101 Ways to Feel Better Today – Page 8

February 24, 2020February 19, 2020

#31 Challenge Yourself

You don’t have to learn to fly, but you can if you want

When we are born, everything is a challenge. We can’t do much other than eat, poop and sleep. Soon we begin to control our bodies, learning to sit up, crawl, stand up and eventually walk and run. It’s a lot and it doesn’t happen overnight.

Every time we turn around there is a new challenge. Learning to read and write, going to school, graduating, playing sports, making friends, getting married, having a family and everything else that we do is all a challenge. Some things come easily to us and others don’t. Still, we move through life with a trail of accomplishments in our wake.

Sometimes as we get older we don’t feel the need to challenge ourselves anymore. This can lead to apathy and depression and it doesn’t need to be that way.

February 23, 2020February 18, 2020

#30 Pray

I am so small in a world that is so big. I acknowledge that I have no idea how any of it works

Such a simple little word, and yet this could ignite a lot of different feelings in many people. When I speak of prayer, it doesn’t need to carry any religious connotations with it. It is simply an acknowledgment that we don’t need to feel alone and that asking for guidance or support from something outside of ourselves is a vibrational request that can make us feel better.

Feeling alone is a big problem in society. Some of us can be surrounded by people and still feel isolated. Being able to ask for help from others is something that many people don’t feel able to do, so turning to prayer can be a perfect solution. It can be a lifeline when you feel overwhelmed.

February 22, 2020February 18, 2020

#29 Drink Coffee

Coffee does the body, and the brain, good! -Photo credit MrWillWong.com

The research is in – coffee is good for both your brain and your body.

If you know that you can’t tolerate coffee, then don’t drink it. Not everyone metabolizes caffeine the same way so stick with tea or even hot water with a little lemon in it.

Otherwise, if you enjoy a cup or two of coffee, it looks like you are doing something that is actually good for you. We have been told conflicting things throughout the years but research seems conclusive that drinking a reasonable amount of coffee daily has many health benefits. Remember that it is the coffee that is healthy, not the sugar and fat that you might add with it. Taking a cup of coffee and turning it into a milkshake with whipped cream is not the best idea.

February 21, 2020February 21, 2020

#28 Reach Out and Say Hi

I will always make these wonderful ladies a part of my life, even though they are far away

Do you ever think of someone who you haven’t heard from in a long time and wondered how they are doing? Or maybe you had a disagreement with someone and haven’t talked to them since, waiting for them to break the ice. This is a good time to reach out and say hi.

It doesn’t matter how long it has been, or if it should be the other person who makes the first move, or whatever other excuse you can come up with for not doing this. If there is someone who you would like to catch up with, then be the one who initiates contact.

February 20, 2020February 20, 2020

#27 Say What You Mean

Choosing words is important when they are broadcast to the world -Photo credit MrWillWong.com

Communication is a skill. We either do it well or poorly, and how we communicate affects a big part of what our lives look like. We can completely alter the way people feel towards us with the words that come out of our mouths.

Good communicators say what they mean and mean what they say. When others know exactly what you want, then there can be no misunderstandings. If you don’t express yourself well, it can lead to arguments, mistakes, and hurt feelings. Sometimes what you mean to say isn’t exactly how it comes out and that can end up producing results you didn’t intend.

February 19, 2020February 16, 2020

#26 Be Nice to You

Love the person in the mirror even when you don’t want to

There are a million ways that this can be done, but there is one that might be a little challenging for many of you. Look in the mirror and say to yourself out loud, “I love you.”

So much of our time is spent belittling and berating ourselves, remembering all of the things we messed up, did wrong, overlooked, lost out on, screwed up, and didn’t do perfectly. Then we look at our bodies and they are too tall, too short, too fat, too thin, too old, too achy, unable to do what they used to do, and again, just not perfect.

We can be cruel. When you are cruel to yourself, it is much easier to be cruel to others. It is also much easier to be unhappy, joyless, and depressed. So today, tell yourself that you love you. Then tell it to yourself like you mean it.

February 18, 2020February 16, 2020

#25 Make Art

A friend took a picture of me and then did this. Very artistic indeed!

I have basically zero artistic abilities. I can’t draw anything that looks realistic, and I have no eye for painting. I have never tried sculpting but based on my other creative abilities, I’m pretty sure I know how that would go.

But I like to make art. I like to doodle or to do calligraphy. Even just drawing figure eights repeatedly or hearts seems to be enough. There is something soothing about taking a pen or pencil and gliding it over a page. Even finger painting would be fun, but a little messy. Still, any outlet where you can shut off the analytical mind and just let the creative part of you flow is worthwhile.

February 17, 2020February 15, 2020

#24 Go to Bed Hungry

A healthy meal that provides all of the nutrients your body demands will keep you from snacking all evening

If you have a habit of snacking at night, and many of us do, this one might be a little more difficult. Just try it for one night and see what you think.

Going to bed a little hungry doesn’t mean starving yourself. It means that after you eat supper, don’t continue to eat right up until bedtime. At least three hours before going to sleep, consume nothing other than maybe some herbal tea or room-temperature water.

This one little change could actually make you feel better within 24 hours.

February 16, 2020February 16, 2020

#23 Set a Goal

Life stretches out ahead, seemingly endless but not so at all

The sky is the limit with this one. Today, take a few minutes to think of something you really wish to accomplish. It can be anything, like losing ten pounds, learning to speak Japanese, traveling to Thailand, or finishing a project you started. Whatever would fill you with a real sense of accomplishment is a good direction to turn.

We all have things in life that we would like to do, but somehow we don’t make any progress on them in real time. That means, you are doing nothing today to get closer to getting or doing the thing you want.

Wishing to do something and actually setting a goal to do it is completely different. The former is passive, while the latter requires action.

February 15, 2020February 13, 2020

#22 Eat the Rainbow

When the fridge is full of food like this, it’s easy to eat the rainbow

Sometimes when I go grocery shopping I like to look at the carts that other people are pushing around. Some carts are full of things in boxes, bags, packages and containers. Most of the stuff looks dry and colourless. Potato chips, cookies, cereal, milk, frozen pizza, and a bunch of other stuff is popular, with the only colourful thing being the bright orange on the boxes of Kraft Dinner.

It’s just as easy to fill the cart with fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, but that isn’t how we have been conditioned to eat in this society. If you were born after 1970, it’s a certainty that you grew up with McDonald’s and Fruit Loops as constant companions.