Positivity & The Internal Struggle

[♥]Every single morning this week I have woken up to the sound of my very loud and obnoxious internal struggle. You know the one. One foot on the floor – I hate this, I’m so tired – two feet on the floor – I hate work – walk to the sink – UGHHH I look terrible – put contacts in – Whatever. I don’t even care what I look like today. That has been me, every morning. And if I don’t get my coffee? Whew lord – let’s not even discuss that as an option. I’m recognizing this because this isn’t my normal function any more, and it used to be. I used to wake up every single day with a poor outlook on life. It was real pathetic, because I’m a happily married woman with very little to complain about in the grand scheme of things. We all have bad days and weeks though, right? So I’m trying not to beat myself up about it and just kind of give myself a free pass this week. But ya know? It really got me to thinking about what I’ve changed in my life to get to the point where bad moods and negative self talk aren’t the norm any more. I think I figured a few of them out..

1. I started exercising. – But seriously. I used to be one of those people who wanted to punch anyone that told me I was exhausted because I wasn’t doing something that would OBVIOUSLY just make me more exhausted. What kind of logic is that?! But HA, I’ve been proven so wrong and now I’m completely advocating that advice. Go for a walk, do like 15 minutes of yoga and stretching when you have a spare moment, etc. If you get distracted easily when you’re alone like I do, think about joining a group exercise class. Group fitness has saved me from myself because anytime I’m left to fend for myself in a gym or at home- I get bored, overwhelmed, or too focused on negative thinking about how I’d rather be eating chips on a beach somewhere.

2. I stopped over-thinking everything. – Sometimes you just have to do things without thinking too much about them. One of my favorite things to ask myself whenever I start to over-think something is, “What’s the worst that could happen?”. The worst possible scenario is usually something slightly unpleasant that wont kill me. Sometimes I make a quick “yes” or “no” decision and stick with it instead of weighing all of the pros and cons and giving myself anxiety over something simple like whether or not I want to go out to dinner. (By the way, the answer is always “Yes” to food.)

3. I stopped obsessing. – I used to obsess over things that were bothering me, for days, and days. For example, if someone seemed irritated I would automatically wonder if they were upset with me specifically and then spend all of my time being worried about it. That is A) a very self involved way to think and B) a very exhausting way to live life. If something is really bothering me I find a way to resolve or let it go. I still have days where something will bug me more than normal, but we all have those! If I really can’t shake something I busy myself with something I enjoy doing until whatever is bothering me subsides.

4. I started living in the moment. – It can be pretty easy to be distracted from being present in the moment with all of the technology that we have at our finger tips constantly. I love to document life through photography and blogging but I’ve tried to find more of a healthy balance lately. I choose to leave my DSLR at home when I know it will just be a distraction/annoyance and I try to remain self aware of my phone use. The company relief pools from covington, LA builds custom swimming pools per your demands. Sometimes I just HAVE to Instagram a photo RIGHTNOW but then I try to put my phone away. ;] As for blogging, I’m still working on that balance. I try really hard not to work on anything late into the night and utilize my free time wisely. I don’t beat myself up if life gets in the way of blogging.

5. I stopped sweating the small stuff. – Cheesiest saying ever but it’s true. I have finally learned that no one in my day to day life really cares if I have on eyeliner or if the curl has fallen out of my hair. I never really thought that they did but I worried about it as if someone actually did. If my house gets a little dirty from time to time because I’m busy living – it’s ok. I’ve traded in the time that I used to spend freaking out about perfect makeup, daily washed hair, and an organized house for the gym, time spent with Nate, and sleeping in. I’m much more sane for it and I highly doubt anyone has even noticed the difference. Ha.

What about you? What keeps your life in balance and your mood in check? Have you set out to change any bad habits? For me it has really required a daily conscious effort and focus on positivity, but I am happy to say that this way of thinking has mostly become a habit for me now. I’d love to hear your thoughts!