Three Simple Tips to Keeping your Vibe High
It's May in Ontario and the sun is finally shining, well at the moment it is, it could start snowing this afternoon!
On a dull grey day I find myself feeling really down, like really down. It's so incredible the effect the sun has on me. I could be in the thick of a really challenging life situation but as soon as the sun comes out, POOF I'm immediately in a better mood - thank you sun gods for working your beautiful, Vitamin D, mood-shiffing magic.
Here are three things I like to do if the sun doesn't come out when I need it to, every day would be nice, ehem. BUT, if it's raining, and that can be pretty beautiful too, as it makes our grass grow and our veggies and flowers bloom. I bust out something called my '3 B's'. These three simple things help me shift from my Debbie downer mood into being a more positive, appreciative human, which is super important when my kids are constantly looking to me for guidance.
1. Breathe: Taking a big belly breath brings fresh oxygen to every cell of our bodies. This increases the functionality of every system. Deep breathing triggers the release of endorphins, which improves the feeling of well-being and relaxes our muscles. It also just makes me pause and re evaluate the situation I 'might be' on the verge of flying off the handle of :) This technique is dirt cheap, no wait, it's FREE and can be done at any moment of the day woohoo!
2. Be Grateful: Gratitude increases dopamine and serotonin levels. These neurotransmitters help give us the feeling of contentment. The more we practice being grateful the more it helps us increase positive emotions. It can also promote optimism and strengthen relationships. High five, sign me up!
Robert Emmons, Ph.D., a gratitude researcher, writes, “When you become truly aware of the value of your friends, family members and people around you, you are likely to treat them better, perhaps producing an ‘upward spiral,’ a sort of positive feedback loop, in which strong relationships give you something to be grateful for, and in turn fortifying those very same relationships.”
3. Be Kind: Similar to being grateful and having relationships with people, one of the quickest ways for me to shift my mood is to smile at someone or go out of my way to help someone cross the street, or something to that affect. It gets me out of my head and helps me remember that connecting with another human being makes me truly happy and hopefully makes someone else happy at the same time.
These three simple practices can drastically change how I feel about myself and how I want to show up in the world. When I'm in a grumpy, funky mood I get lost in my own self pity. I try hard to snap out of it but sometimes it's not that easy. I use the 3 B's to treat myself in a more loving and patient way.
So there you have it, my 3 B's :) Life can be incredible short or on the flip side it can be incredible long so why not make it as enjoyable for ourselves and the people around us as possible.
Lots of love
Aimee
