FeelGooder: Tips for Life

Surviving the Holiday Season: a How-to Guide for Couples Everywhere

November 15, 2011 by Emma

I can’t quite believe I’m already writing about the holiday season, but ignoring it until the last minute is what gets me into trouble every year. So if the shops have declared it holiday season (and believe me, they well and truly have), then I guess we all need to start planning.

Oh, the cumulative pressure of the holidays on a couple. There’s really nothing quite like it.

Done right, it has all the makings for disaster—the financial pressures of gift-buying and party-throwing; the family pressures to have a really lovely time together even though, after just a few hours, they’ll drive you batty; and the sheer exhaustion from fighting crowds while shopping, spending meticulous hours planning, cooking entire turkeys and eggnog, and partying into the night—and then doing it all over again.

In order to get through it unscathed, take heed of these practical tips for surviving the holiday season.

1. Spend time together, alone

Among the chaos, make sure you allocate a moment or two to yourselves, to breathe, decompress, and enjoy each other’s company. Start a tradition you both enjoy that you can look forward to each holiday.

If you’re really busy, make your alone time productive too, by baking together in the kitchen with a bottle of wine, or wrapping presents on the lounge room floor with your favorite tunes on in the background.

2. Start shopping now

The later you leave the shopping, the longer it’s going to take (hideous lines) and the more money you’re going to spend (quick, we’re running out of time to decide on a present! Just get that!).

Sit down together now and make the full list of family members you need to buy for and how much you’re going to spend. If you really do start now, then online shopping is perfect—there are no lines, the gifts are delivered, wrapped, to your door in time for Christmas, and you can easily track what you’re spending as you go.

That means less arguing over who was supposed to get your in-laws presents, and less financial stress at the last minute. Plus, you won’t be too tired come the celebration days of the holidays.

3. Be a mind-reader

Understand that when your partner is stressing, it will rarely be about you.

Learn to read what’s going on for them—whether their family is getting to them, they’re overwhelmed with the number of things they have to get through, and so on.

Don’t bite back. Support them as best you can by offering to help, diffusing the situation, and letting them vent. Open and honest communication is crucial during stressful times.

What about you? Any great tips for helping survive the holidays together, besides chugging eggnog?

FeelGooder Asks: What’s Been Your Latest Adventure?

November 11, 2011 by georgina

Life is one big adventure, don’t you think? While change can be challenging, things would be pretty boring if we didn’t look around every so often and wonder how in heck we got to wherever we’re at!

What’s been your latest adventure?

My latest adventure is NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month.

When things get writerly...

A friend mentioned on Twitter that he was keen to participate, so I thought I’d push him over the edge by saying I’d do it with him.

As usually happens when we make commitments like this in life, I was also overloaded with work for the month, so I’ve spent every day writing, and then every night writing. In the downtime? Why, I’ve been reading, in the hopes that it’ll be good for my writing!

It feels a bit intensive—something like Lisa’s hiking retreat, only for writers. It’s quite the adventure.

By writing all the time, I’m more easily recognizing tedious habits and naturally working out ways to break them. I’m also getting faster, stronger, better—or at least, my “creative muscle” is. And I’m enjoying it. Okay, maybe it’s a little focused—a little obsessive—but sometimes the only way to get better is to concentrate and build quickly.

The adventure’s also fun because I know it’s not forever. NaNoWriMo ends with November, and then things will be back to normal … if I want them to be!

What about you? What’s been your latest adventure? Share it with us in the comments!

Stretch Your Budget Without Cramping Your Style

November 9, 2011 by Guest Contributor

This post is by Jesse Langley.

If you’re starting to pinch pennies and worry about cash flow, you’re not alone. Tough economic times and uncertainty about the future have a lot of people cutting back drastically. But you don’t have to cut back on all your purchases and fun activities just because you’re getting strict about your budget. You just need to get creative about how and where you’re spending.

