3 Things To Do When Getting Out of Bed Feels Unbearable

There's something going around... I'm not sure what it is (the time of year, changes in the cosmos, some kind of universal awakening), but it seems like EVERYONE I talk to right now is really struggling to make WORK work for them.

Gosh, I can remember all too well what it feel like to get up in the morning, stare at the ceiling and openly dread the day.  There were days that it seemed so unbearable, I cried.  I felt hopeless, lost, and frustrated... I'd done everything "right" - why did this feel so bad??

 

The whole dreading going to work thing is terrible.

 

We’ve all been there… whether we’ve dreaded school, work, the thought of putting on real clothes, or a never ending winter (although maybe this week is a beacon of hope) – there are days when the idea of getting out of bed feels unbearable, days where that screeching alarm is a constant reminder of all the things you’d love to avoid, days where no amount of coffee (or even some fancy, frivolous, 1,000-calorie white chocolate mocha with whip) will motivate you.

 

Days like this are real, I've been there and I know how hopeless you feel on those moments.  But, I don't believe we're here to just blindly push through.  We're here to make a difference, but NOT at the expense of our happiness and our health.

 

So, what’s a girl to do when a day (OR week OR month) like that strikes? 

Here are my top tips for finding the mental fortitude and willpower to make the 3-foot leap from your uber comfy bed to the real world.  Sidenote: how is that leap only 3-feet?  Some days it might as well be the freaking grand canyon.

1. Be Kind (to yourself)

Recognize that at different times of the year you may need more downtime.  Let that be OK. 

Don’t FORCE what’s not working.

This is a lesson I seem to keep on learning... most recently when I decided to give up on a super strict meal plan that wasn't letting me LIVE.  Restriction didn't feel good to me (although it definitely has at different points in my life) - so I let what wasn't working for me go and filled myself up with FEELIN' GOOD.  (Insert some James Brown here for good measure and booty shakin')


2.       Be Grateful

Gratitude is a practice that I just will NOT let go of… I’m going to beat this into your head until it sticks.  Here’s why: 

When you’re so focused on what’s not working, it’s easy to lose sight of what IS… and there is ALWAYS something working – even if it’s something as inconsequential as having found 3 minutes to floss your teeth (happy mouth, happy life!).

While you’re laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, list 3 (really, just 3!) things that you’re grateful for this morning.  And when you’re done?  SMILE.

Life can be beautiful, even when it sucks.  (Possible quote for my tombstone?)


3.       Be Sweaty

You're a smart lady, so I know you know the details on this one – exercise releases endorphins, helps you beat stress, and sweating is both therapeutic and detoxifying.  Exercise is one of the universal “cure alls”.  So, why the heck aren’t you doing it? 

I get it – when you’re feeling unmotivated and down in the dumps, exercise can be the absolute last thing you want to do, but trust me that you will feel about 100000000% better once you make it happen.

My advice?  Do something fun!  Make a killer playlist and shake a tail feather all around the house, go for a run, or just pick up some heavy shit and put it back down (my current favorite outlet). 

If even that seems totally undoable, site in the sauna or soak in a steaming hot bath and sweat that shit out.  The key here?  RELEASE - the  physical & the emotional.


What’s the best way you’ve found to get motivated when it feels like everything sucks?