I’m not sure if it’s my brain or my circumstances (probably a little bit of both), but I can get really down on myself at times. Despite being so positive, and happy, and put together in so many ways, I’m also always fighting this internal system that doubts what I’m doing, that questions my future, and that makes me feel like I’m not doing “it” right. …lol is that depression? Idk, but I really would rather not feel that way.
Here are 10 daily habits that help me feel a little bit less depressed and a little more present:
1. water (fucking lots of it.)
If I forget to drink water before I drink coffee or tea in the morning, I usually end up feeling weird. Water is necessary for your brain to think clearly so it makes sense that you’d need it after an 8-hour sleep session without any.
2. stay quiet.
If you’re like me, talking to people or looking at your phone as soon as you wake up can effect how you feel for the rest of the morning. It’s important to me to stay quiet in the first few “moments” of my day, so that I can establish how I feel and how I’m going to start the day ahead of me. I try to drink y water, brush my teeth, wash my face, do my skincare, and (if I’m just REALLY on top of my shit that day) sit down for a meditation before I talk to anyone or look at my phone.
3. avoid it.
My phone is the number one distractor of starting my day in a way that makes me happy. It sets me up for a day where I feel like I’m already judging my accomplishments (especially checking youtube stats) or just simply distracting myself from feeling “in control” of my day. I’ve noticed that when I have work to do in the morning for a client, or if I have a call scheduled in the early morning, I won’t even waste time checking my phone….it’s only when I don’t have something planned for my early mornings that I let myself dive deep into the phone world. cliché? maybe, but idgaf.
4. pen and paper.
Writing *literally anything* helps improve my mornings tenfold. To-do lists, things on my mind, goals for the day, goals for the week, a blog post, what I dreamed while I slept, or even just a sweet little reminder on a sticky note. It really fucking helps, A LOT.
5. just 5 minutes of my most important task (MIT) for the day.
I like to call my most important task my MIT. If you’re like me, you might be able to relate to the fact that you’re always happier when you accomplish something important, but you have a hard time actually getting things accomplished sometimes. Making it a rule that I work on my MIT for just 5 minutes at the start of the day has helped me SO MUCH when it comes to feeling better about tackling the hard things. There’s a saying that goes, “Eat The Frog First” and the first moment I heard it, I had to write it down. It’s a saying by Mark Twain, that if the first thing you do in the morning is eat a live frog, you can go through the rest of the day knowing the worst is behind you. Your frog is your worst task, and you should do it first thing in the morning.
6. yoga (DO NOT SKIP this one, Kirsten.)
I know it can sound cliche because literally everyone says to get exercise and you’ll feel better. But maybe…..maybe they’re onto something!? I’ve noticed the days that I skip out on yoga (or any other form of exercise, really) I end up WAY more likely to be bummed out with things during the day. On the contrary (oo you fancy bish, you), when I do make the time to do a bit of yoga or physical exercise, my day takes a turn for the better. I end up feeling more alive and overall less down on myself. Endorphins really do be like that sometimes.
side note: as they say, “Use it or Lose it” and people who use their body most of their lives are ABLE to move better throughout their entire lives, avoid inflammatory diseases, and let’s be real they look FINE AS HAIL into their old age. Moving your body in a sustainable way (like yoga) on a regular basis is such a great way to keep your body feeling good for the long haul.
7. grass + feet = THAT Bitch.
A little Mother Nature is the medicine for sadness and deep feelings of emptiness. Mother Nature really do be that bitch though. Getting my feet on the earth and just pressing down leaves me feeling so much more “okay.” Shiiiit, maybe that’s what they meant when they said “feeling grounded.” There’s so much science behind this, but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense that’d we’d find a little daily dose of peace when we spend time with the one that made us. Mother Nature, aka THE ORIGINAL QUEEN.
8. taking herbal supplements
I studied to be an Herbalist a few years ago and it is something that has kept me feeling like I have some control in how I feel on a daily basis. Getting to know what herbs are right for your body can be stressful (trust me, I know it sucks) but once you’ve figured out what to take it is so rewarding to start taking herbs that change the way you look and feel. If you’re interested in learning more about herbs that help me and finding herbs to help you, comment down below and I’ll make a blog post specifically for that 🙂
9. tidy that shit up.
It’s been proven that tidying up your immediate environment can completely change your mood. For me, it’s almost always true. If I feel overwhelmed or anxious, there’s nothing that makes it worse than being in a dirty room with distractions everywhere. Each morning I try to make very quick effort to make my bed, tidy up my work space, and get my “ducks in a row” if you will. I know it’s a small thing, but sometimes it’s the smallest things that make a difference.
10. “what would this look like if it were easy?”
This quote from Tim Ferriss almost always helps me put my problems into a solvable format. Instead of just wallowing in the sadness of my dilemma, I can ask myself, “what would this look like if it were easy?” and start to formulate an equation for what would actually solve the problem I’m facing.
For example: Let’s say I wake up doubting my next creative project, wondering if it is going to do well or not, and questioning if I’m doing the right thing. If I ask myself “WWTLLIIWE?” then I can come to terms with the fact that if things were easy, I’d be doing my creative project and not worrying about “if it will work” or if “it’s the right thing to do.” If it were easy, it would look like me doing exactly what my heart desires and not worrying if it “works” or not.
In conclusion:
If you’re feeling down or easily critical of yourself, the best thing you can do is try to take it one “bite” at a time. Like I’ve said in my YouTube videos before, sometimes life is like eating a big ol’ chonky cookie. You have to take it one bite at a time, rather than trying to eat the whole thing at once.
Give yourself some credit, you deserve it.
xx,
K.