Fill Your Home With Positivity

By Donna Stark

It's not unusual to feel anxious or to experience a decline in happiness during times of great stress and it is important to know that you are not the only one who is feeling that way at the moment. Whether those feelings stem from isolation, added responsibilities, or significant health and financial issues, one of the most important things you can do is to find new ways to take care of yourself and your family. Fortunately, those ways don't have to be expensive, elaborate, or complicated. They can be as simple as telling a joke and putting a smile on the face of your loved ones.

Add Some Smiles to Your House

If you let the effects of stress linger in your home and body for too long, you can expect to see some serious damage to your physical, mental, and emotional health. You could also end up dealing with more than you ever would have expected. So stay ahead of it all and reduce the risk of that happening by following the suggestions below.

• Exercise - Exercise causes the body to release endorphins, which are the feel-good chemicals in the brain, so keep the family as active as you can. Generally, 30 minutes a day is enough but if everyone is up for it, keep moving! It will boost everyone's mood naturally, especially if you take it outdoors!
• Healthy diet - Sure, you want to serve your family a healthy diet but if you are looking to maintain optimal mental health, there are certain foods you should definitely try to incorporate into your diet. The next time you are at the store, pick up some dark chocolate, leafy greens, blueberries, and salmon.
• Practice gratitude - A great way to reset everyone's focus and mood is to journal the things they are grateful for. Whether it's at the end of the day or in the midst of a bad mood, taking part in an exercise like this can help everyone focus on the positive.  
• Unplug from technology - It's easy to get caught up in the waves of negativity that fill social media and sometimes, the only way out is to unplug. Seriously, put your phone down and have your loved ones do the same. Scrolling through social media is not a good way to relax. In fact, it can actually cause additional stress to your day. So find something else to do and get your family to do it with you.

Better Days Ahead

Improving the overall well-being of everyone in your family doesn't have to be complicated and can be achieved by making simple adjustments to your daily routines. So try some of the suggestions above or come up with your own! The key idea here is to take care of one another and to protect the joy that resides in your home.

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Pooler, Ga.