- BLAST THE MUSIC. Nothing gets me pumped like cranking up some Mumford and Sons, Yellowcard, and maybe a little Macklemore. This works especially well if you're home alone. Dance.
- Eat healthy things. Apparently it's been proven healthy things make you happy and unhealthy things make you depressed. This is the hardest one for me. I <3 calories.
- Go for a run/walk. I avoid physical exertion just as much as the next stereotypical American, but sometimes I force myself to get out there and get tired, and it is soooo good. The more you do it, the more you love it.
- Don't be alone for too long. Spending the entire day by myself kills everything happy inside of me. And sometimes the longer I'm alone, the less I want to be with other people. Never give in! Find a friend. Go over to someone's place. Do it. Do it naooo.
- Mirror time. This one's weird. But sometimes when I'm sad I just go in the bathroom and look in the mirror and talk or smile or dance. And it totally helps. No lie.
- Service. Pretty simple. Forget yourself and make somebody else happy!
- Dress up. Look great, feel great. It's real. Working a million hours a week in food service, I take every opportunity I can to look fly outside of work. Work it.
- Fill your time. Nothing kills my energy like sitting around eating and watching tv. I can go for several hours like that, basically in a physical and emotional coma, and I won't want to do anything else. Then I can't fall asleep at night and it just messes me up for days. Stay pleasantly involved in multiple things that you enjoy. But take breaks, too. Start a blog, if you have to. Helped me.
And last, but definitely not least,
- Don't forget about the Man upstairs. He's there, He's real, and He loves you. Sometimes that knowledge is the only thing that keeps me sane. Goshdangit, you are never alone. God created you, and he knows you. More than anyone else in the world, He wants you to be happy, and He's going to help you as much as He can. As much as you let Him.
This post has taken me a while to finish for a number of reasons, but I hope you like it. I know I don't blog very much, but when I do, it makes me feel pretty good.
Hey, in case I don't see you for a while, have a great Christmas. This is my favorite time of year, and if it's not yours, you might be doing it wrong :)
"I've got nothing to do today but smile." - Paul Simon
