Wake up on the wrong side of the bed? We all have days that seem endlessly tough and emotionally draining. Then there are days where it seems as though the odds are stacked against us, and one terrible situation follows another. Sometimes it is necessary for us to just suck it up and work our way through the day, and other times its best take some time off and take a breather before carrying on.

Hard times can be a great teacher, getting through it will allow you to look back on it and see the ingenuity, strength and courage it took to hold our own during the difficult time. Over the years I have learned that in order for me to greet the next day with delight, I sometimes need to take a timely retreat and give myself space and re-center myself. In that time I may be doing a number of things from exercising, spending time with a chosen loved one, reading, cooking, or simply taking a walk. Whatever it is that I decide to do, my goal is to gain a little perspective and then change my attitude about what’s happening.

In time I realize my difficult times can actually be seen as an opportunity. As I begin to see things from a different vantage point my circumstances seem to better, and over time will be better.

Like any normal person, I hate difficult times…I am not a fan of uncomfortable feelings, and sleepless nights. But like Leona Lewis says, it’ll all get better in time!

Are YOU in a slump?

I feel like I’ve been in a slump on and off for the past couple of weeks. True, there is a lot going on in my personal life to make me feel this way but it’s never too late to provide ourselves with what we need in order to feel better, right? Of course I’m right.

I’ve been pretty hard on myself lately and like any bad habit it’s beginning to take a toll on me. But instead of continuing this way I would much rather move towards a more positive relationship with myself, after all I am THE most awesome person ever! It simply feels unnatural to be in a slump…

So here is what I’ve decided to do to get my butt back into gear:

I am dumping the routine. Me and routine get along very well actually and though I love it from time to time, for the sake of my sanity I need to get rid of it for now. This for me means taking control of some of my day to day acts. I will no longer eat greasy fast food at work, nor will I come home after a long day of work and stress over things I have no control over. Instead, I will walk my overweight dog, get enough sleep and take long, relaxing showers like I use to do. Less worry, more pampering.

I need some form of exercise in my life period…there are so many obvious benefits to exercising, do I really need to list them all? You look great and feel great. Be creative, exercising does not have to mean expensive gym memberships and boring jogs through the park.

I make “to do” lists to clear my mind of clutter. Jotting down all those things that keep getting pushed back ~~ servicing the car, parking ticket, class readings, calling a friend ~~ builds up and overtime drags you down. Write down what you need “to do” and specify when and how you will accomplish that task. It does not mean that you have to do everything all at once. The point is to get all those thoughts out of your head.

Lastly, take up something that will bring joy to you…something you’re Pretty Obsessed about