I was off yesterday. Not so much cranky as just off balanced. It started with a scene in the laundry room in the wee hours of the morning. In between washer and dryer, my laundry card zero-ed out. I had at least $12 on the card yet when I went to dry my wet clothes, it showed I had $0. My unattractive reaction in the empty laundry room will probably be regularly watched film footage in the condo employee break room.
The day finished with a less than productive teleconference meeting in the evening hours. Ideally, the meeting would have been in person. The weather probably being the biggest deterrent had participants joining by phone. The lack of focus made me think most of them were distracted by a spirited game of Candy Crush. I mustered all kinds of self-restraint because I wanted to just announce ‘this isn’t helpful‘ and then hang up on people.
Those events were the bookends to a shelf full of meh. Nothing happened horrific. Nothing happened sensational. It was just one-of-those-days that is lackluster at best or annoying at least.
In the midst of the Monday meh, the NRS wellness committee sent out an email about mental and emotional well-being. The timing was Divine intervention. I enjoyed the pick-me-up read especially these coping nuggets…
- Do things that positively impact others. Being useful to others and being valued for what you do can help build self-esteem.
- Although I like to be helpful and useful, I think I put too much emphasis on validation from others. I, myself, need to value my positive impact on the world.
- Practice self-discipline. Self-control naturally leads to a sense of hopefulness and can help you overcome despair, helplessness, and other negative thoughts.
- Daily sun salutations are my disciplined practice. It’s a physical and emotional awakening to the day. I don’t always want to do them but I know I benefit from the ongoing act.
- Learn or discover new things. Think of it as “intellectual candy.” Try taking an adult education class, join a book club, visit a museum, learn a new language, or simply travel somewhere new.
- Learning is key to my happiness. I love to suck on a big piece of intellectual candy.
- Enjoy the beauty of nature or art. Studies show that simply walking through a garden can lower blood pressure and reduce stress. The same goes for strolling through a park or an art gallery, hiking, admiring architecture, or sitting on a beach.
- Even from my window and -2 degree temps, a frozen Chicago has its sunlit beauty. I need to remember to look for the wonder.
- Manage your stress levels. Stress takes a heavy toll on mental and emotional health, so it’s important to keep it under control. While not all stressors can be avoided, stress management strategies can help you bring things back into balance.
- Even yesterday, I was getting all stressed out about several different work things. Each time, I did a little mental check. “What if it doesn’t happen the way I envision?” And I answered myself with another question: “so what?” The truth is I can do what I can do. The world will not come to an end because something didn’t happen the way I thought it should.
- Limit unhealthy mental habits like worrying. Try to avoid becoming absorbed by repetitive mental habits—negative thoughts about yourself and the world that suck up time, drain your energy, and trigger feelings of anxiety, fear, and depression.
- I’ve always thought ‘whatever’ was the most passive aggressive exclamation. I now believe it’s an ideal transition word. Instead of letting a friend or the world bring me down into a toxic stew of negativity, I can just utter ‘whatevs.’ I can unchain that anchor around my ankle and swim up. I can’t change people. I can only change my response to them. And sometimes that response is treading water and sometimes it’s a robust breaststroke to the other side of the pool.
Hello, Tuesday! Let’s get it above meh!