Have you ever noticed that some days feel heavy even before you get out of bed? Everything seems like it’s “too much”. You wake up tired, and your mind is already racing before you’ve even had your morning coffee. To make matters worse, somehow even the smallest tasks feel overwhelming. We live in a culture that constantly glorifies productivity, perfection, and hustle…all things that can deplete your energy, especially if you’re sensitive. But there are things you can do to counteract that. And they aren’t big. Because sometimes the small, simple moments in our day can change your energy in big ways!
Changing the energy of your day doesn’t require becoming a completely different person. Often, it simply means gently reconnecting with yourself, your joy, your body, your creativity, and your peace.
Here are some small ways you can shift the energy of your day when life feels like it’s too much.
Get outside
It’s easy to take for granted just how powerful nature is. Our ancestors spent far more time outside than we do today. Being in nature really does change things.
The best part is that it doesn’t take a long time either. Take a five-minute walk or sit on your porch for 5-10 minutes. Stand barefoot in the grass (otherwise known as earthing). These simple things can change the energy of your day quickly. You get bonus points if you leave your phone inside!
Play some music that makes you feel something
I have been a professional musician for decades. Music is a powerful way to change how you’re feeling! We don’t often think about the power of music. Let’s think about a movie like Star Wars for a minute. The amazing score by John Williams supports what is going on in each scene. Can you imagine what the movie would be like if there wasn’t loud, intense, orchestral music happening during the battle scenes? Without that music there, the scene would fall flat. It would be MUCH less dramatic. The music enhances the emotional impact of the scene. So using music to enhance your life is a powerful way to shift the energy of your day!
Create playlists for different moods:
- cozy and comforting
- playful and whimsical
- dramatic main character energy
- peaceful rainy-day vibes
- joyful dancing-around-the-house songs
Then let yourself fully enjoy it. Sing loudly. Dance badly. I have several playlists that really help me to lift my energy. My favorites are my Disney playlist and the “happy” playlist I created specifically to help lift my mood. If I want to relax, I listen to my spa playlist.
Open a window
This seems so simple, but seriously…
Fresh air, sunlight, birdsong, rain sounds, or even the smell of the world outside can help interrupt things when your energy is feeling flat or stagnant. These are tiny sensory shifts, but it matters…especially when your nervous system feels overloaded.
Create a cozy corner
Turn one little area of your house into your “cozy corner”. Not your whole house (unless that’s your thing). Just one small space will do. This is a space where you can…
- Light a candle.
- Fluff a blanket.
- Put flowers in a jar.
- Stack your favorite books nearby.
- Sit and sip your favorite tea.
When your energy is “blah,” having a small pocket of comfort can have a surprisingly big emotional impact. Your cozy corner is a space where you nurture yourself with positive sensory things. It can change your whole day! I love going to my cozy corner after a long day of working. It’s so calming to my nervous system!
Let yourself be silly
Adult life can become painfully serious. But we grown-ups need to play, laugh, and be silly just as much as kids do…maybe even more! Being silly and embracing playfulness can not only change the energy of your day, but it could benefit your health and even lengthen your life!
Here are a few things you can do to increase silliness and playfulness.
- Watch funny videos.
- Send ridiculous memes.
- Wear fuzzy socks with mushrooms on them.
- Talk to your pets in dramatic voices.
- Buy the sticker.
- Swing at the park.
- Make weird little sound effects while cleaning.
Never underestimate how healing playfulness and being silly can be.
Read something magical
This is actually something I started a few months ago. I used to love reading when I was younger. But with the advent of smartphones and apps like Kindle, any book I bought was digital. And I was gravitating towards buying books that were educational. But not everything has to be educational or productive. So a few months ago I began reading cozy fantasy novels. And I started getting physical books to read instead of the digital ones. I cannot tell you how much I love doing this now, and how much it can change the energy of your day to spend some time reading something that is purely for pleasure!
A few ideas of what you can read…
- Read fantasy books.
- Cozy mysteries.
- Whimsical poetry.
- Fairy tales.
- Books that make you feel soft inside.
Sometimes your spirit needs wonder just as much as your mind needs information. I’m certainly glad I remembered this! It has certainly made a difference for me!
Move your body in a gentle, enjoyable way
Let’s face it, life is a whole lot more sedentary now than it was when I was a child in the 70s. We only had 4 channels on the television back then, and we didn’t have video games or smartphones fighting for our time and attention. These days, when people get home from work, they sit on the couch and binge-watch the latest show, or doomscroll on their phone. We have become movement-deficient, and it absolutely impacts our energy! If you want to change the energy of your day, finding some gentle ways to move that are fun can help!
