Everyone has one of those days. You know the ones….
You stub your toe and spill coffee all over the front of yourself. You get stuck working late on a Friday night while everyone else is hitting a patio, tasty beverage in hand. Or you get some bad news and are in a funk. Either way, bad times come to everyone but it can be hard to manage being bummed out and broke.
No matter what the reason, sometimes you need to make a little of your own sunshine. Here are some cheap and easy ways to cheer yourself up:
1. Pick Me Up: Hit-up a Pet Store
I don’t know about you but it’s hard to hate the world when you’re surrounded by super-cute baby animals that you can pet. I challenge you to walk into any pet store, play with a puppy or kitten and remain bitter about your state of affairs. You might not solve all your problems but you might clear your head enough to enjoy the rest of your day.
…Unless you have allergies, then I recommend a Claritin prior to petting puppies. Then you’ll have a clear head. Really, I think of everything. I’m here for you, readers.
2. Pick Me Up: Enjoy the Arts
You might not be able to afford tickets to your favourite performance or play but dress rehearsals can be a great way to spend an afternoon without having to pay a cent. I love going to plays but right now, that shit ain’t going to happen. Sometimes it’s hard to keep your spirits up when you’re watching everyone enjoy life in ways you want too but can’t afford. Call the theatre and ask if you can watch a dress rehearsal for a discounted price – you’d be surprised at what you can find out there. Get creative and find a way to make it happen for yourself. Forsaking everything you love because you’re without funds will just make you bitter.
3. Do a Pick-Me-Up Pilates Workout on Youtube.
And not for the reasons you’d think I’d suggest this. This particular one is led by this super perky Pilates enthusiast and is about eight minutes long. She is in amazing shape and looks like she’s been doing Pilates since she’s been born. What’s uplifting about watching this? Well, the awesomeness comes from trying to imitate her awesomeness. There’s no doubt in my mind I’m going to look like a spastic wet noodle thrashing around on the floor when compared to her balletic grace and flowing movement.
If you have any sense of humour about yourself, try to do something that you know is going to be ridiculous. Better yet, invite a friend so you guys can look like spastic wet noodles together. You’ll get some exercise and being ridiculous is always a good way to feel better.
4. Watch Sharknado:
What’s it about? A tornado hits L.A. The tornado has sharks in it. Enough said.
Okay, well you don’t have to watch Sharknado but watching or reading something cheezy is a fabulous way of feeling better about the world. I love Harlequin romances (think The Sheik’s Impatient Virgin) and B-rated Sci Fi movies (think Crocasaurus versus Megashark) because they never fail to deliver on their promise of cheezy awfulness. It’s very challenging to wallow in the depths of despair when you’re watching tornado sharks eat Los Angeles. It’s just really hard.
So what cheers you up when you’re feeling a little down?
Leave a Reply