One Simple Realization That Changed How I Feel Every Day
What if the key to a better mood wasn’t changing your circumstances—but changing your perspective? One simple realization transformed how I feel every day, and it might do the same for you.
I've been thinking a lot about the way I feel whenever I go to bed. There are some nights where I feel a "good" sense of tired -- an accomplished sense of tired. My heart feels light, I can easily fall asleep, and I feel joyful and grateful. Then there are nights when I feel like a used napkin -- my heart aches, and is heavy. My thoughts are scattered. I struggle to fall asleep, even if i'm physically and mentally exhausted. I feel burned out, unhappy, and often even physically unwell.
It took me a while to become mindful enough of this pattern to ask myself the question: what happened today where I feel one way versus the other?
It was, of course, all the activities I chose to fill my day with. I compiled a list of things I did on the days I felt good/great, and the list of things I did when i felt crummy. Here's my list:
Good stuff / the stuff that fuels me
Please note, I don't do all these things in a single day. These are just the common activities on the days I felt great:
meditation
running/exercise
long walks with my dog (without headphones/calls)
waking up early / not snoozing
writing
lots of screen-free time
sitting still & not picking up a device / being present in whatever activity
watching a show/movie i enjoy but truly watching it (no second screen)
listening to music (and doing nothing else)
generally just doing one thing at a time
completing tasks on my todo list
creating / being creative / working on super awesome mix
cleaning / decluttering
gratitude journaling / journaling in general
talking with friends / my family
eating well / eating real foods (no processed or take out foods)
The not so good stuff / the stuff that drains me
mindless television
(I love tv, and good shows -- but I dislike when i have it on for the sake of having it on)
doing too many things at once / feeling distracted all day long
eating poorly / ordering too much take out
sleeping in / snoozing past my alarm
putting things off that i had time to do
being negative / complaining a lot
this is a huge one for me.
checking the news & blogs obsessively / way too often
like refreshing every 1-2 minutes sometimes
scrolling on insta/ tiktok / other media without any purpose or reason
picking up my phone constantly, scrolling through pages of apps mindlessly
After I read through this list after typing it, I immediately felt exhausted looking at the 'not so good' list. Conversely, I felt energized looking at the 'good stuff' list. Crazy how even reading it can make me feel fueled up or drained.
So this is the realization that has changed my mood: I now pick from the 'good stuff' list when I want to do something. I never regret doing anything on that list -- I always enjoy it.
The 'not so good stuff' has the opportunity to make me feel crummy. I'll note there are days that takeout is great, or checking the news often is necessary, and that's fine. But in general the more I pick from the 'not so good' list, the less great I'm going to feel at the end of the day.
My hope is that I'll continue this practice of picking the good stuff because honestly that feeling of putting my head on the pillow at night and immediately falling asleep because I feel fulfilled... that's a priceless feeling.
Want more mindset shifts like this? Check out the Super Awesome You podcast, where we dive into practical ways to boost your mood, motivation, and mindset. Listen now and start feeling awesome!