Get smart: use coupons

Going to the grocery with just a grocery list won’t cut it anymore. Searching for sale items is a great start, but coupons can help you reduce your grocery bill significantly. And since printable coupons are so readily available, you can spend a little time finding coupons for the items on your list before you even leave the house.

Saving money on necessary budget items like groceries means you can transfer those savings into other budget categories. If you’ve completely cut out date nights or movies and an occasional pizza, the money you save on grocery bills can give you some extra cash for an occasional splurge.

Find fun alternatives

Image copyright Andriy Petrenko - Fotolia.com

When people start tightening their belts and trimming budgets, the first thing to go is usually entertainment and non-essential spending. This can actually be a mistake. The last thing you want to do when times are tough is make your life less fun. You can still engage in the same fun entertainment activities. You just need to do it differently.

Taking the family out for pizza and movies can kill a budget. By the time you’ve paid for two pizzas, four movie tickets and the requisite sodas and popcorn, it’s likely going to be just shy of a hundred dollars.

Instead, have a family pizza and movie night at home. Make it a family affair with some pizza kits and have the whole family pitch in. You can enjoy some delicious homemade pizza for a fraction of the cost. And after dinner, the whole family can lounge in the living room and watch movies with a Netflix subscription. It only costs $8 per month for unlimited movies. What makes this a nice option for family entertainment is the huge selection of kid-friendly films.

So for a family night, you can have more fun and family involvement for about one tenth of what you’d spend going out.

Buy used

You shouldn’t get hung up on having to buy new items. Finding used items for a fraction of the cost is a great way to cut down on monthly expenditures, and it’s fun too. craigslist is a great resource for practically any item you’re looking for—from home furnishing to a second vehicle.

You shouldn’t have hang-ups about buying used. Local thrift shops are often a lot more like little boutiques than the Salvation Army you may remember as a kid. Buying gently used clothing allows you to make frequent targeted purchases and it’s easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. Finding name brand clothing in a local thrift store is a great way to cut back on clothing purchases—and there’s no thrill quite like finding the perfect cashmere sweater for just a few dollars.

Cutting back on spending is a good idea, but there’s no reason you can’t make it fun. What budget-stretching tips can you share with us?

Jesse Langley lives near Chicago. He divides his time among work, writing, and family life. He has a keen interest in blogging and social media and is an advocate for online training.

FeelGooder Asks: What Have You Overcome?

November 5, 2011 by georgina

Why is it that surmounting challenges—even those we don’t realize are challenges when we first meet them—is so difficult? The advantage is that sense of accomplishment when we’re done. No matter what the outcome, at least we gave it a shot.

Sometimes, though, we find we’ve mysteriously overcome a challenge that we’d given up ever solving…

What have you overcome recently?

For me, the answer to this question is: family misunderstanding. I’m not talking about one big misunderstanding, but the general feeling of bewilderment that many of us have about at least some family members. You know what I’m talking about: that sense that Aunty Beryl must actually have come from another planet, or that your brother is operating on a completely different level from you.

I think this sense of otherness can be particularly strong within families, precisely because, with a shared history, we feel that these people, at least, should be comprehensible to us—and vice versa. Perhaps it’s for that very reason that their behavior often seems so inexplicable.

Recently I’ve started to overcome that feeling within some elements of my own family. I think this has had to do with that family growing. The new child has given us a new perspective and added to the family as a whole in some subtle (as well as the not-so-subtle!) ways. Suddenly, other family members’ behavior has become more explicable. And perhaps mine has too.

This was a “problem” I had long since given up “solving.” It’s funny how sometimes life will solve something for us, without our even trying, don’t you think?

What about you? What have you overcome recently? I’d love to hear your story in the comments.

Use the Internet to Boost Job Seeking Confidence

November 4, 2011 by Guest Contributor

This post is by Stephanie Staszko of Blue Octopus Flat Fee Recruitment.

