Well with Alice

In the last newsletter before the holidays I wrote about how to enjoy life more. Sometimes, however, there are days when we can really struggle to be enthusiastic about life. You may know these days, when you just wake up feeling low and nothing seems to make it better. Perhaps your children have days like these where they don't want to go to school or just feel grumpy.

Here are some tips for days like this:

-Be kind to yourself. 'Meh' days can come after you have been incredibly busy and have worked so hard that you are simply out of energy. Treat yourself to a nice meal or watch an episode of your favourite series.

-Have a warm shower or bath. This can stimulate happiness hormones and just feel refreshing or comforting.

-Talk to a loved one. In Dutch there is a saying "shared sorrow is half sorrow", meaning that talking about the things that get you down in itself can make you feel better because you have someone looking out for you. You get bonus points for hugging this loved one or a pet as this releases happiness hormones again.

-Do some exercise. This does not have to be anything major, just a walk in the sunshine can turn your day around.

-Have a nap. Sometimes we just need some more rest. 

-Make sure you eat and drink enough.

Finally, practice acceptance: sometimes we try all of the above and things still don't turn around. This is okay, it happens. If we can accept life with all it's highs and lows, we are able to cope much better.

Note that if you have 'meh' days more often than not, there may be more going on. I recommend talking to a doctor and/or a mental health professional if this is the case for you!

I hope that this helps and that you have more good days than 'meh' days.

Kind regards,

Ms. Alice Romijn

School Chaplain