the real title of this blog post should be “things I do to get out of a slump every once in a while because slumps do not really go away for me”. for those of y’all that don’t know, the definition of slump (for me) is when I have trouble focusing, I have very low energy, get lazy fast, truly cannot feel or think. my hormones are not balanced, I constantly feel like there is too much going around me, I stress over stressing over things, and I cannot differentiate between my feelings.
I realized the root of the problem is truly not knowing myself. do I need this self care break or do I need to get my shit together asap? do I feel like this because of something that happened or am I just being lazy? do I even want to get out this slump?
I picked up some habits that have helped me balance out my life and wanted to share w y’all!
- Reflect
I do this thing where I get out a piece of paper and write down one worded adjectives on how I am feeling. some words are kinder than others but most of the words on the paper tend to be somewhat negative. such as “rejected” “disappointed” “surprised” “tired” “angry” etc
What I then do is grab another piece of paper and write down short phrases I keep hearing in my head. such as “I have bad luck” “I feel only negative energy” “I don’t know” “I’m not surprised though” “Why me”
this is optional: but afterwards I like to take the two pieces of paper and burn them. Watching the negative words burn helps me visualize how powerful light and energy can really be when overcoming obstacles. It shows how the fire inside of you can burn anything negative coming your way. - Reduce blue light exposure
the more I go on my phone, the more I mindlessly scroll, the more anxious I get. first of all I’m already stressing over an endless to-do list, why would I endlessly scroll on tik Tok for hours. at the end of the day it’ll make me even more stressed. I do not know the science behind it but the minute I turn my phone off I feel so much lighter!! I actually feel as though I can think clearer and I know I have more time on my hands. airplane mode and do not disturb sometimes works for me but if its completely turned off, I won’t even feel obligated to touch it because if my phone is physically still on, I will still find any excuse to go on it. - moving my body
this is where balancing your chemicals and hormones comes in. like I mentioned before, you really need to get to know yourself to get out of a slump. since I know myself very well, I know that I am balanced when it comes to emotional and mindful wellbeing. although my mind is endlessly on a ticking time bomb, my body and mind both agree that I need to get my shit together. balancing my wellbeing hormones (serotonin, adrenaline, dopamine, etc) is vital to feel whole again. and in this I know at times if I am busy I will push away physical activity from my schedule. I am lacking endorphins in my day to day life. so some days I’ll dance, some days I’ll go on a walk, maybe if I have it in me, I’ll go for a run. even hula hooping or jump roping or roller skating helps. anything to get me adrenaline and endorphins running - getting in tune with all five senses
tapping into your body is important. especially when you want to internally feel balanced again. aside from hormones, we can also tap into our senses. I have personally tried meditating, specifically transcendental mediation but it only works for me sometimes. something that is working for me right now is reading.
Smell: I will light a candle or a scented essence while I read. I personally love the smell of lavender and pumpkin pecan waffle, you want to smell something that brings you comfort. whether it be the smell of freshly cut grass outside, or your fav perfume.
Taste: I always need something to sip on when I’m reading. I’m a coffee girly so I will always have coffee or matcha when I read.
Touch: Other than touching the book I’m reading, I always try to have something else with me. whether it be the grass im sitting on, or a bracelet I’m wearing, or the blanket on top of me. (I know when I do mediate I like to have mediation beads with me)
Hear: When I read, I read out loud. Or I’ll have background music (specifically with no words) in the back playing.
Sight: Other than reading the words on the page, I also have a highlighter or pen with me to take note so I can highlight something that I resonated with. Seeing the color of the highlighter also calms me down, so I tend to be mindful with what colors I use. (purple for some reason is my go-to) - Diet
you eat good, you feel good!!
there are so many superfoods out there that help with your feel-good hormones!
Asparagus: boosts serotonin
Dark Chocolate: stimulates endorphins
Nuts/Seeds: boosts serotonin
Fruits: high in serotonin!
Spinach: high in magnesium (which boosts energy) - Writing a letter to your future self
one day when I was fortunately feeling balanced, energized, and happy – I randomly decided to write a letter to myself for days when I need words of encouragement. I signed it off as “your higher self” because I genuinely was feeling like the best possible version of myself in my entire life and I wanted that feeling to stay. I don’t know why but reading words of encouragement from yourself just hits differently. I read the letter whenever I am in a slump and it’s just a beautiful reminder that the low-energy feeling I have is temporary and that it is actually a blessing to have slumps. it is wonderful to have bad days. it gives me an excuse to talk to my higher self again and it helps me know when my good days are vs when my bad days are.
MySimplicity 