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The SITS Girls

The Secret to Success is Support

5 Ways To Go From Blah to Bliss

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Our third installment in our series on well-being will help show you how to be in a good mood more often. Kim from Adventures in Blogging shares 5 ways to go from blah to bliss!
How To Be In a Good Mood
Do you ever have one of those days? A day when you’re unhappy for no specific reason? A day when you get annoyed easily, maybe cry easily; a day when you feel like the world is against you?

I used to have those days. I don’t anymore. Every day of my life is pretty amazing. Sorry to be cliché, but life is too short to waste a moment of it having a pity party; even if it’s well deserved. Plus, how many of us truly have the time or space to have that much deserved meltdown?

I’m not happy all day every day, but I am happy every day.

When you’re in a blah mood that you can’t seem to shake, try one of these tricks that work for me…

Count Your Blessings

Whenever my mood is a little dark, I take out a piece of paper and make a list of my blessings or I rattle them off as I’m driving down the road.

You can be practical: “Running water.”
You can be relieved: “No doggy ‘accidents’ in the house for a year.”
You can be silly: “I have never gone to Maury Povich for a paternity test.”
You can be deep: “My faith.”
You can be proud: “I still get carded.”

Just keep writing and before you know it, you’ll feel up the page and your spirit will be lifted.

Workout

In the spring, I go for a run or bike ride. Plugged into my iPod, it doesn’t take long for whatever I thought was so crucial to be forgotten or to become trivial. If the weather isn’t cooperating, then I pop in a Kick Boxing Workout DVD. I haven’t managed to hold on to anger and keep up with all the moves. When I’m finished – I feel fantastic, because now I can have a cookie.

Recall a Happy Moment

The one moment that will always snap me out of a mental tantrum is how excited our dogs get when I come home. I’m a Fur Mom and I love the image of our dogs wiggling in excitement when they see me. They’re almost 2 years old now, but they’ve done the same routine since they were 8 weeks old. I keep this memory in my front pocket; it’s like a good luck charm.

Treat Yourself: My “treat” list includes Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream (Ben & Jerry’s of course), my beloved tank tops from Old Navy, a pair of shoes from Nine West, or fish & chips (preferably catfish).

And when I really want to treat myself, I take myself on a date; there’s something empowering about going to the movies solo.

Remember, It’s Not About You

My dad taught me to remember that when someone is nasty to me, it’s either about them or about some thing from their past. It’s not about me. It’s not always easy, but I try to remind myself that I don’t have the full picture and this nasty person’s world may be falling apart.

A dog trainer told me that the littermate puppies we adopted would end up at a shelter in line to be euthanized. Shocking, right? When I finally received an apology, she shared some of her background and the treatment some dogs received at the hands of their families. She’s terrified whenever people adopt dogs.

By the way, our dogs will be two in March and inspired my new blog, Keep the Tail Wagging.

I love the Sex in The City Movie (the first one) and there was one exchange that perfectly explains how I feel about my life…

Samantha Jones: Relationships aren’t just about being happy. I mean, how often are you happy in your relationship?
Charlotte York: Every day.
Samantha Jones: Every day?
Charlotte York: Well, not all day every day but yes, every day.

There are days that just suck and even if we do indulge in a meltdown, the problems will still be there when we come to our senses. These little tricks help me get past the BS life tosses at me so that I can smell the flowers.

Wow, that was cheesy!

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About the Author:

Kimberly Gauthier is a prolific blogger who has rediscovered her love of writing and photography and is now the author of Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier, Adventures in Blogging, andKeep the Tail Wagging.  She’s excited to share what she’s learned about growing a successful blog at the 2012 Las Vegas Bloggy Boot Camp.

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Are you interested in guest posting for The SITS Girls? Then let us know! Our super easy process is described in this post. We’d love to drive more page views to what you have to say.

