Your no-fail tips for getting out of a slump!

[MollysLips]

I'm in a slump. I'm feeling so "bleurgh" and I think it's become a vicious circle now - I'm not spending much time on my appearance (because I feel ugly, but of course I look worse because I'm not spending time on myself!), I'm not getting outside, I'm not exercising...

I had a crappy year last year with anxiety, anaemia (heavy periods) and stuff. I had a blood test last week and my red blood count is still too low at 3.63 but my ferritin has gone from 33 to 90, so my hair has stopped falling out. I'm feeling less tired. But still "bleurgh"

So I can take vitamins, but what else? I don't feel ill, I feel a bit depressed, but I think I could get myself better if I took some steps. I just don't know what steps will work the fastest!

Thanks

Sounds trite but honestly, just try a few steps outside, aim for a short walk each day, hopefully building up to a longer walk. I feel so much better if I can get out in the fresh air every day. I used to do a 4 mile walk in the countryside every morning at 6am, I felt so much better for it, but we moved and it’s not quite so nice where we live now. But I can walk to work, 25mins, I don’t do it every day but try ... and feel so much better for it. I work part time so it’s really not too much of an effort. Am planning it today as I don’t need to be in work until this afternoon .... and my DS has taken the car so no excuse.

Good luck.

The fact that your posting this shows that you’ve shifted your mind set. Take this opportunity and just go for it.

How much fruit and veg do you eat? Try to aim for 5-6 a day and plan your food around that. It’s amazing the difference good nutritious food can make to your mood as well as your health.

Drink lots of water.

Have a shower every day and use a good quality conditioner.

Go for a walk daily in a park or somewhere where there’s a lot of nature. It can make a big difference to your mood and mental health

Do you eat enough? Healthily?
I am a bit lazy and don't eat enough when in a rush - ie have a coffee and a few digestives before dropping DS off at nursery and then don't make myself a proper breakfast at home or I have a sandwich at lunch rather than cook just for me...
I feel a lot better if I eat properly! eg, cereal and banana after nursery drop off, scrambled eggs and avocado for lunch...
I've also started taking a multivitamin after breakfast.

Another silly one is that I put on music to do the housework. Always cheers me up if I'm down.

I love these!

Also, don’t aim for too much ... ie; just focus on one thing until that becomes a habit and then add something else. It can all get a bit much if you try to revolutionise your whole life at once.

Maybe make a plan

Week 1; short walk every day
Week 2; short walk every day plus 5 a day fruit and veg
Week 3; as above plus new challenge eg; find new library book to enjoy
Week 4; as above plus ..... etc etc

Thanks, @Ragwort. I'm definitely guilty of the all-or-nothing approach to life, which is overwhelming and stressy. I've recently discovered Baby Steps and I love them.

Love the short walks idea. I recently dragged out my FitBit so I can aim for 10k steps a day, in the sunshine.

I'm on WW but have definitely slacked on the 5 A Day recently, so I can up that.

I've just put all my vitamins on the dining table to take those with meals.

I also need to see my girlfriends more (DH is sweet but really quiet, not very "dynamic" lol) so I've got social things booked in for tonight, Weds and Saturday.

I also NEED to shower every day when I wake up. If I leave it, I don't do it, and then I feel hideous.

Music and housework is a great combo! The house has suffered since my slump, but I've booked a home hairdresser for Friday, almost 90% just so I have to clean the kitchen.

I think I need to pay attention to what makes me feel happy, and what makes me feel sad. When I'm a bit low, I'll do things (like stay in bed, watch TV, avoid people) that I think will be comforting, but they actually make me feel worse.

