11 Ways to Feel Better Fast
Do you catch yourself complaining about how you feel or having low energy, being tired all of the time, worn down and crabby? It might be time to mix up the things you're doing regularly, what you're consuming (both in your body and in your mind) and how you spend your free time. Here are some great ways to feel better fast!
1. Go to bed earlier and/or wake up earlier
Do you ever feel extremely worn out and tired after staying out late or staying up late? I definitely do! I've noticed that I feel my best when I go to sleep by 10 pm (or earlier) and get up around 6. Everyone has a different schedule and different times that feel good to them to go to sleep and wake up. Try adjusting the times you go to sleep and wake up to see how it affects your body and mind.
2. Add more real food into your diet
"Let Food Be Thy Medicine" - Hippocrates
We often don't always realize or forget how much what we eat affects the way we feel. If you add in more leafy greens like spinach, healthy fats like avocados, a lot of veggies, some fruit and take away a lot of the processed foods and fast food you are eating you will feel and see a lot of changes. Your body will feel better and you will have more energy and less brain fog. Many people experience better digestion and even less pain from eating better. Try writing down what you eat, so you can see what you're putting in your body and how you can do better or change the way you're eating. What do you have to lose by putting better food into your body?
3. Exercise often
Do you love swimming, crossfit, yoga, running, cycling, Zumba, kickboxing, weight lifting or something else? Do you not workout at all and have no idea what you enjoy doing? Try out some different types of exercise, find what you enjoy and do more of it! Yes, you will be sore at first, but you will feel great too!
4. Stretch daily
Stretching not only helps your body feel better, less tense and looser, but you'll also help clear some of the stress out of your body, help your body wake up and can naturally lower your blood pressure with many stretches and yoga poses. Where can you fit 5 minutes into your day to stretch?
5. Do something good for someone else
If you're feeling worn down or down in the dumps, what better way is there to lift your spirits than helping someone, giving something to someone who desperately needs help or just bringing a smile to someone else by giving a sincere compliment? When you help others and help others feel good it naturally helps you feel better and lifts your mood. Who can you help or compliment today?
6. Meditate regularly
Not sure where to start with meditation? Get some headphones and find a free guided meditation that you like (YouTube and Google are easy ways to find these), find a quiet spot and listen to the person guide you. You don't have to be able to completely stop your mind or stop thinking to meditate. Meditation helps lower your stress levels, helps you feel more clear headed, increases productivity and it even helps me feel like I've take a nap because I feel so refreshed after meditating.
7. Find more natural solutions to issues
If there are medications or things you're taking that might be able to be replaced with more natural solutions, do your research and get more information to see what options you have. Have an open mind. You can even go see a holistic doctor to find out what your body needs and how you can take care of it better. There are always ways to try to help your body naturally before moving on to something that can have bad side effects and make you feel worse in other areas.
8. Stop waiting for things to happen TO you
Do you wait for life to happen to you or do you get out there and take action to make your dreams and goals a reality? Decide what your goals are, commit to reaching them, take a lot of action and make any changes that need to be made to attain these goals as soon as possible. For each person and goal it will be different, but it may mean getting creative and resourceful. Is your goal to get in better shape or lose weight, but you don't have anyone to watch your kids? Try incorporating them into your workout or including them in your workout. Don't know how to do something that you need to do to reach your goal? Find ways to learn via a class, online course, free content or googling how to do something. Things won't just happen to you; you have to make them happen.
9. Do less of what makes you feel bad
Does watching a certain TV show cause you to be tense, upset or stressed? Does looking at Facebook, Instagram and other social media sites make you feel jealous, bad about yourself or bad about where you are compared to others in your life? STOP DOING THESE THINGS. Or at least cut out on the time you're spending doing them. Not only can it be holding you back in many areas of your life and causing unnecessary stress, but it can also be wasting A LOT of your time and suddenly you will realize that years have gone by and you still have not reached your goal. What makes you feel bad that you can stop doing today?
10. Listen to things that lift your mood
Find a podcast, radio station, YouTube channel or anything else that lifts you up and listen to more of that when you are driving and in downtime instead of listening to or watching things that bring you down, make you feel worried or stressed. It's an added bonus if what you're listening to can help you get more creative and resourceful and help you move in the right direction towards meeting your goals.
11. Start being more present
When your head is always in your phone or computer, how present can you really be with your kids, family and friends? Try making times that you don't touch your phone or computer. Put them in another room or lock them up if you need to. Turn the TV off and get down on the floor and play with your kids, take your kids outside to play or go to the park, go on a walk or bike ride, have great conversations, get to know people better and form deeper, more meaningful relationships with your family and friends. It can feel like an addiction at times when it comes to devices, social media and texting, so purposefully putting the devices away at certain times will help to break that addiction and bring you back to living your life in real life.
Remember to always make one change at a time so you succeed at what you're trying to change! Trying to change too many things at one time leads to feeling overwhelmed and many times failing. Comment below with some changes you are making or plan to make in your life!
