8 Things To Do When You're Feeling Blue

"When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do, is take a look at you, then I'm not so blue". In 1998, Phil Collins sang this hit song, "A Groovy Kind of Love".  I just played the song as at one time I was into this song. It brings back memories of youth, love, excitement, opportunities and dreams. I was 30 years old then, a copywriter in one of the busiest advertising agencies in Kuala Lumpur, earning big bucks, and engaged to be married. 

And today I'm just having one of those days when I'm feeling low. And to tell you the truth listening to "A Groovy Kind of Love" on this gloomy afternoon (the sun is hiding) hasn't helped one bit. Makes me want to grab a glass of white wine and get sloshed! But being a responsible adult that I am, I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna do to get out of this melancholic mood. 

1.  Note to self: Don't listen to sad, love songs. Instead, listen to dance music; since I dance bachata and line dancing, those upbeat songs do help uplift my mood. I just have to play like 500 happy songs today.

2.  Go for some pampering; like a facial and hair treatment/hairwash which I did earlier today. I'm in a better mood for this. Try a manicure, pedicure, reflexology, massage, etc, whatever that relaxes you. If you don't wanna spend money, then DIY at home. Play music, have a glass of wine and soak in some aromatherapy oils.

3. If I had the cash, I would definitely opt for retail therapy. Buying those Chanel espadrilles if I can't get a hold of the Chanel mini bag will definitely make me smile and do a bachata move. Since I don't, then the next close thing would be looking at beautiful fashion on Insta,You Tube,Farfetch or Net-a-porter. Well, that's my go to. If you're not into material stuff and all for creating memories and experiences, then I would say go spend some time in nature. Go for a walk, or hike. I love going to the park, especially the one at Desa Park City, it's dog-friendly, and after that you have a few options of restaurants to chill at.

4. Exercise, I like hitting the gym for some HIIT. You perspire loads and you release endorphins. Endorphins help trigger a positive feeling in the body. So you're gonna feel happy. I wish I still kept my boxing gloves coz boxing is one of my favourite sports to get rid of this lousy lethargic feeling. 

5. I watch comedies. My favourite right now is Grace and Frankie. Those two are hilarious plus they give me a glimpse into the lives of older women who rely on themselves and not their partners, as both were left on their own by their husbands, who came out of the closet and decided to marry one another. When life just changed drastically for them in a bizarre way, they had no choice but to come to terms with it and make the best of the situation they found themselves in. They were playing women in their seventies and they still managed to start a business, selling vibrators for elderly women who suffered from arthritis. Talk about starting over at that age. It inspires me a lot. Keep your partner/hubby close, but keep your girlfriends closer.

6.Reminisce the good old happy days by going through family photos. Just looking at the evolving fashion, hairstyles and funny poses when they hadn't any selfies, and people printed photos, can make you laugh. Well it does for me, especially when I see some of the hairstyles I had when growing up. Gosh! So glad they invented the hair straightening cream and my mom allowed me to try it; my life changed for the better after that, I swear. I wasn't just the bookworm but started looking decent.

7. Stay away from sugar. You don't want the high then slump that you get when you take sugar. What I do is tovfill a large container of water and keep it beside me and take regular sips. This helps me to feel full and therefore not succumb to any sweets; not even fruits. It's like, that lie you tell yourself, "I'll only have one scoop of ice-cream", but trust me it doesn't end well, especially if you have weak willpower. I have failed many times, therefore, don't go there. 

8. Play Dr Phil, by that I mean you sit in a comfy spot and you look within yourself and ask yourself why you feel this way. Did something or someone trigger this feeling? In my case it's mainly from the tamoxifen I'm taking to prevent my cancer from recurring. It messes up with my hormones and makes me a sad, fat person. If you can't control this feeling or situation that trigger this feeling then do all you can to avoid them. 

If the suggestions above fails, I turn to my dog, oops I don't have one at this point in time, but just go find a dog (they have pet cafes that you can go and pet and play with random dogs) and hang out with it. Dogs relax me and understand me better than humans.

If nothing helps, then please seek professional help.