When you wake up and feel like absolute, total crap… Try this:

Drink a giant glass of water. We live on a blue planet and are made of water almost entirely. Dehydration messes with body and mind so drink up.

Walk your dogs. Just walk. Feel the wind on your face. Let them decide the pace. Pet them. Pick up poop. Notice the simplicity of the joy your animals experience from being outside.

Practice yoga, 20 minutes or more. Move slowly. It doesn’t matter what you do, just that you do it. Choose your favorite poses. Invite your dogs to join. Stretch and breathe.

Spike mat, 20 minutes. Lie down and wait for the fire trickling down your spine to reach your entire body until it feels like you’re floating. Every time your mind pops into the equation with ideas of how you could better spend your time, thoughts about work or anything that causes your forehead to crease up in a frown, bring your focus back to your breath. Come back to the breath. Again and again.

Massage balls, 20 minutes. Find the tightest spot in your body and keep working it until you can relax. Breathe space into the tension. Feel your whole body letting go.

Cook food. Light a candle. Eat without distraction.

Count your blessings. Literally:

1. Husband
2. Dogs
3. Family
4. Friends
5. Body
6. Breath
7. Ocean
8. Community
9. House
10. Business
11. This moment

… Keep counting and don’t stop until you have gotten sick of it and thus realized just how damn lucky you are to be alive.

Don’t have bad days, have bad moments instead. Own it. Feel it. Get out of it.

Life is beautiful and you have more blessings than you’ll ever be able to count so be grateful.

~

Author: Rachel Brathen

Editor: Katarina Tavčar

Photo: Author’s own