I’ll start this off by being honest…I have been struggling lately. I just feel kind of sad and out of it. So this past weekend, we rented a cabin in Northern Michigan where we stay with my family every summer, just to get away and relax as a family. It was reallyyyyy nice to have a change of scenery. And before you ask, my Mom watched Nani and she had a nice, relaxing weekend, too. (Gracias, Mamá!).
Going on a weekend getaway isn’t normally an option when you’re having a rough time so I’m going to share some of the strategies I use when I need a little pick-me-up.
- Getting ready for the day – Whether it’s taking a shower and putting on a little bit of makeup or fully doing my hair, it’s something that helps me feel a little bit more human and put together. When I’m stressed, I tend to pick at my cuticles so another part of this would be painting my nails so that way I am less likely to mess with them.
- Going outside – Sometimes it’s going for a walk, sometimes it’s running around in the yard with Boston and Nani but finding just 10 minutes to sit outside, take some deep breaths, feel the breeze and (hopefully) the sunshine.
- Exercise – I hadn’t been applying this one much until the past couple of weeks but it does help SO much. I wouldn’t say I’m going crazy and working out hard to change my body at all, but more I’m just making sure to move or stretch in some way.
- Alone time – Being able to lay down and nap or just take a few minutes to work through my thoughts is something I’m learning that I need. I’ve never been good at this because I feel like I’m going to miss something but now when I feel overwhelmed, Anthony tells me to take some time alone and I’m learning to really appreciate it.
- Journaling – I like to do this at night after Boston goes down. Write about anything I’m thinking or what happened that day. Once you start writing, things just start to come to you.
- Unplugging – This one is SO important. Being up north this weekend, we didn’t have service so we were able to just leave our phones in our rooms and didn’t touch them at all. Sometimes, I feel so much pressure to respond to text messages when I really don’t feel like talking so I’m teaching myself that I’m allowed to set boundaries.
I hope some of these tips help you if you’re having a rough day. If you have any that you would like to share with me, leave a comment below.
Hi there! Thank you for sharing your story. I really appreciate how you open up and are able to share your feelings. It can be difficult to admit when you’re struggling. I too have felt the same way for several weeks now. The one thing that is difficult for me is sharing that with others. I’ve always tried to keep a smile, pretend everything is ok, and hold things together. I am still working on allowing others to know how I really feel and accept their help when I need it. It was nice to hear that you were able to get away. We too were able to get away last weekend. It was nice to enjoy the lake shore and “unplug” for a bit.
Please know that you are always in my thoughts. I’m here if you ever want to hang out or just practice self care together. 💗