman make it very clear in the title of this book that they understand how the nature of the modern world induces stress and that they’re on a quest to help you reach a state of peace in such a dynamic.
Mindfulness by Danny Penman and Mark Williams is one of the few mindfulness books that actually offers a step-by-step guide with details on how to get to mindfulness.
Not to mention, the duo is pioneering in the world of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), which is the primary topic that the book discusses. You’ll find plenty of simple and effective mindfulness practices that you can start implementing right here, right now, to reduce stress, anxiety, exhaustion, and depression.
I love this book because it puts science as a cornerstone of methodology, which helps the most skeptic of people rest assured that the content is meaningful, helpful, and, most importantly, actually works.
This is not the first book by Jon Kabat Zinn that I mentioned on the list, but this book is definitely a lot heftier both in terms of actual size (a 650-page book) and in terms of information.
You should start reading Full Catastrophe Living after gaining the basic and introductory information on mindfulness from “Wherever You Go, There You Are.” With its size alone, this massive book showcases its message: doing something hard to get to easy living.
Besides the number of pages you’d have to go through, Kabat Zinn invites you to tackle another hefty task: spare 45 minutes per day to engage in mindfulness and mindful meditation. It also teaches you how to utilize mediation-based mind-body approaches to minimize anxiety, form a balance between your mind and body, as well as start healing.
Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, persistent depression, or debilitating anxiety, this book will help you get to a better place through mindfulness. It incorporates the science of mindfulness with the stats about its practices to show you how effective mindfulness can be.
From the title, you can tell that Cure is one of the mindfulness books that focuses on forming a tie or a bond between the body and mind. It investigates our brain’s impact on healing our body and how a damaged brain could make one’s body more prone to illness or accelerated aging.
While everyone knows that anxiety and stress could negatively affect your health (we’ve all suffered some hair loss or burnout after a stressful week at work), we hardly try to think about the positive effects a relaxed brain with healing thoughts could have.
Jo Marchant tries to focus on how our emotions, beliefs, and mere thoughts could bring the physical damage that’s a result of mental damage to a halt, or even reverse its effects.
With studies that prove that mindfulness and mindfulness meditation could protect us against mental deterioration or diseases such as depression and dementia, how establishing strong social connections enhances our health, and how patients can recover faster from surgeries when they have reliable and solid support systems, this is among the books that completely change the way you think about mindfulness.
Though she was initially skeptical of the topic of mindfulness, Jo well explains with clear compassion and backed-up research how mindfulness works as a placebo and can transform your healing journey through life.
Looking for some ways to feel better about yourself? Great! I have 19 mood and confidence-boosting ideas for you. We all have bad mental health days at times. What makes those days worse is how hard we are on ourselves.
There’s a strong mental health stigma out there that tells us we should be doing better than we are. And if you struggle with depression or anxiety, it makes you feel like a failure of some sort. But this is NOT true. Trust me, it’s not. And the truth is many many people struggle with their own mental illness. It’s not a bad thing and you don’t have to keep making yourself feel worse. Which is why I want to talk about some awesome ways you can feel better about yourself. Because YOU are awesome! If you need a reminder of that today, then here it is.
19 Ways To Make You Feel Better About Yourself
You’re doing the best you can. You’re trying and that’s all that matters. To make yourself feel better you need to be calm and realize the progress you want to see in your life will come. You will have days where you fall backward, and that’s ok. Because you will also have days where you feel on top of the world. To feel better about ourselves is a struggle we all face. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s possible to always feel better or happy no matter how perfect your life may be.
Striving for endless happiness is like striving for perfection… it doesn’t exist.
What does exist is learning how to accept who you are. That’s the easiest way to make you feel better about yourself. Whether you’re in a bad mood or a good mood. Trusting yourself and knowing you’ll push through the tough moments will turn you into a resilient badass. Sometimes that is what is required to make you feel better about yourself.
1. To feel better, pay attention to what your thoughts are saying
Instead of ignoring your thoughts, spend some time listening to them. What are they saying to you? If you aren’t feeling your greatest right now, why? Is it because of something not going how you expected in your life?
To make you feel better you need to identify your struggles and respect them. This can help you learn to listen to yourself more. From every experience and those small wins, remember what you did to make you feel better. Check out this book on Amazon which was a great read to help me feel better.
When you ignore yourself it’s easy to feel down because you haven’t fully accepted what your thoughts are trying to tell you.
2. Listen to yourself and make sure to take it easy
If you don’t want to see anyone today, clean your house, or get groceries then don’t! Basically to feel better, don’t force yourself to do something you hate. You might think “But I’m an adult and need to take care of my responsibilities.” which, yes is true. But, your chores can wait until you’re better. Cut your to-do list in half and just work on the things that you can. Sometimes our minds and bodies give us a sign, to tell us that we need a break.
To make you feel better, let the other things wait and listen to yourself. Today might just need to be a Netflix day. Yay!
3. Stop making yourself feel guilty for not feeling good mentally
When you’re depressed it’s really hard to act like you care about something when you really don’t. Like when your boyfriend wants to spend Saturday doing a bunch of errands and you’re over here like: I need to be in bed with no interruptions. Which can make you feel guilty for not supporting the people you love.
Your mind has other plans for you and you have to cater to that.
Sometimes to feel better you don’t have to feel guilty for giving yourself a much-needed mental health day. If it’s an everyday thing, then it’s always good to talk to someone about it.
4. Write out all your worries in a journal
When you wake up in the morning and already feel like today is just going to suck, get your thoughts out. Only you can make you feel better. Write down all of your worries about your life, about the day, and just about anything. This is a great way to reel in your worries and take care of your mental health. Because once you get these thoughts, you’ll feel better about yourself and be ready to take on the day.
