Somedays, you may wake up in a dark forest, riddled with bare, gloomy trees, where beady-eyed creatures feed upon your melancholy. It can be hard to navigate yourself out of these chilling woods and back to the bright, healthy side of the forest, so I would like to give you the absolute best, top-notch, premium tips I use to push my way out of those thickets. 

1. The early bird gets the worm; however, you are not a bird. One of the easiest ways to force yourself awake is similar to a trick a cruel friend may use on you to accomplish the same goal: revive your face with alarmingly cold water. Get out of bed, zombie-walk yourself straight to the bathroom, and splash a handful of cold water on your face. If you really want to up your game, try purchasing a fresh-feeling, sweet-smelling face wash to add to your morning routine. Getting ready for work or school just became 100% more satisfying. 

2. Picking out an outfit in the morning is arguably one of the most important decisions you can make for yourself to decide how the day will pan out. Your ‘fit predicts your feels. Wearing sweatpants means it will be a lazy day — it could be happy or sad — but it will not be very productive. A casual outfit, like jeans and a t-shirt, allows you to be ready for a handful of events. Dressing to impress shows there’s a goal to reach — something specific you’re aiming to accomplish. What you wear can mirror what your day will look like.

3. You probably hear it often: “Hey, water is good for you, drink more water,” so it should be pretty jammed into your brain by now.  Those guys aren’t lying to you. Water will keep your skin, body, and brain happy. When you don’t drink enough water, these things will get angry, and they’ll make sure you know. Some people break out, become fatigued, and get headaches when they don’t drink enough water. Even if the reason you’re having a bad day is just because you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, it can’t hurt to at least try drinking some water. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Plus, you can accessorize your awesome outfit with a cool, decked-out water bottle. Try decorating yours with stickers to motivate your water-drinking habits.  Sticker places I recommend: Redbubble, Pura Vida, Natural Life.

4. I am horrible at eating breakfast, so this one might seem a little hypocritical. I’m the type of person to snooze my alarm six times, take the world’s quickest shower, get dressed, and throw my hair up to get out the door on time. However, I get hangry…easily. Due to this quality I reluctantly possess, I now carry a snack with me at all times. Sometimes I keep a bag of fruit snacks in my purse, or a Poptart in my backpack. On days I don’t start off well, I’ll eat that little snack as breakfast. Eating something, anything for breakfast, can turn your day right around.

5. Send a message to someone you have not seen or talked to in awhile. A long lost friend or family member may be delighted to hear from you. A quick text, email, or phone call could turn into a very pleasant conversation. 

6. Have you been sitting at a desk all day? Are your legs going numb from boredom? Are your knuckles exhausted from the never ending stream of words being stomped out by your fingerprints? Well lucky for you, I’ve got a new method of relief, and for the first and every trial after, it’s absolutely free! It’s called stretching. Take a break for a few minutes, flex some limbs, and shake out your muscles. Look away from your screen for a little bit. Step outside and take a breath of fresh air for a change. Life goes by fast, but sometimes it is absolutely necessary to slow down.

7. Be productive. Don’t soak in your laziness. Cross something off your to-do list. You know that one thing that you keep saying you’ll do, yet still haven’t done after a month or two of putting it off? Maybe cleaning out your car, or buying new light bulbs: that one thing. Get. It. Done.

8. I know that receiving compliments feels nice, because someone else has given me one. Now, I am not suggesting you go out and fish for compliments because you are having a bad day and you are looking for something to make you feel better, but rather that you go out and give someone else a compliment. Tell someone they have a nice smile or that they look extra confident. Handing out a couple of compliments is like giving people a bunch of tiny little presents. Throw compliments like confetti.

9. Do one extra thing at the end of the day just for you.