Happy things:

Music
Hot showers with nice-smelling products
Bed by 10pm
No booze
Salad, fresh foods, fruit
Funny books
Writing
Talking to my family
Time with girlfriends
Shagging DH
Taking the DC out to places
Dancing
Having people over here
Having a clean, pretty much organised house
Hanging washing outside
Exercise
Meeting new people

Sad things:

Staying in bed
Eating chocolate and crap
Avoiding the phone
Procrastinating on work
Heavy books
Googling symptoms
Spending all my time in my head
Too much TV

If anyone else feels slumpy, we could start an Escape the Slump thread where we all take anti-slump manoeuvres and get back on top?

@ILiveinSalemsLot

Thanks so, so much for pointing this out. It really made me feel more positive:

The fact that your posting this shows that you’ve shifted your mind set. Take this opportunity and just go for it.

And thanks @Camomila -- I've definitely been on the digestive/coffee breakfast diet for several weeks now. No more!

Put my phone and TV remote on a high shelf, somewhere i need a ladder to get to.
Put phone on mute first.

Do you have a camera? Go out and take photos, of anything: animals, trees, sun through the trees, flowers in the park, misspelt graffiti, funny shaped cloud. You'll have walked further than you think.

Make a short list of just 3 things to do. Do the worst/most boring first.

Lots of fresh fruit instead of biscuits she says popping maltesers like tic tacs while laying on her bed in fairness I have just changed and washed 2 loads of bedding, putting them out in a minute. Also I have tidied the living room. Still got to do some work, have a shower, get dressed. And have some winter stuff to put away as temperatures are rising (fake ugg slippers, blankets, dressing gown, thivk pyjamas,winter coats etc), and must see patches on 2 pairs of DS' trousers, the knee-wrecking monkey!

Fresh air. Fresh food. Boot up the bum.

@MollysLips I too am in a slump! I'm 38+4 pregnant so put it down to this but I am trying to get myself out of it. Yesterday I wallowed

Today I have set myself some tasks, some I've already done:

• Get up before 9am
• Eat breakfast which doesn't consist of chocolate
• Have a bath before 11am
• Organise wardrobe so I can see what I have to wear post baby
• See grandparents as it's likely the last opportunity before baby arrives

It's not much and there'll be breaks in between each task but it's something!

I find setting little tasks helps because I can see what I've actually achieved in a day, even if it's not a lot! I hope you feel better ASAP

@elQuintoConyo

Do you have a camera? Go out and take photos, of anything: animals, trees, sun through the trees, flowers in the park, misspelt graffiti, funny shaped cloud. You'll have walked further than you think.

That is actual genius. Thanks! Walks do seem "pointless" to fat, lazy me but this would give me a reason.

I think I need a dog. Or I could borrow my mum's dog. I'm his favourite person in the world, we could walk together, we'd both love that.

@CaseofEllen -- I love your list!! Those tasks will actually be fun to do.

I mean, fun for you to do. I realise I'm not going to be seeing grandparents today!

I need a fun list. OK my list:

-- Finish my work
-- Hot shower with tangerine shower gel, shower radio on, nice hair stuff
-- Dress in something other than jeans/jumper
-- Make bolognese sauce with tons of hidden veg
-- Walk about for a bit before school run
-- Go out tonight
-- Shag poor, unshagged DH
-- Drag out a funny book to read in bed (after shag; resist temptation to start it during shag)

Re the photography thing - I did a course years ago where one of the homework assignments was to walk 100 steps then find something to photograph. Then the next 100 and so on until the end of the walk. I now use this whenever I am feeling a bit flat - it just focuses on the external rather than the internal, makes me look at the outside in a different way and gives me a boost every time. It's great! It's also a really good way to get my 12yr old to come on a walk with me :-)

Best of luck!

@Boopear --

walk 100 steps then find something to photograph. Then the next 100 and so on until the end of the walk. I now use this whenever I am feeling a bit flat - it just focuses on the external rather than the internal, makes me look at the outside in a different way and gives me a boost every time. It's great!

I'm definitely trying this. That external focus is SO important. I just did a 12-minute "mind dump" journalling thing that started with me hating my entire life, and ended with me realising that I always wallow in negative stuff and then look back and realise later how happy/lucky I was. It was very cleansing!