Being unemployed can be an extremely stressful period in anyone’s life, and feelings of worthlessness and frustration can soon surface. Unemployment is a vicious circle for some people: the longer their period of unemployment stretches, the lower their confidence becomes, thus lowering their chances of getting a job.

Image copyright Elenathewise - Fotolia.com

Keeping confidence high when you’re out of work is important so as not to enter this vicious circle. If you’re currently unemployed and feeling low, there are many ways which you can utilize the Internet to boost your job seeking confidence and, ultimately, get hired.

Safety in numbers

Knowing you’re not alone when going through times of hardship can be comforting and, currently, unemployment rates are unusually high. If many of your friends and relatives are working it can feel like you’re alone during your bout of unemployment.

Bookmarking a page on the Internet that you can refer back to, which states unemployment rates and statistics can help to remind you that you’re not alone when you’re feeling down. This can help to raise your self-belief and confidence once again and give you more enthusiasm.

Join a community

Joining an online community which relates to one of your interests can be a great way to meet new people online and forget about your unemployment for a while. The community could be related to the industry you’re in, or would like to work in, or it could just be related to a general hobby or interest.

Communicating within this niche community can help to occupy your mind, and meeting new people can open up new career opportunities. Inform people in your community that you’re looking for a job, as someone may know of a vacancy you haven’t heard about and may even have the power to put a good word in for you.

Read recruitment blogs

Recruitment blogs can help you with a variety of different job-related problems. They generally provide information on everything related to employment and many provide job seeking tips and tricks which you may not have thought of trying before. Some recruitment blogs even provide advice and allow you to write posts explaining your career problems, and answer them on the blog.

It may also be worth reading a recruitment blog which is aimed at employers so you can keep up-to-date with the latest hiring and firing strategies—knowledge is power!

Don’t be unsociable

You can use your social profiles as a job seeking/networking tool as well as a personal messaging service. Many employers view candidates’ social profiles before hiring them so make sure you have nothing inappropriate on there!

You could also use social networking sites to inform friends that you’re unemployed, as they may be able to help to find you a position within the company they work for. Finally, keeping in touch with friends is important at difficult times—no one can put a smile on your face more readily than your close friends.

How the Internet can ruin your confidence

Of course, every silver lining has a cloud, and there are ways in which using the Internet can ruin your job search. Here are a few bad habits to avoid when in front of the screen:

Don’t job-seek for excessive amounts of time, as it can actually be counterproductive as well as bad for your health. Sitting at the screen for too long can cause eye strain and fatigue—which certainly aren’t confidence boosters!
Avoid falling into the “nocturnal routine”. When you’re unemployed, it can be easy to fall into the trap of staying up really late at night and lying in bed all day. Although this may initially sound appealing, it can be a hard routine to break and can actually be quite depressing.
Don’t become a “success stalker”. Avoid “stalking” your successful friends online. Obsessing over what you haven’t got is a sure-fire way to knock your own confidence. Be proud of your friends’ success and inspired by it, but avoid turning into the green-eyed monster. Jealousy can destroy relationships and right now, you need the support of the people who are close to you.

What tips can you add from your own experiences being out of work? We’d love to hear them!

Written by Stephanie Staszko on behalf of Blue Octopus Flat Fee Recruitment. Steph enjoys writing various posts on recruitment for candidates and employers alike. You can find her on Twitter @StephStaz where you’ll find more career/recruitment posts.

6 Ways to Be More Positive and Happy

November 3, 2011 by Guest Contributor

This post is by Lou Macabasco–Yanuaria of Lifetofullest.com.

The ability to keep a positive attitude in our day-to day-activities and interactions is a skill that only few people possess. For most of us, it is easier to fill our minds with negative thoughts and ungratefulness. We complain and feel miserable in a lot of areas in our life. We hate our homes, work, school, family, friends, co-workers—or our whole life in general.

