My Top Ten Blues Blasters (Book extract from Housework Blues)
Some days, for no particular reason, you’re just in a slump. You’re human. It happens. So, for these occasions, you’ll need to bypass logic and go straight to emotions.
Cue my Top Ten Emergency Uppers…
Remedies for Housework Blues
1. Look for the silver lining.
However bad things are, there is always something positive you can focus on. If it’s any consolation, there will always be someone worse off than you.
2. Find clues in the opposite.
If things are getting you down, that’s a clue to what would bring you up – so focus on that. Collect images of how you would like things to be. Select pictures or photos of your ideal situation. If the state of the house is depressing you, look at pictures of beautiful interiors. If your children are driving you mad, look at a photo of them being angelic and adorable.
3. Know your Rescue Remedies.
Make a list of all the things that always make you smile, no matter how low you go. It could be books, places, people. Look for the sparks, those little gems of life that always bring a smile to your face. Only you know what they are.
4. Treat yourself.
Make the time. (It will benefit everyone.)
5. Call The Blues Police.
Be alert for bad moods, notice when you are getting grumpy or moody. It’s much easier to snap out of the blues before they get a hold. Try to spot any patterns of bad moods. For example, if you get tetchy on certain days of your cycle, you can take vitamins or make changes to your diet. Or if the morning-rush puts you in a foul temper for the day, search for ways to life run more smoothly.
6. Play that tune.
Music is a powerful mood-booster. It’s hard to feel gloomy with your favourite song in your ears. Even better, sing along – loud! It will raise you spirits and your energy levels and it’s fun!
7. Eat, drink and be merry.
There are certain foods that stimulate happy chemicals within our bodies. Chocolate is the obvious one. Weigh up your nutrition/weight goals with the effect of unhappiness. What you gain in calories, you may burn off with increased vitality and joy. There are less calorific options, though. Did you know brown rice has anti-depressant qualities?
Drink, used sparingly and responsibly, can also be helpful in offsetting a downward spiral. We all need a little something to take the edge off a bad day. However, practice caution – a glass of wine may soothe your worries, but a bottle may increase them!
8. Go naturale.
Getting out in nature gives us perspective. Our misery somehow pales in significance when we consider our place in the grand scheme of things. Mother Nature has the capacity to heal our hearts and soothe our souls. Naturally.
9. Breathe.
Getting more oxygen into our lungs calms us both physically and emotionally. So, get a good lungful of air, the fresher the better. Breathe deep. And be happy that you can.
10. Keep a good sense of humour.
Often the things that really get to us would actually be quite funny – if they were happening to someone else! The ability to laugh, despite everything, is a powerful skill. It’s a fast-acting Blues-blaster but it will also keep you healthy and youthful. And smiling.
This post is an extract from Housework Blues - A Survival Guide - available now in paperback and ebook formats.
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