10 Ways to Lift Your Spirits

Sometimes you just get in a funk. Maybe your body is feeling off. Maybe someone made a mean comment to you. Maybe you’re going through a break up. Whether life changing or minuscule, certain circumstances can greatly effect our spirits and we may find ourselves in a funk.

I have definitely been in a funk all week and I’m working towards getting rid of it, although it’s been very challenging. It’s hard to create fun content, post a quirky caption on Instagram and write about things as frivolous as shoes when you have things heavy on your heart.

My little sister is a couple weeks into her three month Marine bootcamp… I’m so proud of her! I’m not only proud of the end achievement she’s working towards, but the fact she made a decision to even attempt this selfless career. It takes serious guts. The Marine’s training is known to be the most challenging bootcamp out there both physically and mentally. My family, S and I are all just so proud of her!

I don’t want to get into the details of her experience because that’s not mine to share, but after receiving her first letter I know she’s doing awesome. Attitude is everything and she has a positive one. I suppose my heart is so heavy because I miss her a lot. I know that she’s facing challenges that will tear her down and I’m not there to help lift her up. I hate to think my little sister is crying and I’m not there to be her shoulder like I have been all our lives. I feel silly writing that out because she working towards being a person that will serve our country and an of course adult so she doesn’t need to be coddled, but it’s a natural feeling being a sibling. I also feel a bit of guilt because I traveled home a bit less than normal the last year due to starting a new job, moving and planning our wedding. I regret not setting other things aside and making the five hour trek home more often.

Anyways, due to the influx of female recruits, they do not have enough barracks for them. With this, her start date was pushed three+ times over a course of a few months and now due to that, she will miss our wedding. While I can try stay optimistic with the support of my dad and S and incorporate momentos of her throughout our day [even though it’s still really hard on me, but what she’s doing is much larger than one day of celebrations], I’m more so sad about how down she is about it especially since it’s totally out of her control.

With that said, I wanted to share a few things I’m doing to lift up my spirits in case you have something heavy on your heart lately as well. 

GET MOVING // You can take two routes when you’re down. You can stay in bed and sulk or get up and get moving. While my bed is tempting, I opt for getting my body moving because exercise is the best stress outlet. Spin class and running release feel good endorphins that not only make you feel better physically, but mentally.

EAT HEALTHY // Again, we have two routes to take with this. Order pizza and down a chocolate milkshake [which is sometimes needed;-) ] or keep your food lean, clean and green. Fried food and sugar makes us feel good in that moment, but after just makes we feel worse internally and emotionally. When I’m down I may have a treat every now and then, but keeping my them very limited, avoiding overindulging and keeping my meals clean helps me be in a better mindset and feeling great about myself.

LET IT OUT // Let’s be honest – sometimes you just need to cry or have a heart to heart. If you have something heavy on your heart, just let it out. My dad has always told me to express my feelings so I’ve never been one shy to talk or when I need to. Letting it out can make you feel like a weight is lifted of your shoulders.

DECLUTTER // Having a relaxing space, especially a bedroom, is a sure to make you feel a bit better. Just the act of cleaning and decluttering helps me too!

LEAN ON YOUR GIRLFRIENDS // Whether you want to dive into a conversation about it or you’d rather do something to get your mind off things, both are okay! Getting a mani pedi or having a dinner date with your girlfriends will help lift your spirits.

GIVE TO SOMEONE // Giving back to someone is a sure way to take your mind off yourself. Bake up some sweets and bring them to your church. Write your husband a thoughtful card. Donate old clothes to your local shelter. By focusing on that activity and someone else, you’re taking your mind off yourself and channeling it into others.

BAKE UP A STORM // Maybe it’s just me, but baking makes me happy. I’m not the cook of our household, but I’ll surely bake up a few pies from scratch or a loaf of banana bread and feel happy while doing so. There’s just something about baking that’s soothing and maybe you’ll find that as well! Plus, this ties into #6 because you can gift them!

LIST THE POSITIVE // Since I’m naturally a positive person, I am always try to list off the positive side of things. For example, I’m happy that my sister is going through the most challenging thing she’s ever faced, in yet has a great outlook on it. I’m thankful that we can write letters to one other so that I can stay up to date with her experience and help support and encourage her. Listing off a few positive comments will give you a quick pink-me-up and keep things in perspective.

To trail off this, S and I actually listed off a low and high every night before bed. The low let’s us communicate something we struggled with that day that the other may already be aware of or possible not! We always end with our high of the day to have an uplifting conversation right before falling asleep. We’ve done this for about two years and has become a habit that we don’t go a day without doing. Even if you start a habit where you and your roommate do this before heading to bed or you text your long distance boyfriend your high and low of the day, you communication will grow, you’ll feel more connected and a bit more positive!

TREAT YOURSELF // Sometimes we need to treat ourselves. Grab your favorite roses. Purchase a new book.  Grab a new bottle of nail polish. Sometimes treating yourself to something we really enjoy is all we really need to lift our sprits.

MEMORY LANE // While I thought this would make me sad, it actually lifted up my spirits. I was digging through pictures to send my little sister and it surprisingly made me feel some comfort. So while this may not translate for every situation, if you’re missing someone that’s sitting on your heart, try looking back at some old photos to relive the fun times.

I hope these ten tips help you feel a bit more uplifted if you’re feeling down! Even after writing this post five days ago, I’m still not out of my sad feelings. I’m not sure if they will even go away. I‘m hoping I can feel better by my wedding day so that I feel like my sister is there with me, rather than feeling like there is a hole missing. I’d love to know what you do to lift your spirits too! xo Mindy