attitude adjustment
These suggestions were from women business owners with ADHD. Just like you!
Celebrate a random holiday: https://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/index.htm By the way, there are more holidays than these. One of my personal favorites is Backwards Day, July 3. Or make up your own holiday
Invite people over or go out for a casual breakfast, brunch or whatever.
Find a new book to read or listen to. I like using the Libby App and also Goodreads for recommendations.
Take a bath or shower, or just soak you feet in Epsom salts (detoxifies). A cold bath or shower will raise Serotonin levels, but it takes some mental fortitude to withstand the cold!
Listen to some music that fits the mood you want to be in.
If you play an instrument, do that!
Sing, quietly or loudly or in between.
DANCE PARTY (solo or with someone special).
Pet an animal. Petting an animal is scientifically proven to calm a person.
Play with kids.
Phone a friend.
Go for a walk, a bike ride, a swim, or a paddle.
Or do some yoga or stretching to open up your body and let the good stuff move around.
Take a nap
Craft or sew
Grin - this works! A big cheesy grin for 15 minutes, through whatever activity you’re doing, will improve your mood (and possibly the mood of those around you)
Strike a superhero pose and hold it for a bit. You can add superhero catchphrases as well!
Drive through the woods, the mountains, by the seashore, through the countryside.
Do some shoulder shrugs - it will help you relax.
Create/listen to an uplifting playlist.
Get off the internet.
Read a passage from a favorite spiritual or uplifting book and internalize it. Make it yours.
Journal your feelings.
Hug a bunch of people (in my top 3).
Do some gardening, hug a tree or do some forest bathing - https://silvotherapy.co.uk/articles/benefits-of-hugging-trees
Eat some protein or dark chocolate to raise Dopamine levels
Watch something calming: snow falling, babies laughing, fish swimming, a fire in the fireplace, etc.
Meditate. You can focus on one word, one phrase from a book or a song, or something affirming. ***ADHD tip! Use a fidget that you doesn’t distract you. Even stroking a stuffed animal or squeezing a ball of aluminum foil with work!
Guided meditation is sitting quietly while following another’s voice. I like to use “Calm” or “Insight Timer.”
Listen to white noise (or pink or brown or whatever noise works) for 10 minutes. Or find nature sounds online (or in nature!) and listen to them.
Get a massage or other body treatment that is soothing. Having
people touch in safe ways can be very uplifting.
Eat some walnuts. Yup. These nuggets are apparently super powerful.
or Blueberries. Same thing.
Breathe deeply. Anxiety makes our breathing shallow.
Bang on something!
Essential oils like orange, bergamot and tangerine are very uplifting.
Lavender is a calming scent. If you have some you particularly like,
put some on a tissue and breathe that in.
Paint, draw, mold clay (very tactile) or do some other artsy thing.
Do something random for someone you don’t know. Smile at them, pay them a
compliment, or pay for their coffee.
Volunteer at a charity or a community event.
Read something funny, watch a comedy on TV or bookmark a funny website to go back to.
Write a gratitude list. Try to come up with a number that seems impossible, like 50 or 100. You can read about the amazing effects of gratitude right here.
Have some rollicking, passionate, satisfying sex, with yourself or with someone else.
Get some sun or sit in front of a light-box (yes, they really work)
Omega 3 fish oil or flax seed oil can help with mood regulation
Email Yafa and ask for some guidance or a virtual hug!
Just get up and move. Even if you move to another seat, it will ping your brain. (Brain-pinging is a good thing. And unpinged brain is a blah brain).
Do some yoga or stretching. It opens up your whole body.
Count backwards from 100 to 1 (See if you can stay awake!)
Learn a relaxation technique from another culture
Taking a probiotic is helpful, since gut health equates with mental health. Did you know the gut produces 90% of your Serotonin!! (More on Serotonin right here.)
