Feeling Hopeless?

Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but the results of the recent presidential election here in the US have seriously knocked me on my ass. I feel incredibly sad, depressed, angry, and hopeless which is not the norm for me. I’m a glass is half full kind of gal. But the idea of a bigoted, misogynistic, racist in the highest office in the land has really got me struggling to try to find the light.  This election unearthed a lot of ugly in our country. People are angry, disenfranchised and scared. And they wanted to be heard. The good news is that now they have. I can only hope that this radical upheaval in our political system will ultimately bring about positive change, but I’m scared that in the short term, things are going to get painful. And bottom line, that’s what I am struggling with — fear.

Fear is what makes people bigoted, misogynistic and racist. Fear is what makes people reactionary. And fear is what makes us feel hopeless.  Fear can result from an election that doesn’t go the way that we want, a new relationship that doesn’t yet feel secure or a boss that’s making our job miserable. Combating fear can be as simple as taking a breathe, starting a gratitude habit or roasting a marshmallow. It’s upping your happiness quotient and finding joy despite your anxiety. So, keeping that in mind, here are few best friend tools to try when things are feeling hopeless. Let me know if they work for you:

Start A Gratitude Habit

Counting your blessings is one of the fastest ways to relieve stress, reduce depression, and increase your optimism. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll sleep better. And as we all know, more sleep = a happier camper. Changing our habits isn’t impossible no matter what your age. It just takes some time, about 2 months, and consistency. So, every morning, I want you to think of three things for which you are grateful. It may be hard over the next couple of months, but remember, they don’t have to be big. This morning, one of mine was “I am grateful for my bed.” If you’re someone who has a hard time starting a new habit, try combining it with an existing one like brushing your teeth. There is also a great app called Happify (free for both Apple and Android devices) that will send reminders and motivational quotes to stay more grateful. Or if you like to journal, there’s the app Happier that allows you to upload photos, jot down notes and share your thoughts with the Happier community.

Eat More Fruits & Vegetables

My grandfather used to entice me to eat my carrots when I was a child by telling me that they made my eyes sparkle. Turns out, he was right. They were sparkling with happiness. A recent study from the University of Warwick in England has found that eating more fruits and vegetables increases our happiness level. Seriously, I kid you not. And the boost just keeps on growing until you reach your eighth serving. So, next time that you are feeling overwhelmed, sad, angry or hopeless, reach for a carrot. Or a grapefruit. Or roast some broccoli. Or sauté some kale. Or pop a grape. Or…. well, you get the picture. And besides making you happier, eating more fruits and veggies is good for your heart, your skin and your waistline.

Meditate

Meditation…. so good for you and yet so hard for many of us. But really, it doesn’t have to be. The app Headspace offers a 10 minutes a day, 10 day program for beginners with all kinds of helpful tips, videos and guided meditations. Or, if you are feeling self motivated, try this: Lie down somewhere quiet and close your eyes. Take a couple of deep breaths to center yourself. Then, pick a power higher than yourself such as God or the Universe or Mother Nature and imagine, with each exhale, that you are handing all of your worries, stresses and fears over to this higher power. You are no longer in charge of them. Relinquishing control to a benevolent power higher than ourselves is scary, but incredibly powerful and incredibly healing.

Roast a Marshmallow

One of the reasons that I still read the physical paper is that I like to start every day with the comics. There is something about greeting the morning with a chuckle that just makes everything better. And when that chuckle also comes with a pearl of wisdom…. ah, heaven. No one, in my opinion, straddled this line better than Charles Schulz. As someone who has been called a “Lucy” on more than one occasion, but who has always dreamed of being a “Snoopy”, this strip really hits home. It also seemed appropriate. When times are dark, it is easy to get lost in the big stuff when sometimes, it’s the little things that make all the difference. So, come on, break out the marshmallows. You’ll feel better. I promise.