My Tips When I'm Feeling Low

I shared these tips in my newsletter a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was one to keep permanently on the blog. This year has been challenging in a lot of ways, and I know it has affected us all in varying degrees. I know that personally I really have felt it taking a toll on my mental health, which is why I’ve made sure to really prioritise self-care - which doesn’t have to be a 15 steps beauty regimen, or a 4 hour spa day. Most days it looks more like 5 min of meditation before bed, whatever it is for you, find little rituals to include in your day-to-day, below are some of the things I try and prioritise and be mindful of.

I wanted to share with you a few things that have helped me when I feel a little low, and I need to shake things up a bit. It's been a lot to take in these past few months, and I just know that those off days are around more than usual - so here's what I do :

• Going outdoors at least once a day to breathe fresh air, and shake off all the cobwebs. No matter the weather I make sure I get out of the house every morning - rain or shine. Especially great when you can soak up a little vitamin D as it's shown to have huge benefits on your mood, sleep and immune system (if you live in the northern parts of Europe/always wear SPF I'd highly recommend taking a vitamin D3 supplement - always check in with your health practitioner)  

• Talking to a friend/loved one. Being able to air things out always helps. Often a worry or stress that I've been sitting on for a few days will turn into something much bigger than it needs to, and talking about it with someone who can listen with love really helps getting that weight off and it helps me process things much faster. Knowing you're not alone and we all need a shoulder to lean on from time to time is important to keep in mind. 

• Movement. Moving my body every single day. whether it's a workout, a brisk walk, some gentle stretches on my yoga matt, getting my body moving is medicine. It really shifts my mood like nothing else. It doesn't matter what it is, find a type of movement that brings you joy, something you can incorporate into your routine, and I promise it makes all the difference. 

• Eating whole foods. When I feel a little bit down, I tend to gravitate towards more processed foods. Foods that come with an ingredients list longer than my arm with words I mostly don't understand. Foods full of processed sugar, refined flours, and food additives. These get your body on a true rollercoaster, and inevitably make you crash and leaving you wanting more. It's a vicious circle. Getting back to basics and upping my intake of fresh foods, makes a huge impact in how I feel, it's like a switch gets flipped. Night and Day. Eat the rainbow! (and yes you can have whole foods healthy treats that don't taste like cardboard!! have you tried my raw chocolate truffles?! I also just posted a healthy breakfast cookie recipe in my highlights on instagram) 

• Journal. Write down your thoughts. This can look however you want it to look like, 3 things you're grateful for or 5 pages of stream of thoughts.. whatever makes you feel good in the moment. I love doing my morning pages (read about it here) I dip in and out of writing every morning, it brings me so much clarity and calm. [I also love keeping a Bullet Journal, which helps me keep things clear and is a part of my routine to alleviate stress] 

• Probiotic. Your gut is directly linked to your brain. Gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters such as dopamine amongst others, having a direct impact on your mental health. Up your plant intake, eat fermented foods such as kimchi, tempeh, miso, sauerkraut... (recipe for how to make your own coming soon!) consider taking a good quality probiotic and working with a holistic health coach to help you with your gut health. The best probiotic on the market in my opinion is this one* (I beleive they’re on pre-order at the moment, but coming back in the next few weeks), as well as this one - if you can't get either, I've linked to some I also like through here.

  *affiliate links 

• Mindfullness. It can be a loaded word, but truly all it is is being present. Taking a deep breath and a moment to check in with yourself, with your breath, with your body. Taking deep belly breaths for 1 minute, chewing your food and eating with no distractions or sitting down and meditating for 10min, it all matters. If you'd like to dip your toes into meditation, check out apps like Calm, Headspace or Insight Timer. I try and meditate for 10 min or so every morning and it does wonders to my mood and how I feel throughout the day.

  I hope these few tips help you even just a little bit, feel free to add your own tips and tricks down below in the comments. Sending you all a big squishy virtual hug!