Get Up, Dress Up, Show Up
What do you do when life gets hard? Do you bury yourself under the covers and hide from the world? Do you run away as far and as fast as you can hoping to leave your problems behind you? Do you eat all the ice cream in the freezer? Do you drink away your thoughts and feelings?
Life is a Pretty Big Adventure… but it’s not always a fairytale. We all have hard days where we struggle with the things going on in our worlds. There’s no escaping that. In a world ruled by social media where everyone seems to portray having the perfect life it’s almost taboo to admit you’re having a hard time.
Real life is not a social media highlight reel
The worst thing you can do is is give up. Don’t feel like you’re alone simply because you only see the highlight reel of everyone else’s life. Behind those perfect selfies, the gym mirror photos, the photos of perfect meals – is someone who has their own daily battles.
Get up, Dress up, Show up.
Whatever it is that has you feeling down, or overwhelmed or the struggles that you’re facing is unique to you. How you handle them will determine how you pull through. Take stock of where you are, and what you can do about it. Don’t hide behind the Ben & Jerrys. Don’t pack up and move for the hell of it. Get up, dress up, and show up.
There are days when I feel completely overwhelmed and it would be so easy to just stay in my sweats with my hair in a ponytail and pretend the outside world doesn’t exist. Experience has taught me however that the outside world will be waiting for me no matter what. My problems will still be there when I emerge, ready to take me down if I let them. A hot shower always makes me feel better. I hate it when I feel like crap, and I look like crap because it means I’m not taking care of my self. It’s a perpetual cycle. When I sit and wallow in my sweats I feel like I’m only indulging my self pity. And nobody likes a pity party! I see that version of myself in the mirror looking defeated and in the words of Arya Stark I say to her “Not today”.
So I put on some great music, jump in a hot shower and wash away my worries for at least a few hot minutes. Then I dry my hair and put on a great outfit (we’re not talking about a ballgown here – just get out of those pj’s!) and show up to face my day. I pull myself together because when I look at that version of myself in the mirror it reminds me that I’m pretty damn amazing and I can handle anything that comes my way.
What song gets you up and makes you feel powerful?
Music can move us so profoundly. It can be a lullaby or a fight song, a romantic soundtrack or a warriors anthem. I use music the way some people use medicine. The right song can heal my heart and put me in the right headspace to face the day. There are so many great artists out there with inspiring music but I adore Lizzo. She is so powerful, her music is full of so much truth and beats that make you want to move your body. I found this video of her live at Glastonbury performing Good As Hell. Before she sings she speaks to the audience and has them repeat a beautiful mantra. You should too… because I love you, you are beautiful and you can do anything.
