This week has been a rough one for me. Really due to my outlook and not so much as a result of of anything particularly bad going on. Sometimes, you just have a bad week, right? Nothing specific happens, it’s just the little stuff that gets you down. Well, that’s been my experience this week.
Though I guess if I’m being honest, I am feeling overworked and a little under appreciated. I’ve also been worrying about money too, as our older cars are starting to need more work done, the house needs some repairs and as Indie Fixx Jr. needs books for this semester. Not to mention being disappointed by some people in my life. And on top of that, this effing snow + cold is really getting old! Things just seemed to pile up for me this week.
It happens. Sometimes not so great stuff happens, and we just start to notice the negative in our lives instead of the positive. C’est la vie. Maybe it’s the darker times that help us appreciate the brighter times though. At least that’s the way I’m choosing to look at it.
I’m not saying that we should dwell on the negative, but when it happens, experience it, move on and use it as fodder to help you appreciate the good in life.
To that end, I’ve made a list of things that usually help me refocus my attention to the positive. How about you? What do you do to stop dwelling on the negative and reboot your outlook?
11 Things I Like To Do To Reboot My Outlook
1. Do something with nature. Work in the garden, if it’s spring or summer, or force some bulbs inside in the winter. Love these hyacinth cuttings in my office. The smell is enough to improve my mood!
2. Bake or cook. Planning something tasty is a powerful tool for refocusing my thoughts towards the positive.
3. Work on a crafty/diy project. I’ve been planning this project for some time and finally got it done. I call it my Rotating Wall of Art. I made a star garland from some Smock wrapping paper and underneath I hung some baker’s twine. I plan on using it to display my ever growing collection of prints from indie artists. Pictured are prints from Creative Thursday and Pistachio Press.
4. Take a walk. I find it very difficult to stay mad or sad, while I’m out walking. Don’t know what it is, but walking outside totally changes my perspective for the better.
5. Read a book or two or more.
6. Organize something. Taking some clutter that needs eradicating and turning it into order always makes me feel accomplished and usually improves my mood.
7. Do something girly. Painting my toenails, planning a look or playing around with all my jewelry and accessories.
8. Get a cup of tea. Whether some nice Darjeeling or some Honeybush, the act of making tea is very soothing to me.
9. Snuggle with a cat. With three in the house, there’s always one or two who will oblige with a snuggle.
10. Plan a field trip. Sometimes, working at home by yourself isn’t the best for one’s state of mind. I am planning a trip to Longwood Gardens, our local gardens and conservatory. Nnow I just need to find someone to go along with me.
11. Think about all the love I have in my life. Love photo by Jennifer Dennis Potter.
thanks for the support everyone. I’m definitely in a less funky mood this week. it could have something to do with all the snow finally melting and the temps rising a bit. I think humans should become a hibernating species. 😛
Seriously though, I do appreciate all your kind words and sharing your similar feelings. I don’t often share my non-positive thoughts and moods on this blog, but sometimes that’s difficult when I’m in such a funky mood. But I didn’t to channel that into a post that others would be able to relate to, while at the same time giving my own self some inspiration to improve my mood.
This is such a great post! I need this kind of motivation all the time. I especially like #11, because love is more important than anything. I need to remember how lucky I am to have the people in my life who care the most about me. Thank you.
thank you for the inspiration! i’ll go to longwood with you (i live in jersey) and absolutely love their gardens 🙂
we have been feeling very similar this past week. hope you feel better soon.
This may sound completely cliche but painting my nails with a bad movie and something fresh out of the oven is my perfect cure to a bad day. Thanks for your post, these are some great ideas!
stumbled upon your site today, and within the first few seconds was so pleased! love the look and love your posts! and I hope you’re “tickled” – I added your banner to my FAVES page.
Looking forward to following you!
it just happens sometimes, i totally feel you, add to the above: a hot bubble bath, a black and white movie, the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” kind, and if the worst comes to worst some retail therapy
Hang in there. Winter can be hard to get through. If it makes you feel any better, your blog always brightens my day.
I’ve done most of the things on your list this week… there’s been tensions, illness and frustration in the family to kick off the new year, and some very close friends lost a beloved pet this week — so I’m finding solace planning my veg plot, making over some clothes for the summer, planning my next collection, and reading through a stack of books one of the aforementioned friends lent me.
I think the key is in taking pleasure from simple things, and not holding on too tightly to what’s going wrong (which is often very hard!). And you’re completely right, without the bad, we wouldn’t appreciate the good 🙂
I hope things turn around for you soon! x
Jen, it is a great list. Taking a walk is always good, I only wish it was easy to remember to DO it when you are tired and want to go to bed… 🙂 Hope the weekend is a good one!
Jen,
Thanks for this honest and motivational message. You are not alone! 🙂 We all have times when it feels like everything is crashing down around us or that the work load is spinning out of control or that we aren’t getting the support we need from others. I really like your suggestions for “rebooting” – taking the time to step away from the cause of the stress can help us to shift our emotions and see the “issue” in a different light. Right now, I’m working a full-time job plus starting a small business with a friend plus running a blog with daily content. Some days I think, “Oh my god! What am I doing???” 🙂 For me, duirng this particular crazy, busy time, going to yoga 4 nights a week really helps – it’s my one time (only time, really) where I turn off the laundry list and mental chatter. Often, after practice I realize that I can let go of some of the thoughts that were bothering me previously. I can release a negative comment made by another or let go of forcing myself to complete every task on my to-do list.
What you do is really awesome and lots of folks appreciate it – even if they don’t show it all the time. 🙂 Hold on, spring will be here before you know it!
I hear you! I think it’s pretty typical to go through a crabby phase this time of year, at least for me. Honestly, my blog is one big way that I help focus on the positives – it serves as a sort of gratitude journal for me. But I actually just posted something similar yesterday about how to survive the winter:
http://mwazloves.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-appreciate-survive-winter.html