A few years ago, when I was deep in the thick of blogging (those were the days!), I was invited to join my friend Lauren’s blogger networking group she named the Boxwoods Breakfast Club. I knew many of the girls in it already, and I was excited to get to know more of the incredible ladies in this group.

Cut to now: I have more kids, less time, I’m laser-focused on growing my clothing brand, and less focused on my blog. But it’s still something I care about, and the women I’ve met through this group have become real friends that I love seeing (at least) once a month.

I’ve alluded to this in my VIP Facebook group, but the first quarter of the year was nothing short of unmanageable. My stress levels have been through the roof, and I’d been feeling it both physically and mentally. I can always tell when I’m doing way too much because little things start to get to me, I’m more forgetful, I have trouble sleeping, and I worry more about things out of my control. NOT a great way to go through life, especially when two little kids need you to be on your A game.

So.

I’ve made a conscious decision to cut back. Cut back on my commitments, cut back on my stress level, cut back on anything that adds to my stress level. I’m only about two weeks into my commitment to destressing, and I’m already feeling the effects. Sleep is better, I’m managing both family and business life better, and I’m much, much happier.

Last week was another meeting of the Boxwood Breakfast Club, and for the first time ever, cuteheads was the sponsor! I loved hosting everyone and gifting everyone with a beautiful cuteheads dress or romper and lots of other goodies.

But even more, I loved catching up with these incredible women, learning from them, and feeling inspired by them. They’re all working so incredibly hard, and each one has something so beautiful and unique to offer. I left breakfast feeling completely inspired, and it got me thinking about all the ways I’m working on staying inspired, motivated and destressed these days.

I thought I’d share six of them with you now, in case you too are struggling with unmanageable stress, anxiety, or just a case of the blues. Here are six ways to feel inspired right now:

1. Change your environment. Sometimes after a long day of sitting alone, in silence, behind a computer screen in an office in which I forgot to turn the light on, I feel sluggish and down. And it’s no wonder why. If I start to feel this way, sometimes I grab a kid or two and we take a stroll around the block. Or I run a quick errand. Or I sometimes just walk outside for a few minutes for some fresh air. Even something as small as that can have a profound effect on my mood, so I’ve been practicing getting up from my desk more often, moving around, and BREATHING when I start to feel blah.
2. Change your routine. Sometimes our routines can actually turn into ruts without us even knowing it. It’s easy to get trapped in a pattern that can leave us uninspired. Go to a different coffee shop for your morning latte. Something that simple can break you out of your mind cage. I find that going through my closet and actually getting dressed for the day in something I haven’t worn in awhile, or eating something different for lunch can help my mood too.
3. Get together with a friend. When I’m feeling anxiety or stress, usually the last thing I want to do is interact with other humans. I’ve learned over the years that I’m much more of an introvert than I ever knew (according to the personality test I took, it’s about 50/50), so being around people can be draining for me. On the other hand, I spend a lot of my time alone replying to emails, updating the website and creating new products, and it’s very easy for me to go days without seeing or talking to friends. Connecting with someone face to face or even on the phone — even and especially when I don’t want to — always gets me out of my head and gives me a mood boost.
4. STOP HUSTLING SO HARD. There’s been a lot of chatter lately about how detrimental this hustle culture is to people’s well-being. Not only is it not that safe to work so hard you want to pass out, but it also can lead to guilt (am I working hard enough?), comparison (are other people working harder than me?) and eventual burnout (I can’t work anymore!). Stop worrying about your hustle, and start focusing on how to get good work done without burning yourself down.

5. Get out from behind the screen. I think we can all agree that social media, while a necessary evil, is still kind of evil, right? Is there literally anyone out there who isn’t negatively affected by social media in some way? The very first thing to go from my life when I’m feeling less-than is social media. Yes, I need it for work, so I’ll usually focus on my work-related social media tasks, but as far as the personal stuff, I stay away. It’s not selfish… it’s self-preservation.

6. Clean your workspace. A cluttered desk = a cluttered mind. If you’re feeling stifled or blah, just tidy up your space. Maybe your closet needs a refresh; Marie Kondo the whole thing! Or maybe your kids’ playroom is looking like a disaster zone. Head in there for a few minutes and straighten some things up. It really can have a magical effect on your mood.

Lastly, I have to add that this whole “good vibes only” thing is kind of a crock, isn’t it? Why must we ONLY have good vibes?

No one thinks positively all the time, and sometimes it’s impossible to always have happy thoughts or meditate the bad feelings away. I’ve been reading about toxic positivity and positivity culture lately, and just like negativity can be toxic, positivity can be too. Something I’ve learned is that if I’m having negative thoughts, sometimes that’s okay. I feel peace in knowing that the thoughts will eventually pass, but I also know that it’s fine to feel crappy if that’s how I’m feeling.

In the moment, lemme just be negative for a sec, k?

I’ll end on that note. Take care of yourself, and take care of those around you. Find the things and people that inspire you and change your attitude if it’s bringing you down.

But don’t beat yourself up if you can’t.

xo

A few more of my favorite pics from Friday morning…