Taking a Mental Margarita...

Because it's all feeling like a bit much today, I want to remind myself of some of my favorite tactics I use when I need to keep soldiering on with my big-life commitments, but I need a little break.  It's important to take a "mental margarita" once in a while to revitalize and renew.

Here are some of the little things I do to give me a little zap of energy and help me get back to feeling okay about myself and my little life:

1. Remember that more than 6 billion people on the planet have it WAY worse than I do.

So I have to stay late and work tonight for a parent curriculum evening and there's a stack of papers on my desk that need grading?  That's not exactly the end of the world.  I'm not starving.  I'm not sick.  I'm not mourning the loss of a loved one.  I've just got a late night.  So what?

2. Drink some water.

 I am constantly dehydrated and don't even know it.  I just know I'm feeling low-energy and slurring my words or getting a headache.  It's not until the near-migraine stage that I have the "aha" moment that the only thing I've drunk today is my morning glug of joe.

One of the reasons I've been dehydrated for the better part of my life is that I thought I was supposed to drink my water cold and with ice.  I hate that.  In Asia, most people drink their water warm.  I love that.  I love it even more when it has a squeeze of lemon in it.  When I am hydrated, I think better and can get more done in a quicker amount of time.

3. Read something funny.

A string walked into a bar. The bartender said,”Sorry, we don’t serve your kind. Get out of here.” The string went outside, tied itself into knots, and shredded its ends. He went back inside. The same bartender looked at him suspiciously and said,”Are you that string again?  I told you already, we don't serve your kind.” The string replied, "I'm a frayed knot."
http://www.funnyjokes.org/

Funny, right?  A little guffaw and you may just be good to go again!

4. Listen to something funny while you're doing mind-numbing work that doesn't require your concentration.

I recommend these three podcasts:

http://satellitesisters.com/newstalklaughs/listen/
http://chaoschronicles.com/
http://www.popmyculturepodcast.com/

They can all be found on iTunes or just go to the websites and listen from there.  Each of these podcasts has years worth of archives so you're set for a long time.  It's funny stuff that will make your day.

5. Watch something short and funny and then get back to work.

On Saturday, Charlotte and I watched all the video clips of those two adorably crazy British girls who are regular guests on Ellen.  Just go to http://ellen.warnerbros.com and search for "Sophia Grace and Rosie."  Or just listen to Ellen's monologue which is posted daily.  It's a few minutes of good, clean entertainment and it takes the edge off every time.  Once I've had my quickie Ellen laugh, I'm ready to get back to work.  (Or I might listen to a dozen more of her monologues and THEN get back to work.)

6. Sing along to a medley of tunes from either Fiddler on the Roof or The Sound of Music.

 Belting out "My Favorite Things" helps me pretty much every time I'm a bit down in the dumps.  I have them readily available on my iPhone and all my electronic devices so I can be a show girl any time I need to take a short break.

7. Have a good old-fashioned smooch (if you're lucky enough to have someone to smooch with)!

8. When all else fails, make my margarita a real one!  If it doesn't get done today, there's always tomorrow.