These 6 things.
Dear 20 somethings,
I have more days than I would like that give me permission to sulk and not get out of bed in my head. It could be for any reason; it doesn’t even have to be a big issue. I have tried to come up with numerous remedies to cure this “condition" because I am, as I stated in other blog posts, feel like I am on a clock and that clock doesn’t stop for me when I am having a bad day, and it doesn’t slow down when I am having a good one. I hate the feeling that I am wasting time (not that you don’t acknowledge what’s the matter, but that you don’t sit there). So, the trick is to make the best of whatever type of day I am having. I have recently started to do these things when I find myself in that headspace. Here a few that I have come up with:
Listen to “Bad mama jama” by Carl Carlton.
If you’re a sucker for old school music, you would know this song by Carl Carlton that starts with this funky little sound. It’s about a woman being a “bad mama jama” (just as fine as she can be). It’s an uptempo song that gives you that toe-tapping urge, and I can never resist turning it all the way up when I’m in a bad mood. It reminds me that I am that chic. Okay? Even in this headspace and something about this song uplifts my spirits, and I choose to dwell in that part. If it doesn’t work the first time, I guarantee you the second time; you’re’ in. Try it out!
Get Dressed.
I know how cliche “getting dressed” may sound or read, but I definitely reap the benefits most of the time. I have been a firm believer in the principle that says if you look good on the outside, girl or boy, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll feel good on the inside. Now, that’s not to say that clothes, make-up, and a little bit of lipstick solve all your problems. But what I am saying is it’s a start to pulling yourself up and together. Maybe even turning on “Bad mama jama” (just as fine as she can be) you might find to be even more helpful. I ain’t an expert or anything, but studies show high success rates (I was the subject).
Talking out loud.
I have attempted more recently not to be completely dependent on so many people. That would include me calling or texting every time I needed to talk. In one of my blog posts, I wrote something Cicely Tyson said in one of her interviews before she passed; “We often look for answers outside of ourselves.” Instead, why not look inward? I find that if I am lying in bed and I need to understand something that’s troubling me, I lay on my back, take a deep breath in, and talk myself through it. Sometimes it works, and sometimes I find myself repeating the same things over and over again. When I do finally reach that epiphany (not every time), I can release and begin to start working towards healing from it if that’s what I need or dropping if that’s what I need to do.
Writing
Trust me; I know what it’s like to be so frustrated and angry at something or so down and sad about something that is trying to push your feelings through a pen or make your fingers dance on a keyboard seems like the hardest thing to do. But, once I wrote out what I needed to say about what I was feeling sometimes left me feeling better and sometimes the same. The purpose is to release and also keep records. As a writer, I find it therapeutic.
Going to sleep
This one is indeed one of the things people be sleeping on (lol, get the pun?). It can be difficult trying to fall asleep when your mind is racing about a million different things. It’s so easy to view things without a clear sense of direction after it first happens or when it comes to making a decision. There’s a saying that I used to hear people say all the time “sleep on it and tell me how you feel about it later.” You may wake up feeling the same way before you went to sleep, or you may wake up with a different perspective. Who knows?
Saying a small prayer.
If you’re religious or spiritual you may find this to be helpful. I find having a foundation to stand on gives you a sense of confidence. I am a Christian and prayer is a practice that not only puts comfort in our hearts and minds but gives it over.
These may not work for everyone, but they have in some way or another worked for me, and the more that I am intentional about these small things