Personally, I used to live with negative attitude. But fortunately, through my willingness to unlearn my old beliefs and openness to learn new ways of doing things, I was able to surpass that negative stage of my life. Eventually, I found happiness and success.

How did I change my negative outlook, to eventually become more positive and happy? Allow me to share with you a quick story.

A couple of years ago, before I started discovering, studying, and teaching personal development, I was limiting my happiness and success because of pessimism. I hated so many things in my life. I hated my work. I hated my teammates at work. I hated our family’s financial status. I hated the attitude of some family members. And I hated my ex-boyfriend who dumped me for another girl.

A day came I could no longer take all the hateful feelings and stress in my life. I decided to pack a few clothes and take a weekend off alone in a town in the mountaintop with no familiar people around. No friends, no family members, no co-workers, no boyfriend.

While I was staying at my hotel room and watching TV, I saw the talk show of a life preacher. Something about what he said changed my perspective in life.

He compared life crises, such as pain, hatred, or stress, to a journey in the forest. He asked the listeners to imagine a life crisis as if you are going to walk in the forest. At the beginning, it will be a bit tough to walk on forward because you feel scared and anxious with the unfamiliar path you are about to take. You may need to do work, cutting the grasses and large branches of trees in order to pass by.

The next morning, when you pass by the same route in the forest, it will now be much easier than the previous day. You are now more familiar with the new path. Although you may still feel a little discomfort, and you still have to cut few more grasses and branches of trees as you pass by.

As you continue passing along the same new path in the forest, each day that follows will be easier than the previous one. You will adapt to the new journey, and you’ll no longer feel pain, fears, doubts or anxiety. Eventually, you will feel comfortable and happy with your new path.

Image is author's own.

To end the story, the preacher then said, “if only you will be open to change your perspective, be more positive, and adaptable, you will see that that life crisis isn’t as hard as you think it is.”

After my soul-searching on the mountaintop, and hearing the story of the life preacher, I went back to my reality determined to change my perspective in life. In my desire to change and be more optimistic, I’ve read many different self-help books and I’ve even attended many self-improvement seminars. These have helped me develop, change, and keep a positive outlook in life.

To help others create the same positive change in their life, for them to start appreciating and stop hating, I’d like to share some of the principles in keeping a positive and happier life.

1. Thoughts become things

I’ve learned this phrase from the book, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, which is based on the principle of the law of attraction. The law of attraction states that like attracts like. It means that when we are thinking negative thoughts, we attract more negative things into our life. And the same is true when we think of positive thoughts. We can bring happiness in our life by focusing our thoughts on the positive, not on the negative.

2. To be enthusiastic, act enthusiastic

I knew this principle when I attended the Dale Carnegie Course. Dale Carnegie said, “Enthusiasm is the little secret of success.” When you are able to develop and practice enthusiasm, it gives you positive energy for your daily tasks or activities.

3. Read books or articles on motivation and personal development

Positive attitude is a habit, and the same is true with negative attitude. To help us habitually maintain a positive outlook in life, we need constant reminders. Our reminder can be through reading books on personal development at least once a month, or subscribing to personal development websites which send weekly motivational articles.

4. Join an organization of like-minded positive people

Another way to be consistent in keeping a positive attitude is by becoming a member of organization that promotes personal growth and a positive attitude. Surrounding yourself with positive people can influence you to maintain and develop a habit of gratitude. As they say, attitude is contagious.

5. Attend training seminars on self-improvement

I have noticed that people who keep looking for ways to improve themselves end up happier and more successful than those who don’t. Attending training and seminars on self-improvement give you an opportunity to learn from the people you meet in the process, such as the trainer/coach and your co-participants. It’s also a chance to practice mingling with like-minded people.

6. Find and do something you’re passionate about

Passion is having strong desire or devotion towards something, like people, an activity, or a cause. When you are passionate with what you do, you are likely to enjoy working, and to produce an exceptional result. And when you enjoy what you do, the more likely you will be to be happier and positive in your perspective. If you want to be more successful in your life, find and work on something you are passionate about.

