We all have a bad day from time to time. As we get older there can feel like they occur more often. The loss of a friend, a health concern, fatigue from doing too much, uncertainty and fear of the future, such concerns can creep up on us and send our mood tumbling.
Too many bad days can add up to chronic depression and more serious problems than a passing mood. Regardless, we can learn to treat our moods like we do a headache. Prompt self-care on a regular basis can prevent a chronic mood-disorder from developing or help heal one that may already exist.
LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE
Last week my husband had a few down days. His weakness and fatigue from the IBM seems to be cyclical. He feels good for a few days. It feels so good to feel good that he does as much as he can, trying to pace himself and not get too tired. But, it doesn’t seem to matter because invariably the good days are followed by the same number of days of extreme fatigue.
My mood follows how he feels. This is not uncommon in couples, but it doesn’t serve me at all! So, with the help of the wonderful women in the Aging Abundantly Community I’m adding to my list of self-care options. If we choose to give ourselves extra care during such challenging times, rather than pushing through it, we improve our overall resilience.
SELF-CARE REMEDIES FOR A BAD DAY
One of my favorite things to do when I’m feeling tired, over-extended, sad, or lonely, is to draw a hot bath. I add lavender and Epsom salts beneath the running water to fill the air will the pleasurable aroma. Then I bring in my Echo Show (thanks to my sweet son who gave it to me for my birthday) and call up some spa music. I light a few candles, dim the lights and hop in. (Well, I don’t really hop anymore!) Sometimes, I listen to a guided meditation instead, depending on where my thoughts are running.
Time does not always allow for a long, leisurely bath, and so, creating an arsenal of little “feel-good moments” to reach for on a regular basis is essential for keeping our spirits soaring. Here is what the women of Aging Abundantly do when they’ve had a bad day:
- music and chocolate
- phoning a friend and spaghetti
- a walk and a little yoga
- Facebook!
- movement of some sort, errands or busy chores
- walking, music, reading, my dog
- playing classical pieces on the piano
- food and naps
- binge watching something I haven’t seen while coloring
- I like to color, too. I have a big selection of gel pens, markers, and relaxing adult color books. It helps me relax and calm down when I’m anxious.
- Spa music off satellite , cup of red rose tea
- Put on comfy house clothes, wash my face clean and recline with a book I like.
- music
- yoga
- My little jacuzzi tub, wine and playing spider solitaire on the laptop.
- Sleep! Guided meditation… Breathe, laugh & dance
- Yoga…a sweet, slow practice.
- Guided mediation.
- Write in my journal. It always helps me to express my feelings so I can move on to better ones.
- Digging in my garden always makes me feel better.
- A walk in the woods.
- Cleaning, uncluttering, organizing
- I make lists when I feel overwhelmed.
WHAT IS YOUR GO TO WHEN YOU’VE HAD A BAD DAY?
