Self-Improvement

The girls are currently tearing apart every cardboard box we have and creating musical instruments out of them 😊 (totally their idea, and I’m so proud!). So anyway, I have a minute to myself to jot some thoughts down.

I got some amazing news the other day. News so good it made me bouncy and happy, bright and optimistic. I felt like the word was my oyster, and anything and everything was available to me. I felt pure joy, contentment, love…it was wonderful.

And for a few days I’ve been sustaining myself on that happy, floating feeling. But then today came, and I got some other news that wasn’t even devastating, but it brought me down. And consequently, I’ve allowed it to poison my mood and ruin my day. That bubbly joy I’ve been feeling is gone and it’s been replaced with feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, hopelessness, sadness, fear, rejection, and the like.

I don’t like feeling this way. It makes me an annoyed, impatient mom, and an inconsiderate wife. It makes me feel like life is hard and unfair, like there’s nothing I can do to change it.

But…

But that’s just not true, is it?

I mean, just a few days ago I was literally floating on air, and now, mere days later, I feel hopeless and gloomy? And while I won’t give specific details, I will just say the news I got today is NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. If anything, it’s inconvenient, not what I was expecting, and just presents a challenge. But is it devastating? No! Is it going to change my life? No! Is it something I can’t work through—something out of my control? Absolutely NOT!

So how do I get out of this funk? How do I stop thinking and feeling like I’m a big piece of crap, and the world sucks, and life is unfair, and what’s the point in trying…blah, blah, blah?!!

• PUT THE PHONE DOWN!

Does anyone else “self-harm” by going on social media when they feel depressed? Just me? I don’t’ know why! I mean the last place I need to go when I feel down is freaking social media! Okay, maybe I’d find something uplifting, but for the most part, it tends to make me feel worse. Not only that, but I’m wasting so much time doing nothing, when I could be doing something productive—giving me some momentum to work through my gloominess.

• DO SOMETHING FUN!

Listening to happy, upbeat music is always my drug of choice. I also love bike riding with my kids, reading a book, listening to a good podcast (Awesome with Allison is a must), going for a walk, watching an uplifting movie (About Time is my favorite), jumping on the trampoline with my kids, wrestling with my kids, cuddling my husband, going on a drive, doing my makeup, getting dressed, etc. etc. These are small, simple things I can jump up and do without much prep work or planning. They are things that bring me joy, make me laugh, make me feel grateful, and lighten my mood.

• TACKLE THAT TO-DO LIST!

I already feel sad, and then I look around and see a messy house, there are errands to run, children to feed, and decisions to make. Typically, I don’t want to do anything when I feel down, but doing nothing doesn’t serve me—it doesn’t make me feel better, and it certainly won’t fix any problem I might have. Doing nothing just makes me feel worse. I know that when I do just one thing, even if it’s small (like making my bed) I start to feel a little lighter. That small thing leads to another, and another, and another. It’s called momentum people, and it is magical. Checking things off my to-do list makes me feel productive, and it’s kind of hard to sit and mope when you’re out there conquering the world 😊.

• FORGIVE YOURSELF!

Could today have gone better? Yes. Could I have done more to feel better? Yes. Could I have been a better wife and mom? Always. Do I feel a tad-bit of guilt for feeling this way? A little, yeah. But guess what, it’s okay to feel crappy sometimes. The important thing is not to sit in those feelings for too long. And guess what, feeling guilty about feeling bad also doesn’t serve me. Forgive yourself for not doing your best and move on. Tonight my kids are eating strawberry-Nutella sandwiches for dinner, and I will probably have taco leftovers (which is also what I had for lunch), but hey, everyone is fed! And that’s really all that matters :). Success!

If all else fails, I know tomorrow is a new day. I know my problems aren’t unmanageable, and I have the amazing choice to ignore them, or face them head on. Tomorrow, I’m going to wake up with a clearer mind, a more grateful heart, and a brighter spirit. I’m going to put my phone down, do something fun, and create some momentum. It’s Saturday, I’ve got the girls’ bedroom that is almost done, and a soon to be 8-year old’s pool party to enjoy 😊.

Life is good…because I say it is.