Changing attitudes and your perspective won’t happen overnight—it happens through continuous effort and action called habit. Which is why, in order to form a habit of positive attitude, you need to constantly follow guidelines I’ve mentioned above.

For a final note, let me leave you this quote to ponder:

When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears.—Anthony Robbins

Lou Macabasco-Yanuaria is a professional accountant, personal development coach, public speaker and entrepreneur. She writes and coach on positive attitude, productivity, stress management, success, personal finance and balanced life. Find out more about her works at Lifetofullest.com

10 Tips for a Safe Halloween

October 29, 2011 by Guest Contributor

This guest post is by Janette Dolores of www.janettedolores.com.

Remember growing up and looking forward to the cool or spooky costume you’d be wearing for Halloween and all of the candy you’d rake in?

As a parent, grandparent or relative of little ones, do you now regard those cool and spooky costumes and candy doled out by strangers as causes for concern?

Photo Attribution: Stuart Miles at freedigitalphotos.net

If so, consider the following ten tips for safe Halloween fun.

Join the fun. If your children are young enough to trick-or-treat, they’re still young enough to need a responsible adult present during the outing. The combination of Halloween falling on a weekday this year and people driving home from work while trick-or-treaters are racing from house to house warrants extra caution.
Plan the trick-or-treating route ahead of time. If you’re taking the kids door-to-door, consider the neighborhood to be visited, its traffic pattern and whether the area is sparsely populated.
Check the weather. Keep in mind that, despite areas with cooler Halloweens, kids may scoff at the idea of wearing a jacket over the outfit they’ve had picked out for months. One way to avoid this tug-of-war is to dress the kids in long-sleeved shirts, thermals, or leggings under the costumes so the integrity of the costume oeuvre d’art isn’t compromised.
Host a Halloween bash! Frigid or stormy weather forecasted on the day of? Call fellow parents beforehand and plan a home Halloween party. Safe-to-eat treats, warm drinks, and family-friendly Halloween games can be included. Pick up a Halloween CD at your local party store for added effect.
Visit the mall. If your children are toddlers or younger and you are hesitant to take them outdoors this holiday, dress up your children and take them to the mall to trick-or-treat with other costumed children. Many stores in malls pass out candy on Halloween. Note: get to the mall early to avoid arriving after candy supplies at stores have run out!
Stay safe by staying visible. Stick reflective tape (found in hardware or toy stores) on your children’s costumes, or take along glow sticks, glow necklaces, and/or a flashlight to stay visible to motorists.
Do a costume test-run. Have your children try on their costumes. Notice how well they walk in them, and see and breathe through any mask or headgear. Consider face painting instead of a mask so that vision and breathing aren’t obstructed. Never dress an infant or toddler in costumes with long pieces of fabric or embellishment that may pose a choking hazard. Last, check labels for fireproof or fire retardant material.
Inspect all Halloween candy once you get home. This rule has applied for generations and remains a safety must for identifying and discarding unwrapped or otherwise problematic treats. Give your children dinner before trick-or-treating and take along a few pieces of candy from home to keep at bay your children’s temptation to dip into the Halloween bounty.
Know the allergy-friendly treats. If food allergies are a concern, consider your children’s specific allergic trigger(s) when deciding what candy gets past you, the gatekeeper. While which candy is “safe” depends on the allergy at issue, some peanut and tree nut-free options are: Junior Mints, Pez, Tootsie Rolls, Twizzlers, Sweet Tarts, Starburst, Life Savers, Skittles, Smarties, and many varieties of lollipops.
Trust your instincts and remind your children to trust theirs. A stranger doesn’t stop being a stranger just because he is handing out candy. Allow children to only approach homes with illuminated front porches, and instruct your children to never go inside a home or near a car for candy.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Janette Dolores is an at-home mom, wife and blogger. She is passionate about family, spirituality and writing, and draws inspiration for her writing from everyday experiences. Read more of her posts at www.janettedolores.com.

