August : My awesome toolbox

 When I am sad, I stop being sad and start being awesome. True story.

Ok, so life isn’t as simple as How I Met Your Mother. Odd things happen. I get post happy event blues. Yes, really. After a fun time [[xmas, a race, holidays] I get a bit down in the dumps. Seems odd, but it is a mixture of a few things I think...

1. I am still me - I expect some loopy transformative effect from these events but low and behold, it's still me!

2. They put a [fun] pause in my momentum so I need an extra kick start to get going again

3. After the endorphin rush, everyday seems a bit dull!

Tonight I came to the end of my wallowing phase [while watching the sound of music with two guinea pigs on my knee!]. I decided to stop be sad and start being awesome. And there was a crazy sign on my *get back to awesome* run, just on the pavement in the middle of nowhere! 

 

 Top Five strategies for getting out of a grump

·         Try the jelly legs technique. A co worker suggested this to me and it WORKS! Walk everywhere as if your legs were made of jelly; wobbly, wonky and all over the shop. Try it – make yourself a brew, go to the stationary cupboard at work, or walk the dog with jelly legs and you will be in stitches.

·         Do something that makes you feel ‘on top’ of your jobs. For me, this is a strange one. If I have hairy legs and eyebrows, I feel like am I not taking care of myself and I have slipped to the end of my to-do list. A quick whizz with the wax and tweezers sets me right! Paint your toenails, fold the washing whatever makes you feel ‘on top’ on your jobs.

·         Make your next plan. I have talked before about my love of training trackers and sticker charts. I make one when in a grump, even if it is a plan to get out of the grump.

·         Wallow a bit. This is ok - just set yourself a maximum time to wallow in your grump. Mine is two days – any more than this and I need to call in some support.  As you learn to bounce back faster, this time will get shorter.

·         Talk to people. I’m not advocating being a moaning Minnie, but saying ‘yeah, I’m not myself today’ is no crime. It will actually help as you won’t feel the pressure to present a ‘I’m fine’ face. And this is exactly how I learnt some of my bounce back techniques! Grumps are going to happen, just know what you might do should one hit.

Back in the *awesome* game after my post race blues!