Yesterday I painted our spare room. Finally adding colour to the room. It was a simple but boring magnolia for years. I painted it bright yellow. WOW. What an uplifting colour for a bedroom. It’s at the back of the house and as the garden has woods, it is a dark room. I wanted to brighten it up and make it a happy room.
Yellow is bright, happy and makes me think of spring and summer. Daffodils and sunflowers, daisies and gerberas oh and bumble bees. I can’t help but smile. It brings lightness into a dark space. Whilst it isn’t a room I will be spending much time in, when I walk past it, I can’t help but smile.
What can you do to bring some brightness into your life? Here are some ideas for you:
Home
- Paint a room – it doesn’t have to be yellow, it could be a bright pink, green or even a bright white. Making a space brighter can really change your home.
- Use lights – if you have a dark space put some lights in there, string lights of any colour or a wee table lamp, make the space lighter and warmer by placing lights in the dark spots. In your garden you can use well placed solar lights to make a space light and welcoming.
- Accessories – a picture of a bright flower or a family photo or a photo or picture that brings a smile to your face when you look at it, The brightness doesn’t need to be in the form of colour, it could be the way it makes you feel – lighter and brighter.
- Family time – play some games – find the ones that are lighthearted and fun and no one can be upset with – play with lego and build something big or build a fort out of cushions, cardboard boxes and bedding. Even if you don’t have kids, just be silly and have some fun. Eat dinner or have a picnic in the fort.
Work
- Workspace – bring some brightness – if you work from home do as the above with lights and accessories. Make it a space you are excited and happy to go to each day. You spend so much time at work each day and each week, so make it a light space whether in colour or mind.
- Colleagues – the people you work with can really brighten your day – so why not try to be that person for your colleagues. Make them smile and laugh.
- Breaks – take regular breaks, some are scheduled whilst others are less formal and rigid. Use the time to bring lightness into your day, such as have your favourite cuppa next to the window, look out and see what is around.
- Food – make sure you eat good food, eat the rainbow as they say. Make your food bright and light to feel good and healthy. It is about balance too though, so enjoy your favourite snack in the afternoon to make you smile or leave it to a day when you feel a bit flat and need a much needed boost.
Mental Wellbeing
- Exercise – I hear you groan. But it is so true that it helps your mental wellness and also will help lighten your mind. Some days it can be a real challenge to move and do any form of exercise. But I would honestly say if you do nothing else, walk. You don’t have to walk far or for long, but I promise you, you will always feel great afterwards.
- Talk – it can be difficult to open up and say what is really on your mind. But your friends and family really want to help you and listen. It often takes you to offload to feel much better.
- Laugh – nothing lightens and brightens your day more than laughing – watch a comedy, chat to your friends, remember something funny that happened.
- Be present – find something to focus your mind – painting, doing a jigsaw puzzle, knitting, cooking, reading. Being present means you will be so involved with what you are doing you are only operating in the here and now rather than in the past or the future. Give it a go and find an activity that really takes your mind off things.
We often get so bogged down in the heavy things in life that we operate at this level too often. Lighten up your life and brighten your day. Use the ideas above to help.
Have a great day, thank you for reading.
Look after you, love Emma xx
Wellbeing with Relaxing Lavender 