The Art of Instant Gratification

Are you bored yet? Perhaps you live in a state that still has a lot of restrictions in place. It's possible that you live in a place where the weather is preventing you from doing anything outside. Maybe you live alone and haven't had the opportunity to get together with friends or loved ones in a while. Are you one of the millions around the world experiencing "pandemic fatigue"? You could be one of the countless people struggling with this new way of life that has put a tailspin on most of our daily routines. Whatever the case may be, you could probably use a little boost in your day. Who doesn't? Even if you're having a great day, whats the harm possibly making it even better.

Spring is a time of year that evokes a sense of optimism in us. The world is coming out of a long winter and starting to renew itself. New life is emerging everywhere and this is a hopeful sign for a brighter future ahead. However, it isn't always easy to pull yourself out of the winter slump. Not to mention wrenching yourself out of a year long hiatus of normal, social interaction. If you're feeling a bit depressed or anxious, you are definitely not alone. We are creatures of habit ,and all of our habits kind of got tossed in a blender of Covid chaos.

Never fear, my dear readers. I have found a way out of this vortex of uncertainty. It's something humans are phenomenally receptive to, and that my friends, is instant gratification. Now, now, lets not jump to conclusions here. I am not talking about an amazon shopping marathon, Netflix binge watching or inhaling that bag of candy you've been hiding from yourself. No. Nothing like that. We are taking instant gratification to a healthy place that will actually benefit us by boosting our self esteem. While all of those things can and do bring a sense of gratification, they often come with a healthy serving of guilt or shame after we've indulged. Lets explore some things you can do right now that will make you feel good instantly and better about yourself after you've finished. Ready?

Lets start with something really simple. It's something our parents used to make us do, that far too many of us don't do on a daily basis. Make your bed. It sounds like nothing, but it's really the first thing you can do to set yourself up for a better, more productive day. When we make our beds, it feels like we've already accomplished something for the day. Simple, but important. It only takes a few minutes, and accomplishment makes us feel good about ourselves. If you've gotten out of your daily routine, this is an easy task that can help you establish a new one. Make it an everyday habit. Once you see you've accomplished something first thing upon waking, you'll be more motivated to stay on task for the rest of the day. Plus you'll have a nice, tidy bed to look forward to climbing into when the day is done.

Are you ready to level up? This is something that gives me great satisfaction. I'm willing to bet that 99% of us have one: a junk drawer. You've been on the phone while your kid is screaming, the oven timer is going off, or whatever other distraction is happening and you need to jot something down. You head to the junk drawer to find paper and a pen.....but EVERY. SINGLE. PEN. has gone dry. If you're like me, you start cursing at yourself or whoever may have put a nonworking pen back in the drawer and frantically start throwing the pens over your shoulder one by one until one of them has just enough ink left to scribble that conformation number down....until the last number, when the pen officially dies. If this has never happened to you, congratulations. For the rest of us, it is hell. SO...you guessed it.! It's time to organize that !@#$. The act of organizing sends happy signals to our brain, even if you aren't the best at it. Removing useless clutter feels amazing. I would advise getting a drawer organizer, or at least designating areas in the drawer where the objects you use most can be easily found (and are in working order). This is an easy thing you can do to remove potential stress from your busy life. Being able to get to the things you need without a hassle brings a sense of ease in a stressful situation. You will instantly feel better knowing that you spent your time wisely to remove future added stress. And no more clutter!

Many people are feeling lonely and isolated these days. I know it's easy to get wrapped up in life, but it always feels nice to be a good friend to someone who may be in need of a little extra TLC. A short phone call or even a text could turn someone's day around. It feels good to know that someone is thinking about you, and it feels good to be the person thinking about someone. If you're already thinking about someone, which I'm sure you are, reach out and let them know. If it's your ex who cheated on you last year, maybe avoid reaching out to them, even if you really want to. Contact someone that makes you feel happy feelings instead or murderous ones. Their day will be brightened, your day will feel happier from having a positive interaction. You wouldn't just be helping yourself, but you'd be helping a friend too. This could take as little as 5 minutes with the potential to lift your mood for the rest of the day. Look at you winning at life! I bet you're feeling better already.

If you're still looking for another way to feel better in an instant, I'd suggest finding your favorite upbeat song and putting it on full blast. Music has been proven time and time again to effect our mood. Happy songs make us happy. For instance, even if you are convinced that your HATE Taylor Swift, I bet your brain feels differently. The catchy chord combinations and bubblegum pop lyrics subliminally force you to to hum along. Try it. I'll wait. I dare you to sit through You Belong With Me without moving a muscle or making a sound. It's impossible. I've tried it. My favorite band is Fugazi....a far cry from this style of music, but....science. If you're trying this challenge, you've likely already failed, so embrace it! Get up and and get your groove on. Dancing, even if you are convinced you cant do it, makes our bodies and brain feel happy. Plus it gets our endorphins pumping. Don't hate yourself for being wrong about hating Taylor Swift, your secret is safe with me. I'm not sure why, but this challenge doesn't work with Katy Perry songs for me. But if you're into her music, crank it up! Nobody ever regrets bopping along to a happy song.

I hope these strategies have helped you find a little boost of happiness or at least made you crack a smile. If you enjoyed these tips and tricks to instantly boost your mood, stay tuned! You can find this story along with many others when you follow me @MissWendy1980 on twitter. If you enjoyed it, share the love by clicking the heart or sharing this story with a friend. Until next time! Be kind to yourself and others and have an excellent rest of your day!