Reset Your Mood with One of These Self-Love Check-In Questions
It’s not unusual to go about our days and find that the good feeling we started the day with (or even just felt while dreaming) managed to dissipate as hours passed and events occurred. Sometimes it can feel like all hope is lost and your mood is too sour to turn around, but other times, you might just catch your turn for the worse early enough to change it!
Read on below for some Self-love Boosters that you can either use the moment you catch yourself slipping in order to turn your mood around OR when you’re feeling great and just want keep up the momentum of your good vibes!
Already feeling good? Try these.
- How can I show myself love today?
(Great for when you first awake in the morning) - What would make what I’m doing today or right now even MORE enjoyable?
(Need to shop for a new dresser? Do it online and set the scene however you want. Get cozy on the couch with tea and your favorite show or music on in the background to turn it into an enjoyable process.) - How can I change my perspective of my “have-to-do’s” into “want-to-do’s”?
- If #3 is a struggle then: How can I creatively release the “have-to-do’s” or at least improve my feeling about them?
(Great if there’s something you know you want the outcome of but cannot bring yourself to do like laundry or cleaning your apartment. Maybe its best for you to find a wash and fold laundromat or hire a cleaning service rather than forcing yourself to take on a task that you have a great amount of resistance to.)
Sensing a turn for the worst? Try these.
- How can I be more gentle and kind? both with myself and with others?
- Where can I soften and use more compassion?
(Great for physical and emotional tension) - What am I grasping onto that I could release to gain more comfort?
(Great for mental ideas that you’re being stubborn with and physical parts of your body that are holding on to stress) - What “shoulds” are keeping me from true freedom and satisfaction?
(If this question rings your bell, give Byron Katie’s Loving What Is a read for an effective way to truly release the “shoulds” of your life) - How can I look at where I am right now and see that I already have a lot of the things that I really want?
(This is a gratitude practice question. Feel free to write down as many things as you can think of that you currently have and are grateful for. It can be as simple as the breath flowing in and out of your body or as grand as your amazing salary, beautiful car, loving friends, beautiful apartment, your soft hair, your sense of humor etc. etc. etc. Have fun with it!) - How can I feel ultimate satisfaction with where I stand today?
(Great for taking score of all the amazing things you’ve done so far that you’re currently overlooking by focusing on the things that you don’t yet have. We tend to put more focus on what’s lacking than what we’ve accomplished. We reach a goal and immediately set our sights on the next thing we want. Take the time to bask in your achievements and notice your mood elevate.) - What am I carrying as a weight on my shoulders that can be lightened by handing it over to a higher power (God, The Universe, Destiny)?
(Often times we try to control things that are out of our control and this leads to unnecessary stress, tension, and heartache. When we don’t get specific outcomes, we tend go into distress. But if we let go of the specifics and have faith that something better is on the horizon or there is a greater plan in place, then we can find peace with our current circumstances. Even if they don’t appear to be ideal.)
Quick fix for anytime: Practice Presence.
Close your eyes. Focus on your breath flowing in and out. Relax your shoulders. Count down from five and lightly smile at the releasing of tension.
Weirdly enough, even when we’re sure we’re feeling good. We’re often holding on to habitually practiced tension. There seems to always be room to relax into the current moment more, and by doing so, we are showing ourselves love.
Be gentle and be light, friends!
Originally posted on my personal blog Brightly Illuminated, where I document my perspective as a millennial post-grad trying to make sense of the “real world” through a lens of positivity and self-development.
