What do you do when the going gets tough?

Last week I found myself starting to feel overwhelmed and emotionally drained.

The coming of my female time probably didn’t help any, but we all have days or even weeks where we are just drained and need a charge. When you find yourself feeling like this, what do you do?

Well I decided to take note of a few of the things I did to recharge and ultimately get myself back on track.

For starters, with me at least, when I’ve had a rough day many times it starts with a rough morning which means I probably forgot or didn’t feel like making my bed. I really don’t think it matters what time of day it is, even if your just about to get in bed and mess it up again. Getting into a neatly made bed just always seems to have a calming effect. So, last Wednesday when I came home and decided I needed some self-care the first thing I did was make my bed. After I ate, of course!

Another thing I like to do, is get organized. I mean If I’ve been at work all day, I’m most likely not going to reorganize every inch of my home. When I say get organized, I mean like take note of things you may have left lying around where they don’t belong. Maybe you let the mail pile up on the table or have a few pairs of shoes by the front door or maybe even left a cardigan hanging on the back of a chair rather than hanging it up in the closet. For example, this particular day last week, I noticed that I had left my nail supplies out from doing my nails over the weekend. I put everything back in the toiletry closet exactly where it belonged. Sounds simple but when your mind is clouded little things like this greatly help.

After I put things away It was time to tidy up a bit. I had already eaten and relaxed, now I needed to wash the dishes I’d just used and straighten up the bathroom. You know how us women can get in the morning, leaving things all over the counter in a mad rush out the door.

While I was doing my tidy up duties, I also decided to pop some fish in the over so I could have lunch prepared for the next two days. Some people meal prep, some don’t. I’m a person who does. I’ll be honest, I don’t do it to the extent I probably should, but a couple days is better than no days. You might be thinking to yourself what does meal prepping have to do with organizing and clearing your mind? Consider this a bonus! In my opinion, meal prepping makes life a little easier. My whole slogan for life is “ I created who I became,” so by preparing my own lunch every day I know that I’m eating healthier and not only am I saving time, but I’m also saving money! How could saving time, money and being healthy not aid in the overall easing of my mind and helping me to be centered and refocused?!?

I’m sure you’ve heard from various sources that things like doing cardio or yoga and well-known stress relievers. I don’t have a treadmill in my home to do cardio and by the time I got settled and had a thought to work out, it was too dark to go outside for a walk or run. So, for my little regimen to recharge and ease my mind, I pulled out my yoga mat, did some crunches, a little stretching, a some “child’s pose” type yoga moves. It may not seem like much but that 5-10 mins is definitely worth it! It also warms you up and gets you wanting to do more in the days to come.

At this point, I’ve come home from a long days work still thinking about everything that’s been going on the last few days; I made my bed, did a little organizing and tidying up, prepared my lunch for the next couple days and did a little physical activity, now it’s only right that I take a nice relaxing bubble bath. Everybody and they mama knows a good bubble bath is relaxing, so that one needs no explanation. This bubble bath consisted of Epsom salt, Sea salt, herbs and rose petals. I also lit a candle and some sage. As a part of my personal self-care routine, I try to take a bubble bath at least once a month and it’s usually never in the middle of the week but…. this one felt necessary. I also use my bath time to read a couple pages of whatever self-help book I’m exploring at the moment. Really though, it’s so important to just lay there in the tub a have a few minutes were you simply rest your mind and your body. Doing nothing and thinking nothing. For some of us, that takes a lot more effort than for others.

After a nice hot relaxing bubble bath, I like to take out my journal. If your anything like me, when i'm just laying there in the bath I have so many thoughts, thoughts about what happened to make me feel so anxious, thoughts of what lessons I’m being taught, thoughts of what my next steps will be and thoughts and thoughts and more thoughts. I believe in journaling especially in times where we are going through something. Writing it down helps get things off your mind. With things off your mind you can relax, which is perfect for a great nights sleep, and a great nights sleep will obviously help you feel rejuvenated the next morning.

One tiny other thing I did before I fell peacefully asleep was a little visualization. I simply lie in bed on my back and picture myself in a happy place and think about what things in that moment have made me happy, what things I have accomplished in order for me to be there, in that particular car or house or office with that particular person or people. If your unfamiliar with manifestation and/or visualization I suggest you look into it. I really feel like it helps to align your life with the person who your working so hard to become. And then off to sleep she goes!

I know this was a lot, maybe too much for some but last Wednesday, these were some of the things I did to kind of get my mind right and mentally and physically recharge. I feel like I’ve seen improvement each day since. I hope you take something from this article that you can use in your own personal day to day life, to help lift and brighten your day as needed.

RECAP:

· Make your bed

· Get organized

· Tidy up

· Meal prep

· Work out/stretch

· Take a bubble bath

· Write about it in your journal

· Visualization

· Get a good nights rest!

If you couldn’t tell before, you now know that I am a mind, body and soul type of gal. Remember, we were all give a name but we are in charge of who we become, mind, body and soul!

-Trinealiea June