“I feel fine.”

Ok, some of us do feel fine, but is “fine” really enough? Is that the highest point we can achieve, or do we want to aim for other adjectives such as amazing, fantastic or fabulous? Well, I would say: heck yes!! But this is the part where I usually hear “easier said than done”, and while that may be very true, I would like to talk about the small steps we can take to make our day ten times better, one day at a time.

Time to Flourish

Let’s start with an easy one.

Just say NO.

Ok, I lied; that’s the most difficult one.

However, if you can muster up even the smallest amount of strength to say “NO” to just one thing this week that doesn’t serve you, then you have unknowingly grabbed the bull by the horns.

Well done!

Here comes the tricky part, learn to say no without any explanation attached to it. Now I am aware that most of you are thinking that sounds borderline rude. It feels rather odd to say no without justifying why you made that decision. Would you give an elaborate explanation after saying “yes”? Probably not. So why are we so scared of making our happiness a priority. Why are we so petrified of simply saying “No.”?

The next step is to utilise your time so that you feel better because of your decision.
So make space and take time out. Make use of the ever overused “me-time” and actually put yourself to the test. This time doesn’t require you to come up with life-changing ideas, and nobody expects you to change the world because you allowed yourself “me-time.”
Here are five basic examples of something you can do for yourself. Remember, what works for me doesn’t have to work for you. Once you have taken step one by saying “no,” (to situations that don’t serve you) plunge into step two with bite-sized “me-time” breaks.
  • Crank up some tunes. Dance it out. Sing like an idiot even if you don’t know the words. Music has proven to help alleviate feelings of loneliness and helps us cope with our daily routine.
  • Sit and do nothing. Yes, you heard me. Do nothing. Chill out on an armchair for 20 minutes and turn off the lights (in your head)
  • Wear whatever the heck you want! Wear something you like. I repeat, wear something you like, not what everyone else likes. Not what is trending. Not what is “fashionable” (I mean, what does that even mean?) At first, it may seem daunting, but once you jump over the first hurdle, you will feel liberated. Trust me!
  • Sit up straight. This one is not obvious, but slouching is just the breeding ground for a slouchy mood. If you spend several hours on a chair for work, then invest in buying a good one for your desk, whether at home or at work, and for goodness sake, sit up straight. Once you look the part, you will feel the part. This is just one tiny step towards feeling ten times better during the day.
  • Go outside. This is kind of obvious and borderline cliché. I am almost convinced nobody wants to hear me say “go outside for some fresh air”, but this gets repeated by therapists, psychologists, and medical practitioners across the globe….because IT WORKS. So while I may have lost brownie points for popularity, go outside, try it; you will feel much better!