Making happiness a priority.

I have quite a lot of down days. Days where I can't be bothered to do anything apart from become a human burrito in my duvet. I am energy-less, bored out of my brains yet have no desire to entertain myself. And usually, in true Meg style, there's lots of tears. I cry over absolutely nothing. During one of my down days I ended up sobbing over a Robinson's fruit juice advert. Pathetic, I know.

My down days really take it out of me, but it doesn't have to be that way. Most of the time, there is a way out of feeling blue... you've just got to put the effort in. Self-care is super important. Taking time to listen to yourself, and analysing what you need. Helping yourself and putting yourself first can really change your day and outlook on things.

With that in mind, here are my top tips to getting happy.

Get out of bed.

Seriously, do it. I know it's the last thing you want to do, but throwing that duvet off and opening the curtains does wonders. It's only a small accomplishment, but it needs to be done if you are going to improve your mood. Open the windows, take in the fresh air, and realise that lying in bed feeling sorry for yourself achieves nothing. Once up, make the bed! You'll be less inclined to crawl back in once it's all neat.

Shower (additional singing optional)

It's so easy to slob out when you haven't changed out of your pyjamas, but resist the urge. It takes seconds to undress and get in the shower, making it a really easy pick-me-up. Once in there let your mind wander. I regularly become inspired whilst in the shower as there are no distractions. Take time to really wash away all the stresses. I find using a really strong smelling shower gel wakes me up, and tunes me into the day. If you do feel like you've lightened up a bit, stick on your go to sing-along song and belt your heart out. My shower tune at the mo is Television Romance by Pale Waves.

Educate yourself

It's been a year and a bit since I was last a student, and I really miss learning new things. I love broadening my knowledge and considering new ideas. On my down days when my mind is completely blank I find listening to a podcast or two really helps. It distracts me from how crappy I'm feeling and inspires me to use my mind in a positive way instead of overthinking my sadness. My go-to podcast is the Banging Book Club, perfect for if like me you love literature, gender and sexual politics.

Get a sweat on

A couple of years ago if you had told me that going to the gym would make me feel happier I would have laughed in your face. Exercise for me was something you were forced to do at school, and something I never found particularly enjoyable. So when Ollie first dragged me to the gym I was very sceptical. However, as per usual, he was right. After a gym session I feel so revitalised and confident. Getting your heart rate up and a sweat on can help you see how powerful and capable you are, and the feeling you get when you beat your personal targets is so uplifting. Of course, you don't need to have a gym membership to reap the rewards. There are so many exercise classes on YouTube so get out in your garden of clear a space in your front room.

Speak out

When feeling down it's important to remember that other people have felt the way you do. You're not the only one who has dealt with what I call 'grey days' and you won't be the last one either. With that in mind, it can be really reassuring and helpful to talk to people about how you're feeling. Parents, partners, friends and even strangers on the internet (god bless you twitter) can help ease the pain by lending an ear and offering support. Even just getting your feelings out into the open can help lift the weight of it all. If, for whatever reason, you're not up for being social yet, jot your feelings down in a diary; getting your feeling onto paper can help you make sense of them all.

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Of course this isn't a comprehensive list of ways to get happy, and it is completely subjective; what helps me may not be helpful for others. One thing I will say that is universal however is that your happiness is paramount, and if there is one thing you do today, it's take some time to care for yourself; mind, body and soul. x

#happiness #selfcare