How to Win When You’re “Not Feeling It”
Everyone wants to feel accomplished in their day. So we spend millions on notebooks, to-do lists, task managers, and accountability coaches.
Ultimately, all these tools are useless if we do not act on what we want to accomplish.
So, how do you win back your day when you wake up down, out, or otherwise not “feeling it”?
Here’s the trick: Positive actions lead to a positive mental attitude; you need to do something positive to start feeling more positive. From a scientific perspective, doing something positive for yourself (self-care) will give you that small dopamine hit you need to get you going.
Here are five easily stackable wins you can do when you can barely drag yourself out of bed:
1: Make yourself a pot of coffee or tea. If you have your coffee maker set up the night before, then all you have to do is push a button. It’s going to take a few minutes for the water to warm up and your brew of choice to brew or steep. While that’s going on:
2: Do five of any exercise. I recommend five push-ups, five sit-ups, and five burpees in my book. Whatever you decide to do, do five of them. Set a one-minute timer, take a break, and do five more. Repeat this one more time for a total of three sets. It should take under five minutes.
3: Take a shower. In every religious text, the spiritual leaders constantly cleanse themselves before beginning an important ritual. The act of bathing not only makes you physically clean but can help clear the mental cobwebs as well. If you can, make sure to use a rejuvenating scented soap. My daily pick is Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint.
4: Change into real clothes. They can be comfortable clothes, but you have to put on clothes. Don’t get back into your sleepwear. If you have a washer and dryer where you live, you can even stack a big win by throwing your dirty laundry in and running a load.
5: Journal for 10 minutes. Whatever is on your mind at this point, write it down. If you need more than 10 minutes, take it, but don’t go for less than 10. Enjoy your hot beverage, and reflect on how you’re feeling compared to when you woke up.
One last thing: Do Not Check Your Phone. If you wake up with low vibe energy, you need to first focus on replenishing yourself. Checking email, social media, or other sources is using your power to care about things outside your control. Not helpful when you are not operating as your best self.
Other small wins you can do throughout the day if you start feeling low again:
- Make your bed.
- Brush your teeth.
- Take a quick walk with purpose.
- Drink a glass of water.
- Eat a vegetable.
- Take a 10-minute power nap.
When operating at a lower frequency, the most important thing you can do is fill your energy well and fortify your positive mental attitude. Then you can go forth and spend your renewed energy on the rest of the world.
