How to make your day better

Hi all,
you may think this post is a bit of an oddity but I thought it would be nice to do something a little different before I posted my card for the day  (I've scheduled the card for lunch time, hope that's ok).
We all have days where we, for one reason or another, don't feel as happy or as chirpy as we should and so I thought I would post these ways to be happy ideas for a bit of inspiration.
As you read them you will see the ones that I truly agree with and you will also notice what I love to do in my life - spend my life in the bath!  Only joking, I only do that once a day I promise.  LOL!
It is, in fact, a wonderful way to ease my back but also boost my spirits at the beginning of every day.  I have used my bath time to cry away my troubles, think things through, organise my day, even design card layouts.  But my most obscure use of bathtime is thinking up ways to use my new dies... how about that for whacky!!  I tell you I can bath, daydream and dream cutting dies, I love them so much.
Anyway, I am side tracking again.  Boy I can waffle with the best of them, probably beat them actually (see I'm doing it again....arrrghhh)

Here they are:-

How to make your day better

1:  Wake up a few minutes earlier.   (This is definitely true!!)

You know the scenario; you wake up in a flurry of panic the moment your alarm goes off because you need to be on time for work. You rush around the house trying to get ready but somehow get more cereal down your crisp white shirt than in your mouth; you put the milk in the dishwasher instead of the fridge; and, as you rush from room to room your sleeve gets stuck on the door handle, sending you hurtling back a metre as you were mid-way through marching out of the living room on a mission (is there anything more annoying when you’re in a rush?). As you can probably relate to from this example, being short of time makes your stress levels rise and you’re in a pickle faster than you can say “should have set my alarm earlier”. Make your mornings easier by setting your alarm 15 minutes before you need to get up. This will leave plenty of time for your body and mind to wake up so you can get ready without the stress.

2:  Have a bath.   (My ultimate favourite and proved true by me....... LOL!!)

Rather than that quick dash in and out of the shower, make some me-time and have a bubble bath and some time to work on your personal appearance. Our day always seems to go better when we look and feel our best, so gentlemen, have a shave and use a deep moisturising balm. Ladies, apply face and hair masks and paint your nails alongside your bath. It’s surprising how much a little me-time can perk up your day.

3:  Make a happy list   (This one is why I love doing my Monday Quotes!)

Sometimes we dwell on the things that make us sad rather than concentrating on what makes us happy. It takes a little brain training to change your thought process from negative to positive, and a good way to do this is make a list of things that make you happy and keep referring to it every time you feel sad. Whether you want to write down your favourite quote from a movie, the date of a holiday you have booked, or you stick down a photograph of yourself on one of the happiest days of your life, it’s sure to lift your spirits when you’re feeling down in the dumps. Corny? Yes. Helpful? Most definitely.

4:  Housework   (Life drama?  I cleaned out the kitchen cupboards…. now I clean whatever I can reach…….. LOL!)

It may not be your favourite activity, yet keeping your home clean and tidy could help you stay fit and healthy and keep off those extra pounds. According to a poll on household chores, the average person walks more than 22 miles and burns off 50,000 calories a year while cleaning their home, making it a great alternative to the gym. Furthermore, research funded by Cancer Research UK found that doing household chores can reduce women’s risk of breast cancer by 30% in pre-menopausal women and 20% in those post-menopause.

5:  Prioritise your tasks   (I write lists for cards to make, shopping, jobs to be done……… I’ve always done it)

A common reason for us to be having a bad day is stress. Having a long list of tasks to do can be overwhelming so tackle any problems head-on at the start of the day to get them out of the way as early as possible. Tackling your problems in the morning will eliminate feelings of worry throughout the rest of your day. A good way to prioritise your tasks is to write them all down and then number them from one to 10, with one being the most important, and 10 being the least important. Work your way through the tasks starting with the most important first, and tick them off as you go along. You will feel a sense of achievement each time you tick a task off.

6:  Sniff a lemon   (I use citrus in my revitaliser, it really lifts the mood in the house)

Yep, you read that right. To improve your day, simply sniff a lemon. Scientists at Tel Aviv University suggest that citrus fragrances – particularly lemon – can alleviate depression and boost our mood. Indeed, the smell of a lemon boosts your levels of serotonin (a feel-good hormone) and lowers levels of norepinephrine (a stress hormone), so improve your day by burning a lemon scented candle or spritzing on a lemony fragrance, or you could just go all out and sniff a lemon.

7:  Sweat it out   (Gym? Couldn't if I wanted to (phew!!) but dance in the living room? That's me!!)

Encourage your body’s natural feel good hormones to give your mood – and ultimately your day – a boost. Walk the dog, go for a run, or dance around the living room for half an hour; anything that gets your blood pumping and makes you sweat will do the trick. The endorphins released during exercise are scientifically proven to boost your mood, making any form of physical activity a sure-fire way to boost your day.

8:  Cuddle someone   (Cuddles from my grandkids. The best destress ever!! Ooooo! I do love them!!)

With the soaring popularity of the ‘cuddle party’ phenomenon, more and more people are discovering the benefits of a good snuggle. A warm embrace boosts the natural feel-good hormones released by the body, reduces stress, and creates a feeling of mutual trust. Beware though, whilst cuddling is a great mood-enhancer, we do recommend that you be selective over whom you choose to embrace; your boss or the window cleaner may not appreciate a cuddle as much as your spouse or your pet. If you prefer something a little less intimate, there’s nothing to stop you from expressing your feelings through a man hug (yes, this can be done by the ladies too), or maybe even a high-five to release those happy hormones.

(Credit and Thanks toYahoo Lifestyle & Realbuzz.com) 

Well that's it for now, I hope you liked some of the ideas.  See you at lunchtime with my latest creation.  It's back to the Spellbinders as I am having withdrawal symptoms again! :)
Regards Linda xx