Hey hey hey! So I thought it would be a good idea to focus this blog on a bit of self-improvement. I spent the beginning of this week in a bit of a slump for a variety of reasons, and a number of the following made me feel a lot better. I try to do all ten of these on a daily basis and I find that they do really help:
1. Wake up 30 minutes before you need to. For example if you were planning on setting your alarm for 9am, set it for 8:30 instead. I do this basically every day and it sets you up for a less stressful day. If you are rushing in the morning you are instantly stressed out and this can alter your mindset in a negative way, influencing how you react to situations throughout the rest of the day.
2. Drink plenty of water. I know everybody says this, but I started drinking more water about a year ago (on average 1.25 litres a day) and I have noticed a massive difference in skin hydration, concentration and I feel less drained. I try to have a glass of water instead of coffee as well, but sometimes I settle for a green tea. Life hack: drink a cold glass of water the minute you wake up, whether it is in the morning or from a nap, and you will feel much more awake almost instantly.
3. Get involved. Join a sports society, sing in a choir, be your class rep, partake in charity events. If there is an opportunity on your doorstep just take it. When I applied for my part-time job last May I never thought it would transform me in such a great way - I am far more confident in everything I do and I have made so many more amazing friends. Or when my mum suggested in January that I start taking riding lessons, admittedly I was quite reluctant to begin with, after a couple of weeks I was so thankful I had because I actually began to believe in myself. As cliché as that sounds, it is true, and you might be surprised at what taking up new hobbies might do for you.
4. Try to do at least one good deed a week. Big or small it could go a long way. For example, hold the door for an extra 5 seconds for somebody behind you instead of just marching off or let an old lady onto the bus before you. A couple of weeks ago I was sitting at a bus stop waiting for the 41 when a man rushed past and dropped something. When I looked closer I realised it was actually a fiver, so quickly picked it up and ran after him. At this point he was a good 20 ft in front of me but I caught up and handed it to him and walked back to the bus stop. I then realised that I quite easily could have kept that for myself, an extra fiver would have been lovely, but it wasn't mine to keep. I'm not saying I deserve a medal, and yeah it was only 5 quid, but I'm sure that guy massively appreciated it.
5. Eat well. It will make you feel so much more mentally and physically healthier. I even find I have more motivation and concentration when I eat clean. Eat a banana instead of a packet of crisps, cut down on dairy, snack on blueberries, swap rice with quinoa, fries with sweet potato wedges and always eat breakfast! I always sprinkle two tablespoons of ground flaxseed on top of my (gluten free) cereal which is really high in Omega 3. It's all very easy if you just stick with it!
6. Make time for your friends and family - all work and no play is not healthy. Whether you are just hanging out with your famalam in front of the TV or going out with your friends, you need social interaction! Trust me, for about 6 months the last thing I wanted to do was see anybody, and on a regular basis I would cry my eyes out because I didn't want to go out, to the cinema or even out for dinner. But, if I did manage to force myself to go, most of the time I found it helped just being around other people.
7. Do what makes you happy (to an extent - do not be selfish). As I said, at the beginning of the week I was having a sucky time and was not loving lyf. I decided to drive to Aberdeen last minute on Wednesday to visit one of my best friends for the night. Yeah okay I missed an hour of uni the next morning, but I needed an escape from Edinburgh and missed my bezzie and ultimately returned home feeling much more positive. Whether it is big or small, if it can make you feel better then do it!
8. Save money - I feel like this is a weird one - even if it is just 20 quid a month in the long run this could help you massively. Or just in the short run if you want to save up for something like a holiday, cut back on something you spend too much on every month (for me, that is definitely going out for dinner).
9. Take a break from the internet for as long as you can, whether that is 2 hours consecutively or spread throughout the day. I personally find it is massively refreshing cutting yourself off for a bit. The internet can actually be a very negative space.
10. Surround yourself with positive and good natured people! I think this is very important. My friends are all kind, motivated, happy and hilarious and I could not ask for better people in my life - shout out to you all ILY.
I know these points all sound relatively trivial but I genuinely think they make me more happy and motivated on a daily basis. Maybe if you're feeling a bit despondent or are needing a bit of inspiration, try out a couple of these and hopefully they will turn everything around! x
Disclaimer: your life is not going to change dramatically. I cannot promise you will win the lottery or become Prime Minister of the UK but every little helps.
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