FeelGooder Asks: Which Site Makes You Feel Good?

October 28, 2011 by georgina

I think we all agree that the media can get us down, what with its panic-mongering and crisis-conjuring.

But the reverse is also true: we have the media to thank for much of our entertainment—much of what makes us feel good. Often, we look to the media—particularly TV and the web—for antidotes to the bad news pedalled by the very same source. So today I thought I’d ask:

Which site makes you feel good?

Image copyright Franz Pfluegl - Fotolia.com

For me, there are a few, but these are the tried-and-true standouts—the reliable day-savers!

The Onion has been on my radar for as long as I’ve been online. It always manages to say what everyone’s secretly thinking in a way that somehow manages to make things seem okay. How do they do it?

Colbert Nation is another laugh a minute for me. I can forget any cares at Colbert Nation: Steven’s always pointing out something (usually horrifying) that I had no awareness of, and making light of it at the same time. This is a news show I can get behind. Crushingly, the videos are no longer available to view down here in Australia. On the upside, there’s usually enough other super-witty content on the site to keep me going.

The Oatmeal’s comics are a surefire way to get a smile going even on the gloomiest days. Hammer Pants vs. Hipsters is by far the most amusing infographic I’ve seen in a very, very long time. Eerily accurate, too…

What about you? Spill the beans on the sites that make you feel good. We’ll thank you for ’em!

7 Tips to Help You Concentrate

October 27, 2011 by Guest Contributor

This post is by Andy Boyd of edugree.com.

Many people are easily interrupted and struggle to stay on topic and task until complete. However, staying concentrated on a single task isn’t as hard as you might first believe. Following these simple tips will help anyone concentrate on a task to get it finished as easily and quickly as possible. Hopefully you can concentrate long enough to read the whole article!

1. Envision the task at hand

Image copyright Robert Kneschke - Fotolia.com

Think through the process you must use to finish the task. Are you writing a paper, studying for a test, or planning for an event? It doesn’t matter what the task is. Simply mentally walk yourself through the process so you know what it entails.

2. Prepare the work space in advance

Choose a work space that is large enough to accommodate all of the materials you will need to complete the job. Move all of the necessary materials into the space so they are easily accessible without having to leave. You should not have to leave the work space to get materials once you begin because this causes unnecessary distractions to occur. If you have mentally walked yourself through the process in advance, you will know what materials are essential to the completion of the task.

3. Remove all barriers to your concentration from your work space

The work space should not house a phone (unless you really need it for the project), television, or other distracting gadget. In fact, choose a time to work that others will not be around you to distract you or break your concentration—working from home is notoriously difficult for some, especially those who are naturally easily disrupted. If you must work in a public place, use headphones to eliminate noise and show others you are too busy to be bothered.

4. Begin the task by breaking it down into achievable pieces

Make a list of what needs to be accomplished. Then, rewrite the list in the order of importance. Breaking down the task into smaller parts can make it easier to concentrate since you are only concentrating on one idea at a time. It is also easier to concentrate when you know what piece you are working on and what piece will be coming up next. You don’t have to worry about what is coming up next.

5. Allocate each task a time

If the deadline or time frame of a project has you worried or stressed, this may cause you to lose your concentration. To avoid losing your concentration over this, you may find that it eases your mind to allocate given amounts of time for each task on your task list. Since you have already broken down your job into specific tasks to accomplish, go back to that list and allocate specific amounts of time to make sure that you don’t spend so much time on one part that you can’t finish the whole. Adhere to the timeline as closely as possible to take the guesswork out of when you will be finished.