You can do things like…
- Stretch.
- Dance in the kitchen.
- Take a slow walk.
- Do yoga in pajamas.
- Wander through a bookstore or antique shop.
- Garden.
- Hula hoop.
- Walk while listening to an audiobook.
- Chase your pet or child around the house.
You don’t have to be perfect. That isn’t the goal…It’s aliveness. Energy moves. And if you’re sedentary all of the time, your energy isn’t moving. When you move, so does your energy!
Laugh more often
Most people don’t know this, but I’m actually a stress-management coach. One of the things I learned over the years is how much laughter changes energy and reduces stress. And it does it quickly too! Unfortunately, most adults don’t laugh nearly enough anymore. And I feel that may be impacting their health in ways they don’t recognize. The health benefits of laughter are really incredible! They are even using laughter therapy with cancer patients now, which is really amazing!
Here are a few things you can do to get yourself laughing!
- Watch a funny show.
- Find funny videos on YouTube (watching babies laughing or funny animals work well).
- Spend time with people who make you feel safe enough to be goofy.
- Play with animals or little kids.
- Find a laughter yoga group (yes, it’s a real thing!)
The world is heavy enough already. But you don’t have to get stuck in that energy. You’re allowed to laugh!
Create something with your hands
When your energy is struggling, one thing you can do to change that is to create something physically. Doing this helps to reconnect you with your body. Being productive is not the goal of doing this. Creating something that you enjoy is.
So go ahead and…
- Write something just for pleasure.
- Paint.
- Bake something you love.
- Crochet.
- Decorate cookies badly.
- Take photographs.
- Make art that nobody else ever sees.
Creating something simply because it delights you is a beautiful way to rebel against burnout culture.
Give yourself permission to rest
This should be common sense. But when you live in a world where productivity, hustle, and grind are glorified, resting has been demonized. Let me say this…getting rest is not laziness! Please read that again…resting is NOT lazy!
If you want to stay healthy and avoid burnout, then rest is a necessity, especially if you’re neurodivergent like me.
You do not have to earn time off. Being exhausted is NOT a badge of honor that anyone should be wearing. You are allowed to pause and to give your body and brain the break it needs so that it can function!
Sometimes changing the energy of your day looks like taking a nap, or canceling plans. It can also look like sitting quietly with a cup of tea, or letting yourself exist without constantly producing something. You are not a machine, and your body cannot keep going nonstop.
Give yourself permission to rest…without feeling guilty!
Romanticize ordinary moments
As a neurodivergent woman, this has become so important to me. But what does it mean to romanticize ordinary moments? It’s about creating a special moment out of something that usually isn’t special.
That can look like…
- Using the fancy mug.
- Lighting the candle on a random Tuesday.
- Watch the rain.
- Wearing clothes that make you feel expressive and alive.
- Making your morning coffee feel like a tiny ritual instead of a rushed part of your day.
Your life is happening now, not someday. Making ordinary moments special can completely change your energy.
Spend less time doomscrolling
This should be a no-brainer. But it’s so easy to get sucked into the scroll. It can be an easy dopamine hit. But your nervous system was not designed to absorb endless bad news and social media noise 24/7. And you may not be aware of just how much it’s dragging down your energy. Being more mindful about how often you grab your smartphone can help. Most phones now have screen time apps built right in. I know that’s true with an iPhone. Take a look at just how much you’re using your phone and what apps are getting the most time. You might be shocked.
Then be more intentional about your phone time.
- Take scheduled breaks from the internet.
- Leave your phone in another room for a while (I know this one can be hard, but even an hour helps).
- Plan days or partial days to take a phone break. You’d be amazed how much better you feel when you’ve had some time away.
I think we take for granted just how much our brains and nervous systems need breaks from the constant stimulation we get from being on our phones so much. This can have profound impacts not only on your energy, but on your mental health as well!
Protect your energy by saying no sometimes
Saying no can be hard. Especially if you’re a people pleaser (I’m personally in recovery for that). But not every invitation deserves a yes.
And not every request deserves access to your time and energy.
Having healthy boundaries is an important part of being your healthiest self. So give yourself permission to say no. You are allowed to have boundaries. You are allowed to need rest. And you are allowed to choose peace over people-pleasing.
Protecting your energy is an act of self-respect and self-love.
Remember that it’s about tiny shifts
I think that it’s important for you to remember that you do not need to transform your entire life overnight. In fact, often making these tiny changes to boost your energy adds up to much bigger changes than you realize.
Small moments add up. And often, a more joyful life is built through tiny choices you make again and again.