One way to make you feel better, try out the Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal to help you let go of worry and anxiety.
5. Buy yourself something nice, the best way to make you feel better
When you’re not feeling good about yourself, make yourself go out and buy something nice. Take a trip to the mall or buy something on Amazon you’ve been wanting. Treat yo’ self! This is a good form of self-care to remind yourself that you matter and realize that you can feel better with a little bit of a splurge on yourself. Now, you don’t need to buy the whole store or anything but something simple that makes you feel good will do the trick. This could also just be some ice cream to help boost your spirits. Let’s be honest ice cream will always make you feel better even when everything else fails.
6. Eat a healthy & fulfilling meal
You can treat yourself and eat a healthy meal all on the same day. It’s called balance! Fuel your body with the proper nutrients that you need to improve your mental health. A healthy meal makes your body feel better which improves your mindset!
7. Trust yourself more
To feel better, listen to your heart. If you’re unhappy a lot of the time, listen to why that is. If you always say yes when you should say no, learn how to set boundaries. For the longest time I did not trust myself and I always looked to other people to boost my confidence. Make your own confidence. Don’t sit and wait for a sign, stand up and take accountability. But, this never lasted because when nobody was around I didn’t feel good about myself. I spent a lot of time learning how to trust my instincts and listen to myself more, and now I feel better about myself and my circumstances. This takes some time, but if you make it a goal of yours then you will start to feel better quickly.
8. Spend time with supportive people
To feel better, it helps to have a strong support system because you can’t always pull yourself out of a funk, or make issues just disappear. If you aren’t your best today, call up your closest friends. Vent to them or ask them to hang out so you can be around positive people. Positive people can make you feel better instantly. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the people who care about you when you’re struggling mentally, because they need you to reach out to them.
They won’t judge you and care about your well-being.
Sometimes you just need some good music to pull you out of a bad mood. Dance around to your favorite songs for 15 minutes. Tune everything out and put your headphones on. Enjoying yourself where you get out of your head for a while can help you gain a different perspective on things.
Even when you’re not feeling your best you can counter your bad thoughts with good ones. Write down your favorite qualities about yourself. Is it the way you easily forgive people around you? Maybe you’re a really good listener, or like being so easygoing. Whatever traits you have, make yourself write them down. And if you can’t think of what you like about yourself, write down the things other people like about you.
11. Hang out with animals
If you have any animals at your house, spend some time with them. Cuddle your cat or go on a hike with your dog and make some friends. And if you don’t (but do like animals), go to a nearby animal shelter. If you find an animal you like, you can ask to hang out with it. And who knows? Maybe you’ll even end up getting a furry companion! Animals can be a great form of therapy because they are so innocent and pure. They are very forgiving, provide an endless amount of love, and have zero judgment.
12. Cry it out
Crying is a way to release all the built-up emotions you have in your mind and body. Sometimes you just need a good cry session to let everything out. I definitely feel better about myself after I cry things out for a little bit. If it’s just one of those days for you where you do feel on the verge of tears, don’t hold it in. Allow yourself to feel however it is you’re feeling so you can get back to being your best self.
13. Break/Punch something
So if you’re sad you cry, and if you’re angry you can punch something. I keep getting this urge to break some dishes when I don’t feel my best. That is usually a sign that some good old punches or kicks are required.
But if you’d prefer to punch something instead, sign up for a nearby kickboxing class. This can help you relieve a lot of tension…
14. Get some alone time
If you aren’t feeling your best sometimes being alone can be just what you need. This helps you re-center yourself. You also block out all of the outside noise. If you have a judgmental family, a difficult work environment, or just feel super stressed out then being alone can help a ton. Either go to your bedroom and shut the door for the night, go on a hike and shut off your phone, or take a 2-hour long bath for some privacy.
15. Go on an adventure to make you feel better
Sometimes we don’t feel our best because life feels boring. If you’re stuck in the same routine and feel like your life isn’t going anywhere, change it up by going on an adventure. This could mean a trip to the next town over or a road trip vacation. You don’t have to wait for a sign. Depending on how you’re feeling, set up a plan to get out on an adventure and explore something new.
16. Take a mental health day
If you wake up in the morning and just cannot get yourself to go to work, take a mental health day. We all need this from time to time. And don’t feel guilty about it either! A mental health day is amazing when you’re overwhelmed and burnt out. If you know you won’t be able to focus or work productively today, then it’s best to take a break from everything. This can help in so many ways and it can actually benefit your employer because you’ll feel refreshed and recharged after a little mini-break.
17. Get some exercise
Go on a run, take a hike, or do some yoga at home. Your body and mind work together to help you feel your best. Make sure to take care of your body and listen to what it needs. It already knows how to make you feel better, you just need to guide it.
Activities like running or HIIT get your endorphins going and your heart pumping, so you’ll feel better pretty quickly. And if you’re looking to calm down and be more in tune with your body, then yoga, pilates, or a peaceful walk can help you get there.
18. Read a good mental health book
If you enjoy reading like I do and like to focus on self-improvement, here are some of my favorite books to read to help you feel better about yourself:
19. Help someone else
Sometimes what you really need to make you feel better about yourself is to help someone else. Look around your life and see what areas you can help in.
Are there people in your family who are going through their own struggles?
Do you have a friend who could use a break from her kids?
Pay attention to other people around you asking for help and lend a hand.
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A basic recipe for overnight oats is the following.
Now it’s time to set the scene for a good night’s sleep. One way to increase the chances of a good night’s sleep is to develop a sleep routine. A sleep routine is simply activities that you repeatedly do at night before you go to bed. Developing a routine before bedtime trains your brain to sleep as part of the routine. It makes getting to sleep easier in the long run.
