It’s a crazy feeling… one minute you’re sitting outside with your friends, enjoying the 78 degree weather and soaking in the brief spring preview… and then the blaring noise of your alarm hits you like a freight train and you realize it’s already Monday!? Wait, how is that possible? The weekend flies by so fast it doesn’t even feel like it happened. Suddenly you’re in that weekly funk where you feel grumpy, tired and discouraged about all the projects looming over your head.
With just a few simple steps you can quickly turn your pessimistic perspective into a positive one! Here are our favorite ‘Monday Mood Boosters.’
Get Outside
Studies show a possible correlation between vitamin D and serotonin the brain, increasing your positive mood. Go outside and enjoy the sunshine for at least twenty minutes a day. This doesn’t need to be consecutive! Take a walk as the sun is coming up in the morning, and then again during your lunch break. It’s as simple as that!
Keep A Thankfulness Journal
When you wake up in the morning, write down five things that you are thankful for from the previous day. This could be something as big as a promotion at work, or something as simple as how delicious your coffee was that morning. Looking at the glass half full instead of half empty will change your attitude throughout the day and the course of the week.
Eat Healthy
We’ve said this once and we’ll say it again – it is amazing how eating clean and healthy impacts your body and your mindset. Certain food groups like dairy, sugar and gluten can leave you feeling mentally and physically bogged down. Antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids found in whole vegetables and fruit lower the risk of depression and anxiety.
Meditate
Taking time to meditate before you begin your day will work wonders on your mindset. Whether you’re doing yoga, participating in a religious study, reading a self-help book, or simply just sitting on your back porch enjoying nature, meditation of some sort is proven to decrease heart rate, anxiety and blood pressure.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
Emotions are contagious! When you spend a copious amount of time with negative people, you’re bound to be influenced by their attitude. Dedicate your extra time to hanging out with people that encourage you, motivate you, and have a positive outlook on life! That attitude will quickly infiltrate your perspective
Exercise and Rest
Everyone knows that exercising releases endorphins and increases your energy levels, but you can’t get too focused on going-going-going 24/7. Make sure that if you’re pushing your body to the limit, you’re also getting much needed rest. Try and sleep at least 6-8 hours a night.
Stretch and Foam Roll
If you come to camp and do the workout correctly, you will most likely feel sore. Your muscles are growing and stretching, and you need to take care of them just like you take care of the rest of your body. Make sure that you stretch before and after camp, and also foam roll. Foam rolling breaks up the fibers in your muscle, increasing mobility and decreasing soreness during exercise.
Keep a Routine
Routine, routine, routine. As monotonous as it feels to get up each morning and do the exact same thing, it is also very beneficial to your well-being. Keeping a steady routine can aid in digestion, decrease stress, kick bad habits and increase positive patterns.
Declutter
Keeping your home and your workspace free of clutter leads to a multitude of clarity in other aspects of your life. Organization within your surroundings begets mental organization. When you’re not looking around at dirty dishes, laundry and piles of “to-do’s” you’ll be able to mentally and physically relax way more than before.
Have Fun
Think of time spent having fun as a deposit in your bank of mental health. The more you put in, the more you’ll have to pull from when you’re feeling overwhelmed or down in the dumps. Fueling your day-to-day routine with positivity and activities you enjoy will ultimately lead to a better mood and a higher quality of life.
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