I get myself stuck a lot. Stuck in school for another three years, stuck in this state for the duration of that time, stuck in a wildly unhealthy eating-out kick. You catch my drift? When I'm stuck like that, I feel like everything starts to fall apart. Like when I can't go somewhere, or do something, or make big changes, I start to lose control. And then I lose my sh*t.
So for all of you who feel like you're suffocating, drowning, or dying a little inside every time you can't implement the life changes you'd like to, here's 11 little ways to get yourself unstuck.
1. Watch a movie. Read a book.
I know it's only a couple hours' reprieve from life and all of its bullsh*t, but a few hours are better than nothing. One of my favorite things is getting lost in someone else's reality for a little while.
2. Dye/cut/style your hair.
The "new me" feeling might fade after a couple hours or days, but it feels great while it's happening. Hopefully you'll get a few kick-ass selfies out of it for Insta.
3. Get dressed up and do your make-up for a night in.
Sometimes all it takes is putting the effort into yourself that you wish others would, to remind yourself of your own worth. Grab an $8 bottle of wine, curl your hair, and highlight and contour the night away. Cry it all off later if you want, who cares?
4. Pamper yourself.
Splurge on that pedicure, manicure, or massage. You deserve to put just as much time into yourself as you do others. I know you've got deadlines to meet, people to support, and the like...but you're no use to anyone if you're not taking your self-care seriously.
5. Eat healthy for a day or go to the gym.
No, it's not going to get you a bikini bod. But it is going to make you feel like you're doing something to take care of your health. Same thing goes for a visit to the gym. Yeah, you may eat like sh*t 90% of the week, but you ate healthy on a Sunday! You go girl.
6. Call somebody just to talk, or meet them face-to-face.
I hate talking to people on the phone. I hate being glued to my phone, and texting, and I do it all day anyways. But if you have just one person that you can pick up the phone and call, just to say hi, do it. Better yet, meet them in person. Maintain the personal connections we so often lose over this impersonal technological society.
7. Take a walk or take a drive.
Whether it's for twenty minutes or two hours, take the time to just clear your mind. When you catch yourself worrying about the things waiting for you at home, make the conscious choice to think about the positive health benefits of walking or jam out to your favorite song on the radio.
8. Rearrange something.
Whether it's your entire house, your room, or just cleaning your car...making the effort to de-clutter helps clear out the clutter in your brain as well as making your physical space more aesthetically pleasing.
9. Put your hands on something.
Writing is my thing. I put a pen to paper, I jot down any crazy, stupid thing that comes to mind and roll with it till I have something useful. Some people like to clean. Some people like to craft. Whatever makes you feel better, do more of that.
10. Go somewhere pretty. Find your peace.
Explore, revisit somewhere familiar...it doesn't matter. Go somewhere the universe and earth humble you. Where do you feel the smallest? Where can you appreciate the magnitude of what is actually out there in the world?
11. Do something that scares you.
Anything. Text that boy. Submit that novel to a publishing company. Climb to the edge of that cliff and look down over the ocean. Feel that? You're growing. You're free...for at least this moment.
Life is stressful. Constantly. These are Band-Aid fixes, but they're my Band-Aid fixes. They get me from day to day while making sure the hair follicles in my head stay there and don't end up in my hands as I tear my hair out. They're not big changes, but the small changes add up. Sometimes they add up enough to make yourself feel as if you're actually making progress.
