Were you aware that good moods can be practiced to (near) perfection?

It’s true. Your energy levels have a lot to do with everything from your lifestyle choices and metabolism to the people you hang out with and the environment in which you live.

Whether you are someone who wakes up singing about sunshine or someone who curses the day as you roll out of bed, these mood-boosting tips are good to keep in your back pocket.

But first…

What Contributes To Low Energy?

Our energy levels naturally dip and spike throughout the day, so that afternoon slump feeling you get around 2 pm is totally normal.

Common sense things like poor diet, not enough sleep and not enough exercise all contribute to low energy. And in turn, a terrible mood. Feelings of stress and anxiety are huge culprits as well.

A lesser talked about fact that contributes to low energy, though, is hanging around low-vibe people — aka people who are negative, who don’t really bring anything to the table, or are all around kind of blah — seriously have an impact on draining your precious energy.

ANOTHER lesser-known factor is boredom. You could feel abnormally tired or pissed off simply sprung from not feeling challenged or motivated throughout the day.

Soooo, How Do You Combat It?

You combat your low energy by staying consistent with your healthy eating, sleeping, and workout habits. If you want me to dive deeper into this (or tell you what I do to look and feel good), let me know and I will do a spinoff post.

You also boost your energy (hence, your mood) by managing your stress and being intentional about the people you interact with every day. Something as small as a 5-minute phone call with a friend can have a significant impact on your mood, giving you that midday energy boost you didn’t get from your third cup of coffee.

If you feel like you have a good handle on everything I’m saying so far but still struggle with low energy or “meh” moods, try shaking up your routine. Go to a cafe to work instead of your kitchen table or home office. Take a daycation to a neighboring city on the weekend instead of binge-watching Netflix. Wear a flashy outfit instead of your loungewear uniform. Put your hair in an Ariana Grande high ponytail.

Does Feeling Fatigued Mean You Have/Had Coronavirus?

Yes, no, maybe so?

Researchers are looking at prolonged fatigue possibly being linked to COVID-19 (among a slew of other things, so don’t freak out just yet). If you are feeling consistently tired or sluggish (daily for several weeks or more), you probably want to call your doc to see what’s going on. You could be anemic, it could be allergies, it could be a fluke thing, or it could just be boredom, remember?

While I’m not a medical professional (did I fool you?), I am an obsessive wellness enthusiast dedicated to discovering fun + healthy ways to live better. Once I get more subscribers to this platform (HINT HINT PEOPLE READING WHO ARE NOT YET SUBSCRIBED), I will bring on nutritional experts, fashion elites, and talented authors to provide science-backed evidence for these types of posts.

But until then, you get tried and true advice from someone who has learned the hard way on what works and what doesn’t when it comes to bettering your day-to-day lives and improving your self-worth.

Parting Question

What are your specific energy-boosting needs? Because we all respond differently to different mood-enhancing methods, it’s worth taking a minute to think about this question and acting accordingly in solving your low-mood issues.

I’ll give you my personal (daily!) mood-boosting tactics so you have an example:

I am not a naturally high energy person (without a glass of champagne), but life feels more exciting when I am. So in order to be more excitable, I rely on intense cardio workouts, light & delicious snacks, brightly colored outfits, and extra people like Jonathan Van Ness to keep my energetic spirits spicy.

I have also been taking B-12 vitamins (recommended from my therapist, thank you, K), which I have found to be immensely helpful with de-fogging my brain and making my eyes way less droopy. CBG is also my best friend in aiding in mental clarity and focus.

My Theory on High Energy

I think I’m drawn (read: physically pulled) to bright colors and outrageous fashion because they spike my energy levels. I can’t help it. It’s like there is a magnetic force pulling me toward color and art and weird patterns. Betsey Johnson and I really would be best friends. PS her book Betsey: A Memoir is pretty good.

What is your energy theory? Find whatever your bright color-mismatched pattern-fixation-as-energy is, and consume it as often as you need.

Combatting Low Energy Recap

1. Adhere to your healthy lifestyle habits every day to boost your mood— eating right, getting quality sleep, exercising, spending time outside.

2. Surround yourself with high-vibe people — this goes for online & offline.

3. Switch up your routine & environment.

4. De-bore your life if it feels boring.

5. Recite your self-mantras every morning! — I changed mine this week to: I will feel proud of myself today & I deserve to feel excited today.

What excites you and makes you feel proud of yourself?

Thank you for reading. And Happy September! It’s Virgo season, the ultimate “Take Charge of Your Life” season.

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PS. If you’re into astrology, this article from The Cut, Virgo Season is the Best Time to Get Your Life Back in Order, is a real good read. And is further confirmation that astrology is terrifyingly accurate. (I’m a Virgo to a teeeeee).

PPS! Are you new here? Welcome to Take A Sip. The Tuesday + Thursday newsletter that provides you with advice and life lessons meant to make your mind happier.

Have questions or want to collaborate? Email me: ashley.lauren.alt@gmail.com. Unlike text messages, I respond to emails in a timely manner and actually enjoy receiving them.

Be you.

XOXO,

Ashley