Act How You Want to Feel

Yesterday I decided to work from home. I peeled myself out of bed, threw on a giant red christmas sweatshirt, grabbed a cut of herbal tea, and set up camp on the couch by the Christmas tree. After a hours of working I finally got up to use the bathroom and when I looked in the mirror it was all I could do to not let out a scream of horror.

I truly looked awful. My hair was greasy, I had two flaming red twin zits on my chin, dark circles under my eyes, a middle part, and my baggy sweatpants and baggy sweatshirt weren't doing my body any favors. I felt like absolute garbage.

And then like they always do, those mean thoughts started pouring into my head.

"You look disgusting." "How can you live with yourself?""You are worthless."

And just like that my good mood was gone. I felt bad, really really bad.

I sat back down on the couch and picked up my computer to keep working, but I just couldn't shake those bad thoughts. Then I started feeling even more bad because I started feeling guilty for thinking them. "Being unattractive is not the worst thing that happen to a person." "This does not define your worth. ""You're so vain to care so much about how you look."

So not only did I think I was ugly, I also though I was a vain selfish brat (which was probably true).

Finally enough was enough. I needed to shake this cycle of negativity.

At lunch time I went downstairs, put on my favorite workout video and channeled all my negative thoughts into blasting through the workout. And even though I had to switch to knee push-ups halfway through, and had to sit down with my head between my legs during one of the rests, at the end I felt SO proud of what I had done.

After that I ran upstairs. I popped those zits, brushed my teeth, washed my hair, and even shaved my legs. Then I put on my favorite christmas playlist, painted my nails a bright christmas red, brushed and parted my hair to the side, and put on a cute t-shirt and pajama bottoms. I even made the bed and put away Brandon's laundry pile (even though mine was done).

I felt like a new woman. I didn't put makeup on. I didn't do my hair. I certainly didn't look my best, but I felt clean, feminine, and energized. It was like the poison had drained out of me, and I felt pretty inside again.

It's hard to feel bad when you've exercised, your clean, and you've done something nice for someone else. Why did I let myself think such negative thoughts? It wasn't fair to expect to feel good when my hair was greasy, and I hadn't moved all day. Quite frankly it was stupid.

So the next time you feel bad try asking yourself:
Have I exercised?
What have I done for someone else today?
Have I eaten food that will make me feel good?
Have I showered?/Am I clean?
Is my house or space clean?

And whatever you do, don't feed the negative thoughts. When you start to hear them immediately take action and fight them like the devil himself has appeared in front of you.

It's amazing what a little effort (and christmas music) can do to change a bad mood into a great one.