Shameless slump-bumping.

Anyone got any other great tips for lifting your mood?

I'm all out of tips but if this turns into an anti-slump thread I'm all up for joining :)

I don't know if you've ever read it but my friend said I remind her of the character Emma from One Day (she meant the political bits!) But OMG I hate her (Emma, not my friend) and now feel like I want to change my whole life

I too have been in a bit of a slump
I’ve been feeling tired, eating because I feel tired, feeling like shit because I’m eating to much and not losing weight

New leaf today, chilled all yesterday caught up on some sleep and tv

Things to keep me out of the slump
-moving as much as I can
-having a few minutes meditation when tempted to eat
-doing small tasks through out the day
-10 minutes of tidying when wee one is in bed to so rocking tunes
-20 minutes of reading or podcast at bedtime

This thread has come at a perfect time, I have been in a slump for a little while now. Not helped by the fact that I have crappy-medical stuff going on, so every 3 weeks I feel tired & ill...on the good days inbetween I have a good quality of life, but can hit an emotional slump. I can't bloody win

I do second the suggestion to borrow / get a dog. Having to go out and walk our mutt every day is probably my only saving race. I love @BooPear suggestion to take photos every 100 meters, and will def. be trying that!

I do find that a few episodes of something very funny, preferably dark humour cheers me up, although I have to be very careful not to end up in front of the TV all day.

I am thrilled that the weather is slowly improving as gardening does cheer me up. Just a few minutes pottering around the garden (Especially now when the spring flowers are just starting to come out) can help sometimes. Choosing a couple of new plants and getting them out into the garden does cheer me up.

I am loving the idea of a funny book, does anyone have any suggestions? I think my current reading list is a little depressing....

Morning, slumpers! How are we doing today?

Yesterday was definitely better for me after I posted here and read your helpful replies.

I've agreed to walk my mum's gorgeous dog at weekends, starting Saturday. He's adorable and that'll get us out into nature.

I showered and wore a DRESS last night. I felt enormous but DH said, "Bloody Hell you look gorgeous!" so that cheered me up. I rewarded him with a shag later which really lifted my spirits! I'd forgotten how just one shag with him immediately wipes away any tiny annoyances I've been storing up (and I mean tiny; he's generally awesome) and makes me all smitten again.

I went out last night with my dad, DS and my brother and had fun. I've eaten so much though - really need to get back on track with WW as feeling fat realllllllllllly brings me down. I'm just 20lbs away from feeling/looking my best so it's really not that much. It's achievable.

I've got counselling later. I've been seeing someone about my anxiety. And I also started taking my vitamins again.

I've loved the posts on here and they're really working!

Hello @auniverseofbeaches -- so happy to have you here! Sorry about the health stuff. How long have you got to do that for?

The funniest book I've read in ages is "You Had Me At Hello" by Mhairi McFarlane; I'll ad the link below but I don't know how to do the MN clicky stuff:

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008B0SRXI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

That, or Bridget Jones still sets me off. Or "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is hilarious.

Are you watching Fleabag on iPlayer? So funny. Or The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is free on Amazon Prime and there are two genuinely funny series!

@Camomila - Hello! I thought Emma in One Day was nice..? Maybe your friend just meant that you look like Anne Hathaway. Let's just say she meant that.

I'm really up for this being an ongoing slump-busting thread so if you're going to change your whole life please document it here.

@Whymustyoubringinthebirds

Hello! High five! Glad you're here too. Sorry you've also slumped but I'm sure we can all drag each other out of the pit.

What podcast do you listen to at bedtime? I'd love to start but there are so many to choose from that I get overwhelmed and give up (a recurring theme in my life). I loved the "Dear Joan and Jericho" hilarious one with Julia Davis, but I think I've listened to them all now. That was really funny though.