6. When you begin the job, check off each piece as you finish it

This helps you see what parts have been accomplished and allows you to only concentrate on the jobs that are left. This relieves stress you may be feeling about the overall project and allows you to use all of your focus to concentrate on the current job you are trying to complete.

7. Don’t forget to schedule breaks periodically during your work session

Concentrating so hard on one task can easily be tiring. To avoid overtiring yourself or letting your concentration waver, schedule five to ten minute breaks each hour. During the break session, stand and stretch. Get a cold drink or snack and let your mind wander from the task at hand.

It is important that you don’t do anything during a break session to cause you to lose focus for more than the allotted five to ten minutes. Making a phone call or checking an email account during a break may not be smart since these could cause possible distractions that break your concentration or cause you to abandon your work.

What helps you concentrate? Share your tips in the comments.

Andy blogs about how you can advance your career through education and provides advice on drafting your resume on his blog. You can visit his blog at edugree.com.

Morning Energy: 10 Tips to Kickstart Your Day

October 26, 2011 by Guest Contributor

This post is by Susie Michelle of Momscape.com.

Are you having one of those days? If so, you probably knew it from the moment your eyes blinked open and struggled to focus.

Maybe you slept okay, and maybe you didn’t, but the day is here just the same.

Image copyright AVAVA - Fotolia.com

Here are ten tips and techniques to help you start your morning with more energy.

Drink a glass of water right when you wake up. It’s a great way to energize and set the tone for a healthy, active day.
Yes, have that cup of coffee. Unless you have a medical condition, there’s probably nothing wrong with a morning wake-up cup of coffee or tea. Blow the steam and watch it scatter across the top of your mug. Sip it and savor it with enough attention and reverence, and you might just find that one cup is enough.
Take a moment to be with your thoughts. Don’t rush headlong into your day, if you can help it. Maybe you enjoy writing for a few minutes in a journal. Maybe you like to sit at the table and thumb through the newspaper. Don’t discount these little rituals in starting your day off right. Give yourself time to shake off the sleepies and bring your full attention to the day ahead.
Brush your teeth, and use some zingy mouthwash. This always helps me feel a little more invigorated, and it also helps me turn down that second cup of coffee.
Use a daily morning ritual to get your head on straight. When you’re brushing your teeth, or when you’re washing your hair in the shower, for example, recount as many things as you can that you are thankful for—or things that you are looking forward to in the day ahead. Marinate in your own positive thoughts for a minute.
Blast some tunes. Get a good, energizing playlist or tune into some free Pandora channels that help you stay energized and eager for the day ahead.
Energize with aromatherapy. Citrus scents are perfect for getting you going in the morning. Use an essential oil warmer in the room where you’re getting ready to face the day, or find a perfume that incorporates these energizing notes.
Start your day by eating something healthy and fresh—something with high water content. Indulge in a piece of fresh, juicy fruit, for example, along with something else that will stick to your ribs. I always have a few walnuts to add some protein and staying power.
Exercise in the morning. You don’t have to go nuts. Just a brisk 20 minute walk or jog will do wonders for your mood and energy levels. Sometimes (okay, often) I have to trick myself: I’ll put on my running shoes and tell myself I’m going to go for just ten minutes once the kids are on the school bus. After ten minutes have passed, I nearly always find that I don’t want to stop.
Make some time to laugh. Set your browser to open with one of those websites or YouTube channels that always makes you giggle. Read The Onion or The Pioneer Woman or call that friend who always has a good joke at the ready. Humor has a remarkable ability to break us out of a bad mood and help us feel better about the day ahead.

If you still can’t seem to wake up, give yourself a little more time. Some days are like that. Have another cup of coffee and breathe deep. It’s going to be a beautiful day.

Susie Michelle is the publisher of Momscape.com a parenting site with articles, tips and ideas from renowned experts on health and fitness, organic living, weight loss, romance, and travel. Susie is also the founder of Susies-Coupons.com where she spotlights coupon codes, daily deals and fun finds from around the web.