About Tracie Nall

Tracie lives in Arizona with her husband, teen daughter, and more books than her shelves will hold. She spends her days writing and editing. Many of her words end up on her blog, From Tracie. Find Tracie on Twitter @FromTracie and on Instagram where she takes pictures of things that are yellow.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cecy Marin says

    I really enjoyed your post. It’s so important to be reminded of all the blessings we have in our lives and start our day being grateful for even the little things… The one thing I’ve done for a very long time is to start every morning asking myself, “What am I grateful for in my life? “Who do I love and who loves me?” I have also written down 10 things that I am extremely grateful for and when I feel down, I’ll pull out that sheet of paper and read them out loud to remind me of all the blessings in my life. By doing so I raise my vibration allowing all my good to come to me. I’m not as young as most of the girls that have posted so when you’re dealing with peri-menopause you also have to deal with the ups and downs that come with it so learning to focus on the blessings and waking up being in a state of gratitude is an amazing strategy that will get you focused on the things you desire in life and enjoying every minute of it. 🙂

  2. Kathy Lemus says

    You know I needed to read this post, I am going through a 6year break up and when someone is mean and nasty you can’t help to think what you did wrong. This post is amazing and enlightened me you my therapist also said it is about something within them that triggers those reactions. Thank you for writing this and sharing it with us.

  3. Stephanie says

    I would be in a good mood everyday if my tummy looked like that chic’s jumping in the air all thrilled to be alive! Seriously! 5 kids! I would love to have that tummy!

  4. thefashionistachic says

    The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of ones attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts…. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes.

    Charles R. Swindoll

  5. Brooke says

    I love this post! I have a 16 month old and everyday I try to mak sure that I am happy and in a good mood go her. I make sure to get in a great workout and your right, it always feels amazing when your done. This also makes me think of ‘lill blue boo’ s. choose joy campaign. It is such a beautiful thin to spread joy and happiness!

  6. Susan in the Boonies says

    Good, practical suggestions. These don’t bother me one bit.

    I am very typically a “glass half full” kind of girl.

    I have quite a few friends who come by depression honestly: it’s in their genes. I feel for them!!!
    I think your suggestions could benefit anyone: but I do think that folks who suffer from depression have a harder time lifting their heads to be able to do some of these things.

    But, for those of us who are naturally “glass half full” girls? These suggestions are spot on.

  9. Lori says

    ALWAYS so great to think outside of our little selves… I love your furry mom story, because I always think it’s such a treat that my two furry kids are ALWAYS happy to see us, even when we’re grumpy!

  10. Laurel says

    Wow!! I am at a point in my life where I really REALLY needed to hear this! Especially the last part about it not being about me but about the other person! I am a people pleaser to the core and when someone is mean to me or doesn’t like me I take it very personally. This is a good reminder that it isn’t necessarily about me and that i should just let it go! Thanks for such an inspiring post!

    • Kimberly Gauthier, Photography Blog says

      My Pleasure, Laurel – I know exactly what you mean. There are still times when someone’s words cut deep and I excuse myself, get some time alone to reset, and then it becomes clear again. Recently someone told me to “shut up, it’s not all about you.” Within 15 minutes, I was cracking up, because who says things like that to people. That was so mean! The person was going through a lot of self confidence issues so I let it pass. But jeez!!!

      A year ago, I would have cried or said something nasty in return (or both).

  11. Deanna @ Little Green Bow says

    Great advice about thinking about the other person when they are being nasty to you. It’s very true, but often hard to remember at the time. We have no idea what’s really going on in other people’s lives!
    One of my friends recently starting saying, “Oh, that’s a first world problem” when she’s frustrated or upset about something. That really hit home and put things in perspective. Even if I am having a bad day, I am so lucky and have so much to appreciate in life!

  12. Melinda Rainey Thompson says

    This just made my day! I was so glad to read something positive! I am a humor writer, and I find something to laugh about every day–might be just a LITTLE something, of course, but that works for me. What a great post!

  14. Luci says

    This was a wonderful post. What awesome comments it inspired, too.

    Lynn, I love that you tell your daughters to put good memories in a journal. I do that!! sometimes.

    Sue- I’m glad that you are getting back to your happy self. Your DAD would want you to live your life while you have it and no doubt he wants you to be happy during the whole of it!

    And Penelope and Kim – exercise always makes me happy! It’s true, you can’t think about bad things for too long while you’re doing it- and those enkalphins and endorphins will always get you out of the funk for long after.

