"Happiness depends on ourselves." -Aristotle
We all know how important waking up on the right side of the bed is but here are a few tips for the day ahead feels dreadful!
Think Positive!
Positive thoughts can let you focus on the brighter side of life, helping with stress management and can even improve your health.
Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst!
Practice positive self-talk. Start by following one simple rule: Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to anyone else. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you. Or you can try a response called reframing. Instead of thinking "I haven't lost any weight. I'm gross. I look bad." try reframing those thoughts. "I haven't reached my goal yet, but that's okay because I am giving it my best effort." Or you can try thinking about things you're thankful for! (1,2).
Make Your Bed Every Day!
Making your bed every morning is a great way to build a productive habit that will hopefully lead to others. Starting the day by already being productive helps you to feel as though you woke up on the right side of the rest slab, even if you didn't.
Don't skip breakfast!
If you miss out on the most important source of energy you need to get through the day, then naturally, you're going to feel sluggish and slow your metabolism.
Starting your day with a nutritious, healthy meal lays the foundation for healthy habits. Studies show eating breakfast improves attention, academic achievement, and helps you maintain a healthy weight by reducing hunger later in the day, helping to maintain a healthy metabolism. (4,5)
Lavender Up Your Life!
Lavender not only smells good, but it can also help you look and feel great! Need to relax after a stressful day at work or working from home and want to be stress-free? The easiest and probably most common way of using lavender essential oils is to diffuse using either a diffuser or by adding a few drops to your bath. (6)
Here's how to make a fabulous stress-reducing lavender bath salt:
2 cups Epsom salt
20 drops lavender
Stir everything together in a bowl and add to warm/hot bathwater.
Relax and enjoy!
Meditate
For the mind, body, and soul. Start with 5 minutes a day and see the difference. You’ll be surprised, guaranteed!
There are plenty of studies that show just how many benefits there are to meditating—whether it's lowering your stress levels or helping you relax. Research shows that meditation can increase the quality of life of longtime mediators due to the practice’s ability to change the brain’s structure. A 2008 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found meditating at least five times a week for only 15 to 20 minutes a session resulted in a lot of positive emotions, happiness included. (7)
Read a Book!
Instead of spending your extra time on the couch watching television, sit down with a new book you've been wanting to get your hands on. Being immersed in those pages will make you feel relaxed and refreshed! Matching your book to your mood makes for an enjoyable, personalized reading experience.
Immune Support
Another easy hack is to make sure that you maintain a healthy immune system. Our 30ppm Colloidal Silver can be used daily or at times when you need short-term support for fast-acting broad-spectrum immune support.
Live Life Healthy!
How many of these are you already practicing? Have any others tips? Leave a comment below and let us know!
References
1. Seaward BL. Reframing: Creating a positive mind-set. In: Essentials of Managing Stress. 4th ed. Burlington, Mass.: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2017.
2. Hernandez R, et al. Optimism and cardiovascular health: Multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA). Health Behavior and Policy Review. 2015;2:62.
3. Dr. Randall Bell, Leadership Institute Press. ISBN-13: 978-1933969237
4. Phillips G.W. Does eating breakfast affect the performance of college students on biology exams? J. Coll. Biol. Teach. 2005;30:15–19.
5. Adolphus K., Lawton C.L., Dye L. The effects of breakfast on behavior and academic performance in children and adolescents. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 2013;7:425. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00425.
6. Sayorwan W, Siripornpanich V, Piriyapunyaporn T, Hongratanaworakit T, Kotchabhakdi N, Ruangrungsi N. The effects of lavender oil inhalation on emotional states, autonomic nervous system, and brain electrical activity. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand. 2012;95:598–606.
7. Fredrickson, B. et al. (2008). Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95,( 5), 1045–1062.
