This week’s topic is in direct response to my current situation. I’m looking for things to make me happy and so our list today is 10 Ways to Lighten Your Mood.
- Watch a funny movie. One of my favorites is Young Frankenstein – it always makes me laugh. You could also watch a sitcom or two. Reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond are great and Modern Family (which one a bunch of emmy awards, yay for them!) is my new favorite.
- Spend time participating in your favorite hobby. In my case that’s knitting mostly but I also indulge in photography and spinning. A hobby makes for a great distraction when you’re feeling blue.
- Talk to a friend. I received an amazingly well-timed phone call from The Knitigator Sunday night and it really helped a lot.
- Email a friend. It’s almost as good as a phone call and it really helps.
- Volunteer. Nothing like seeing those less fortunate to help you put things in perspective.
- Go for a walk. Okay, I probably won’t do this but I’m told that exercise is a great mood elevator.
- Go for a bike ride. This is more likely to happen and since riding my bike always make me feel like a kid, well, you can’t beat that for lightening the mood.
- Eat something delicious. I try hard not to comfort myself with food (okay, I fail but I try) but sometimes a bowl of ice cream or some mashed potatoes and gravy is just the thing.
- Tackle a project. Paint a room or organize a closet or weed the garden. Throwing yourself into mindless work is bound to make you feel better.
- Just let it out. Sometimes a good cry is the best thing in the world. Ask me how I know!
Our lists are so similar! I hope things are at least a tiny bit easier today. Did Hannah have classes yesterday? How did they go?
Your list is one I can embrace, too. Well maybe not the bike thing. Haven’t rode one since our trip to Martha’s Vineyard. I’d replace that with a walk on the beach.
Gardening and picking my ripe veggies is a good distractor for me. Looking for things in nature to use in a yarn dyeing project. Involves some walking and some gathering in the fresh air. Let’s one think, but also helps distract one from what’s making you blue. Call me up anytime girlfriend. I went through this on Friday and again on Sunday/Monday. Thinking of you. Hugs.
Getting lost in an old favorite book or a new light read is one of my mood lifters. I’m just loving my Audible membership which allows me to knit and read. I’m also a fan of those mindless computer games – Zuma in particular. But counting my blessing and finding perspective is usually the best. My mom and I were always close, but it was when I moved away from her that I learned to appreciate her as a woman and see her as a true friend. You’ve got a lot to look forward to! Happy day, Carole!
I also like putting on a movie that I *know* will make me cry just to move the process along! Cathartic. Then the smile returns and I bake something yummy!
Ok here’s a plan: ride your bike to get an ice cream. When you finish it, ride your bike to somewhere to take pictures and also sit and knit. Then ride your bke home and watch a good funny movie. If you need the mashed potatoes at this point, at least you rode your bike a lot, right?
Can you tell I’m a big fan of “keep moving when you feel sad?”
(hugs)
Yup, another list practically the same! Hope you’re following your own (and all of our) advice 🙂
What Gale said…! It’s really true that exercise helps (it’s not what you do that matters, really. My personal favorite is yoga)
(((hugs)))
Look on the bright side: at least she’s in the same time zone! I sent one to UNH (same time zone, but a 4-5 hour ride), one to Kansas (with him, I felt like I was leaving a puppy on the side of the road), and the baby to New Orleans, the “murder capital of the US” at the time! (What I did when the baby left was to go buy a new Kitchen Aid mixer and bake my brains out. I then spent three years trying to lose the weight gained. Not recommended.) Keep telling yourself that this is what it’s all been about: that she is able to spread her wings and fly off to college is your great success as a parent.
I hope it gets easier as the week goes on – you have a great list of activities to distract you!
Good advice to yourself. Take care of you, my friend and let Hannah furl her wings.
I could watch ‘Young Frankenstein’ any time. Over and over. And I do. That and “The Princess Bride”. And maybe I’d throw “Cat Ballou” in there for a cheer-up trilogy.
Sorry you’re so blue! I guess just keeping busy is the best thing.
Great list. I agree with all of it – including the part about walking in theory rather than in practice.
Excellent list — and your girl is sensible and smart so she’ll do well. Can I add one to your list? My mom wrote to me every week I was in college. We didn’t have email back then, but now she writes emails often and *still* sends paper letters occasionally, which I treasure. You might make some stationery (use some of those great photos made small across the top?) and simply drop her a caring or funny note every week or two for a while. My friends loved my mom’s letters — I ended up posting them on my dorm door so the kids who were homesick could stop by and read news from home. She’d press a leaf or flower or doodle something pretty in the margin to dress up the plain notepaper. Mostly, though, it was seeing Mom’s handwriting that brought me comfort and reminded me that amidst all the uncertainty and pressure of college, I was her girl.
great list!
puttering in the garden usually helps me too, or singing while playing the piano. And yet, I totally agree, that sometimes its good just to let it out and cry a bit.
You could take your bike for a walk. ;^)
Great list and appropriate topic at this time as it seems many are going through the same separation. And all will be ok, it just takes some time and lots of ice cream and mashed potatoes.
Btw, I love Frankenstein Jr. – best funny movie ever (followed by Mrs. Doubtfire)
Not that I am promoting drinking – but a really good Margarita can help my mood at times. haha
How about the Pink Panther movies and reading Wodehouse, too? That’s part of my plan.
We have some overlap here. And yeah, comforting with food is very hard to fight.
Our lists are pretty similar. I hope every day gets a little lighter for you!
We have a few things in common, but you knew that. Hugs to you! My baby is a high-school freshman as of today, not the same thing at all, but it’s a reminder that my turn is coming.
You know, I kept thinking about the food one and kept tossing it aside because I do try to be aware of comfort eating. But yes, I do it. Most assuredly too much so.
I hope all of the lists are helping you, Carole.
Young Frankenstein = Funniest Movie Ever! Wot ump??? 🙂