The List – Escaping the funk

So I was thinking about the things I do and the places I go to when I’m having a lousy day and what helps me to get out of the funk.  Over the course of my lifetime this has meant different things some of them are too ridiculous to help anyone on an average day but others you might find useful if you ever find yourself stuck in a rut and need some sort of inspiration. 

1. Travel. See I warned you that this might be a bit ridiculous. There is nothing that has ever solved my problems like running away has ;P. Even better if it’s to some exotic island destination. I highly recommend Zanzibar. If you can’t travel to somewhere exotic, go camping near to where you live. Just as effective and easier on the pocket. Whatever you do, just get away for a bit. 
2. A glass of wine.  Now I am in no way suggesting that alcohol cures all problems but it sure does help you to relax while you find a way to sort those problems out in a non-hysterical hate your day kinda manner. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of wine o’clock. 
3. Series. In bed. When your day is going the opposite of the way you planned it to go, grab a glass of wine (or a bottle, depending on how bad the day was) and switch on your favourite shows and pretend like the world doesn’t exist. My current favourite is Mr Selfridge. What’s yours? 
4. A walk on the beach. When you need some perspective in life, a walk on your own down the beach can really help your mind find clarity. Of course, this doesn’t work if you live in a place without a beach but in those cases, refer to one of the other points on this list or just walk through the park. Even better is if you take dogs with you. If you don’t have any, walk a friends dogs. The dogs will thank you and your mind will be so much happier post fresh air walk. 
5. Girls night. I suppose this is probably as effective as boys night but seeing as I am a girl and I love girls night, I can only speak for those. Get a bunch of your friends together, put some music on, open up a bottle or three of wine, make some dinner and talk trash. There’s nothing more refreshing than spending time with people you love. 
6. People you love. Spending time with your family. I will also include time spent with my dogs as they fit into the category of family and no one cheers me up like Jax does when I’m sad. 
7. Writing. When I’m having a bad day, I pick a topic that will cheer me up and write. It doesn’t have to be for anyone to see and it doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. Sometimes just writing down a list of the things you’re grateful for can really change the way you’re feeling. 
8. Naps. Sometimes when I’m having a lousy day, the best solution is just to take a nap. I always try to put things into perspective and believe that things will be better when I wake up. They usually are. Often, it’s the way you’re feeling that influences a situation and not necessarily the situation itself. Getting some rest can clear your mind and change the way you see things.
9. A good old juicy steak or a sushi platter. Without a doubt, these are my two favourite meals in the world. when I’m having a rough day, I usually make sure my evening includes one of those meals. Often, I feel too crappy to want to go out so we order in, put some series on and you guessed it, open up a bottle of good wine.
10. Getting dressed up. Even if you have nowhere to go, taking a shower and putting on clean clothes makes a huge difference to how you’re feeling. Even better is putting on a great pair of heels, your sexiest LBD (or equivalent male version) and going out to somewhere that makes you feel special. 

So this is how I cope with a lousy day but I would LOVE to hear what you do. There can never be enough ways to feel happier and sometimes we all need a little inspiration for living fully. So send me a message, write a comment or tweet me… just let me know what you do when you need a little pick me up. 🙂