  18. Marie Cole says

    I am generally a happy person but sometimes one thing can set me off and I go into a funk for a good couple of hours but as my hubby says, it doesn’t last too long before I am happy again….Great advise though. 🙂

  19. Eve says

    Great post and just what I needed! Counting my blessings? I try to do that daily so I don’t feel so bummed when other aspects of my life don’t work out exactly as planned. Wonderful advice. Thank you for sharing!

  20. sue morris says

    Boy, I feel like you’ve been inside my head. LOL Seriously though….I completely agree. I have had many pity parties for myself and after my dad’s death last July, I realized you know what? You only get one life. Make the best of it. One thing my dad taught ME was to live life one day at a time. He lived his life EXACTLY how he wanted. My heart aches every day for him and I miss him terribly but, his strength and perseverance have inspired me. I realized I WANT to be happy. So now I try to distance myself from those people who are never happy. Constantly draining my energy. I can only stand them for so long but, feel exhausted after getting away from them. It’s SO not worth it. In addition, when I get into my little temper tantrums or negative behavior, I try and remind myself “do you want to be the one draining others?” Let me tell ya….that is a real conviction-laden thought.
    Anyways, I want to applaud you for sharing from your heart. I find this encouraging and I pray that God Blesses your life as you have blessed mine. Have a great wknd!

    • Kimberly Gauthier, Keep the Tail Wagging says

      Sue, thank you. And Morris is my maiden name 🙂

      What I say to myself is “what are you vibrating right now?” I believe that when I’m negative, I’m attracting more negativity – so when I’m feeling sorry for myself, I can expect more stuff to hurt my feelings to be around the corner.

      I love that you have memories of your Dad to inspire you today. Amazing how those connections last.

  21. Charlotte says

    This is such a fantastic post and so many important things to keep in mind here. You’re absolutely right: sometimes it just isn’t about us and it’s vital to step away from the things, thoughts, and people who make us question ourselves.

    And there is no greater joy in the world than coming home to a fur baby. I am going to visit my parents tonight and I’m excited to get some doggy lovin’ 🙂

  22. Jamie @ Roubinek Reality says

    Great reminders! I always feel like I’m a pretty happy person but hearing that it’s not about me really does put it in to perspective. I get my feelings hurt easily when someone says something not so nice. I’ll think twice about it next time. 😉

    • Kimberly Gauthier, Keep the Tail Wagging says

      Hi Jamie!
      My feelings get hurt too, but today I don’t dwell in it like I used to. Social networking has really helped me, because it’s so easy to have a misunderstanding since we lack body language and inflection; I’ve learned to ask for clarification and I do that in person too.

  23. Debra says

    I had never really thought about when someone is nasty to me, it’s not really about me – but about them and their past….but it’s totally true. And instead of me going back at them with a snippy comment, I will try to remember that and why should I let that bother my day. Good advice.

    • Kimberly Gauthier, Keep the Tail Wagging says

      Debra – isn’t it hilarious how obvious it is. When I finally understood what my dad was saying, I could go back to every conflict and see that it really had nothing to do with me. Today, I just wonder what is going on in the person’s life.

  26. Louise Ducote says

    Great post! I started to not read it because I already am pretty blissful, but I so enjoyed your description of coming home to your fur babies. I have Aussies and they give the wiggliest, most butt-swinging greetings ever — impossible not to smile when I see it.

  27. Lynn from For Love or Funny says

    I encourage my daughters to keep a journal where they record all the good things that they’ve done. It’s so easy to remember our mistakes, but our little victories are more difficult to recall. That way, when they are feeling blah, they can look at their journal and remember that they aren’t so blah after all!

  28. Marsha S. Haneiph says

    Very cool post and one of my favourite quotes from the first Sex & The City movie, sublime. I follow a lot of these methods and they do help me to keep balance. Thanks for this.

  29. Lisa says

    Love the it’s not all about you; you think someone is thinking about you when they are being mean and they are not. They are busy in their own little world. They are not worried about what you are doing or thinking. It’s about them. So lighten up!