A stressful morning, missing the bus, stuck in a traffic jam, annoying colleagues, and a bunch of unfinished tasks waiting for your attention at the end of the day…we all know such situations, right?
Let’s be honest: Life is not always fun or easy. Sometimes, it just sucks.
And we all know that some aches last longer than the usual day-to-day struggles.
Now, unfortunately, there’s no way to avoid all negativity and pain in life.
Even if you are the mentally strongest person on this planet, you’ll face difficulties, and you’ll need to find new ways to overcome them.
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However, we can always choose how to handle difficulties.
Your greatest asset in life is the fact that you can always choose how to react to stressful situations.
And while a 5-minute meditation probably won’t change your life forever, it can indeed change your mood for the day.
And in the end, our days define our lives.
Or as Annie Dillard once said,
“The way you live your days is the way you live your life.”
Taking a few minutes off, unwinding, and investing some moments into your wellbeing might sometimes seem impossible, but in most cases, it’s the best decision you can make when facing hard times.
Sometimes, it really doesn’t need much more than a few minutes to bring some clarity and calmness into your day, no matter how stormy the moment might feel.
Take Deep Breaths
Sounds too easy to make a difference, right?
But it does.
Sometimes, all we need to do is to take a few deep breaths and remind ourselves of what truly matters in life.
Too often, we get overwhelmed by everyday situations, and in most cases, it’s because we are not present but concerned with too many things at the same time: work, social media, the kids, preparing dinner,…
During these overwhelming moments, we feel as if the whole world is pushing us down, and we just want some peace, right?
And while there is no stop button in life, a few deep breaths can sometimes act like one.
Sometimes, a quick meditation or even a few silent moments are all we need to align ourselves with our energy and get rid of moments of anxiety and stress.
As Frank Sinatra once beautifully said:
“Take a deep breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again.”
Grab Your Favorite Drink
Ladies and gents, self-care really doesn’t need to be complicated.
Sometimes, a few calm minutes with your favorite drink can help to calm down and regain your mental clarity and energy.
When I first got this tip from a mental strength coach, I laughed. But then I gave it a try and quickly realized how powerful a few calm minutes with a warm (or ice cold) drink in your hands could be if you are fully present.
It’s crazy, but most of the time, we are ignoring simple strategies that make us feel good because we believe we don’t have enough time.
Guess what?
We all have enough time for a pleasant afternoon coffee or a refreshing glass of water. And once we respect ourselves and our mental energy, we realize how powerful these calm moments can actually be.
Seriously, next time you go for a coffee break, go alone, mute your phone, add a little cinnamon, or any other flavor of your choice on top of your drink, and simply enjoy the warmth of your cup for a few minutes.
Mindfulness doesn’t need to be complicated.
Sometimes, a nice drink and a few minutes of calmness are all we need.
Stretch
Again: Easy, peasy, but effective.
In today’s world, we are so used to sitting in front of our screens all day that we slowly kill our bodies without realizing it.
Sometimes, when we can’t concentrate anymore and feel like we can’t make it through the day, some stretching exercises can be life-saving.
I’m working from home, so I know that’s easier to do for me than for many people working in big offices but as Judy Law once stated:
“If there’s a will, there is a way.”
Make time for yourself. Even if it’s just ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the evening, take that time to care for your mental and physical health because the moment we stop caring for our health is the moment we start losing it.
Organize or Tidy Up
As Marie Kondo states:
“Discard everything that doesn’t spark joy.”
Tidying up or simply organizing your workplace can work wonders if you feel stuck.
The clearer your space, the calmer your mind.
Even a 5-minute tidy up can be enough to get rid of all the junk that burdens you and lead to a calmer, more relaxed state, and more creativity as well as productivity for the rest of your day.
Write Down What You’re Grateful For
Most of us are so blessed and prosperous that we don’t even realize how much we actually have.
We continuously strive for more. More money, more likes, more affection, more appreciation…instead of sitting still for a minute and appreciating what we already possess.
The most valuable things in life aren’t things anyway.
What truly matters is health, love, and passion. Yet, these are also the things we fail to appreciate most of the time.
Whenever I feel angry, unproductive, or just off-the-path, I grab my journal and write my blessings down. Having a home, my family, my boyfriend, having access to clean water, having enough food, being healthy, having access to education… too often, it’s the small things that truly matter, but we forget appreciating those.
Sometimes, this takes five minutes, and some other times, I spent hours on it.
Once you start writing down the blessings in your life, you’ll realize how many of them you actually have, and you’ll begin appreciating them even more.
Repeat Powerful Affirmations
Along with gratitude journaling, practicing affirmations is my most favorite way to get into a positive state.
Self-care often means aligning with your big vision and investing time and energy into making your dreams come true.
Affirmations are an incredibly powerful tool to reconnect with your higher purpose and raise your energy whenever you feel down and unmotivated.
For example, write your favorite affirmations on a sheet of paper and place it in your wallet or inside your phone cover and whenever you feel powerless, pick it up and read or repeat your powerful mantras.
Will These Habits Transform Your Life?
We often overcomplicate topics like personal growth and happiness.
In fact, there is no holy grail to be more productive, happy, or successful. It all comes down to a few simple practices, and the only key is doing these things regularly.
No positive act will impact your life if you do it once or twice.
If you practice the right things regularly, however, you might change your life one small step at a time.
And that’s the whole point of life, right?
Becoming better one step at a time, increasing our happiness little by little, and eventually, finding satisfaction in what we have and who we are but still striving for progress because living means growing.
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