W - Weather

W- Weather

It's crazy how much the weather can affect us!

When it is sunny, we are on top of the world. Nothing is, ever has, or every will, defeat us! We are not fazed. We are full of hope and laughter.

But then in the gloomy light and rain we are under then earth, full of regret and despair; hope and smiles have left us.

Ok, maybe it isn't always this extreme, but it sure can feel like it.

If, like me, you find the winter months and their lack of light, and just general 'bleugh' tone difficult to deal with then this post is gonna be full of itty bitty self care tips you can use. To lift your mood, or to just be.

Let's go.

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• Colouring. I am the BIGGEST advocate of colouring. There's something so therapeutic about creating something so artistic, but with such little effort. You need to concentrate, but not so much that it's a chore. It is also really good at keeping your hands busy if this is something you struggle with. Also, when the sky is so gloomy and the world is so dark, it feels amazing to be adding colour to it, and to focus on something so bright. There are heapppppps of adult colouring books you can buy, but if you haven't got one, dig out one of your old childhood ones, or even just scribble on paper! 
• Headspace. I am the BIGGEST advocate for the app headspace. The first 10 sessions are free, and you can repeatedly use them, but the thing I am MOST keen on is the 'SOS' function - constantly saving me from myself. You will need to pay for this, but in my opinion it is well worth the money. Also, if you're a student (you can get a UniDays account for free to prove this) it comes FREE with spotify premium, which, at a student rate, is only £4.99 a month! Win win tbh. It is a form of mindfullness that you don't need to be a professional to hack and it is so calming.
• General mindfulness. If you don't wanna give headspace a try (although you definitely should) then practise being present in the moment. Do a body scan (I can do a separate post on this if it would help people - just give me a shout), focus on your breathing, focus on the colours and textures and spaces around you. Again, it is grounding, brings you to the moment and keeps you calm.
• Netflix and chill... Literal chill. Bonus points if you have a snuggly blanket and a cup of tea. Put your phone and work to a side, and just enjoy this cosy little cocoon. Some of my favourite series are Jane the Virgin, Grace and Frankie, Outnumbered, Gavin and Stacey. A lot of laughs and realistic happiness - yes, PLEASE. Have you got any netflix reccomendations?
• I've recently started loving cross stitching - again, it keeps your hands busy and is good to focus on but isn't academic (any other a level students out there, do you get me? It feels great to be focusing but not on a levels).
• Put on some old music and have a mini dance party for one. Whether it's for one song, or a whole playlist, it gets your adrenaline going and in turn provides you with energy. Also, is there any better joy than knowing ALL the lyrics and your (fake) crowd applauding you? I think not
• Baking. You get to combine lots of random ingredients to make something beautiful, that tastes even better. Win win
• Go on a walk in nature. I have a field near me with a public footpath through that I love to walk through. It's so good to be surrounded by God's wonderful nature. Also, fresh air does wonders. 
• SNACKS. If you don't have the energy to bake, there's nothing wrong with a cheeky trip to Asda to stock up on junk food. We've got to enjoy it whilst we're young, haven't we?
• Pamper time. Yes, I'm a basic white girl. Yes, I feel like a new woman when I give myself a face mask whilst painting my nails. Add a few candles and you're basically on tumblr.

But also, combine these! My ULTIMATE self care action is being in my PJs, painting my nails, with a face mask on whilst watching netflix with my cosy blanket, tea and snacks. It sounds a lot, but gallllll you gotta love yourself.

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Ok, so they were the cute cheerful things to do to lift your mood a lot, but let's talk about more practical things now. Especially, if like me, you feel less like you're having an off-day and more like you're having an off-life.

• Change your clothes. PLEASE. Do not wear the same PJs all day that you also wore last night. By all means, change from last night's PJs into today's PJs (i.e. me every day) but don't keep the same ones on. Anddddd if you brush your hair and teeth whilst you're at it, you'll basically be ready for the day, comfy style
• Have a drink. Water is so important. I like to keep a massive bottle of water in my room so that when I feel really bad, I don't even have to venture downstairs for it. Do whatever it is that gets you drinking. Drink with a straw, have a small glass so you feel accomplished. But every time you catch yourself feeling worse, grab a glass of water, listen to one song, and then see if you feel that same way.
• Have food. Proper food. Even if you can't make a whole meal, just eat a plain bit of bread. But carbs (and protein) are SO important. Sugar is only going to get you so far.
• Tidy your room. Seriously, it's amazing how much it helps. I don't mean clean out your wardrobe, or hoover, or make the floor spotlessly clean. But if you can pop on some music and put a few things away, it will do you the world of good.
• Let someone know you're struggling. Whether you call a friend, send a snapchat or write it in a diary, let someone know. You don't have to go into details, but sometimes just voicing it can be a relief. And then your loved ones know to keep an extra eye on you. (Just be careful about posting stuff onto general social media. I often think of my sad, dreary self as my drunk self. Would sober Lucy want this on my twitter?)

Now finally, this is less of a thing to do, and more of a concept. Have you ever heard of the five-minute rule? The idea is that you do something for five minutes, then reevaluate. For example, when I need to do my homework, but realllllly don't feel like I can. I will do some homework for five minutes, and then reassess. Can I do five minutes more/ carry on? If yes, then yasss, great! You go Glen Coco. If not, then that's fine! You've tried, you know for sure you can't, and, hey, look at that, you just did 5 minutes work! Everybody wins.

Times are tough but you are tougher.

We're gonna make it through this winter, I promise.

Your task this time is to try out one of these things, and let me know how you go. Good or bad, I'd love to hear. Let me know what else helps you when you're feeling under the weather.

-An Alphabet of Thoughts