Photo by Tim Goedhart on Unsplash
Health & Fitness,  Collaboration

Getting Your Sparkle Back With These Simple Steps

Listen, sometimes in life — with work, education, and family noise — we can lose a little bit of our spark. It’s small things that you might not notice at first. One morning you don’t manage to fit in your normal routine, or you find yourself slinging on the same outfit day after day. You might even find that when once you would wear bright colors and bold prints, that your confidence to do such things has lessened somehow.

It can happen to anyone, at any point. Life sometimes has a way of getting in the way. If we are going to be real about it, it has happened to almost everyone. Once that confidence you had has started to slip, then the you, you once were is harder and harder to get back to. But, that is fine, because we all go through growth periods.

How do you get back that sparkle though? What steps can you take to shed the skin of the person who didn’t have time, the person who lost their mojo? Let’s talk about that, shall we?

Routine

Believe it or not, even the most spontaneous person that you know, (or maybe that was once you?) benefits mentally from routine. While not everything should be in strict time allotments, like Hugh Grant in About A Boy, there should be some things that you can rely on. Knowing when something is going to happen, and being able to plan around it is essential. People, by and large, like structure and routine. If you are currently between jobs, then this might be particularly difficult for you to create. However, you can do a few of the following:

  • Go for a walk at the same time every day
  • Create a morning routine – wake up at the same time, eat at the same time
  • Go to bed the same time every day apart from a weekend

Maintenance

During periods when we aren’t feeling our best, it is all too easy to let our skincare regimen slip. Once you let it slide, it won’t be long before you start suffering breakouts, dry patches or discolored patches. Which become another knock for that confidence that already wasn’t doing great. Continuing on from the morning routine mentioned above, you could build in something similar to start your day:

  • Wake at 6 am
  • Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize
  • Exfoliate on Wednesday
  • Face masks Sunday and Thursdays

You might not feel like doing any of these when you are in a bit of a slump, but taking time out to take care of your outsides actually helps you on the inside too.

New Hobbies

When we are learning a new skill, our brains are very happy. Much like any other muscle in the body, the brain needs to be flexed and worked to ward off boredom, depression, anxiety, and stress. It might be a little bit too tempting to slouch on the couch and watch TV, sadly TV isn’t a hobby, it’s a time suck. And while a movie night is sometimes exactly what you need, TV is partly to blame for the rise of the idle hobby. Some hobbies might cost more than others to bring to life. If you need a bit of help in that area, you can check out Bonsai Finance to help you out.

There are actually some hobbies that have been touted as the best ones for improving happiness. Here they are:

Bowling! Perhaps surprisingly, bowling is an excellent hobby for those who love to set personal goals. Each match you play, you can either improve on your own score or play other people. Bowling clubs are a popular place for all ages, and if you are in need of more friends, this might be the place to meet them.

Playing a musical instrument. it shouldn’t surprise you, but music is one of those things that can bring your soul back to life. Perhaps you have already played a musical instrument in the past. Maybe a guitar or keyboard. Get it out and start playing again. You could even add a backing to it by using the best drum machine that you can get. Maybe you have never played an instrument before, but you could start now. Think about one that you have admired or the style of music that you love. You will soon find something that will suit you. You could look into getting lessons as part of your routine change, or even teach yourself thanks to the endless content that can be found through blog websites and platforms like YouTube. It could really make a big difference in your life and is certainly a hobby that will just keep giving. 

Running. While exercise is essential, it can often feel a little bit daunting to head to a gym. You can opt to run from the comfort of your own home with a running machine or head out and run your favorite route. Great for listening to music and getting in some cardio. Regular runners report the time spent running helps them clear mental cobwebs.

Writing. You can choose to write online, via a blog (which has the capability to be a space to share and earn money), or write a novel. What you do is entirely up to you. Writing is a great way to allow the brain to process ideas and emotions.

Yoga. The slow breathing, the focused and conscious movement are perfect for those who need a little bit of mindfulness in their lives. And, perhaps some time to just slow down. As well as working those core muscles, it relaxes and stretches too. Yoga is highly recommended for people who need some destress time.

Photography. There are many websites with amazing hints and tips about how to get started with photography and often you don’t need anything more than the mobile phone that is nestled in your pocket. There are great photography clubs you can join, and when you feel confident enough to share your work online for online creators in spaces like Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay.

Travel. Some people turn travel into a great hobby. Picking amazing places and creating small goals in order to get there. Make a list of the places in the world you’d love to travel to and see if you can combine a couple of the other hobbies above.

Talk

When we are feeling low, sometimes it can be a little too easy to hide away and avoid people we usually talk to all the time. The truth is though, as much as we may not want to, it is great to talk. You don’t have to talk about what is going on with you, but general chit-chat can do wonders. Invite your bestie over, get out the tea and cake and share a few laughs.

Getting your spark back, or finding a new one might take a little bit of time, and effort that you don’t want to give – but in the end, it’s always worth dusting yourself off and being true to yourself, whatever that looks like.

Head To A Doctor Or Medical Professional

It’s not easy to maintain high-quality mental health coupled with a thriving physical being all of the time. There will be lulls and lows, and it’s okay to admit you need a little advice. A medical professional will be able to guide you and point you in the right direction a lot of the time. Whether you need a little counseling to help your mind cope or you need HGH therapy to supplement your physical attributes, knowing the right steps in the first place will help you so much. 

 

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