How Do You Stay Positive and Recharge Your Batteries?

Most of my recharging is done by retiring a little early in the evening and reading a book or doing puzzles. But I need time with friends once in awhile. My favorite is to get out scrapbooking with a couple friends. My DH and I rarely get out to dinner together without the kiddo in tow. But this week we had a chance and went to a romantic little restaurant and then went for a walk along the river afterwards. I hadn't felt that relaxed and calm in ages!

I used to be very positive before I was a SAHM. Now I need reminders:
-I turn on the news & instantly feel lucky & blessed.
-exercise. It clears my mind & the endorphins kick in.
-I have notes all over my house to remind me to stay positive.
-talk to my friends on the phone for a quick pick-me-up
-make a list of 5 things I'm grateful for when I'm feeling especially low
-go for walks
-relax. Sometimes I just need to sit & veg if the little one is asleep.
-watch a funny 30 mins comedy show (laughter is a great release)
-read for some quiet time (if I can steal the time) :)

Updated

I used to be very positive before I was a SAHM. Now I need reminders:
-I turn on the news & instantly feel lucky & blessed.
-exercise. It clears my mind & the endorphins kick in.
-I have notes all over my house to remind me to stay positive.
-talk to my friends on the phone for a quick pick-me-up
-make a list of 5 things I'm grateful for when I'm feeling especially low
-go for walks
-relax. Sometimes I just need to sit & veg if the little one is asleep.
-watch a funny 30 mins comedy show (laughter is a great release)
-read for some quiet time (if I can steal the time) :)

I'm about a step away from being in your shoes myself. I used to have one night out a week where I went scrapbooking with my friends (Friday nights) when the girls were babies. I NEEDED that each week. Now that they are older (2 and 4), I'm not as physically drained from lack of sleep, etc., so I haven't been doing much for me for several months.

I've found if I have something planned on the calendar for ME, then it gets me through the daily grind until then. I've been lucky to have a scrapbook date with a close friend (out of town) 3 different times in the last 6 months. That helped, but now it's been awhile and I have nothing on my calendar. Ho hum.

My advice (if I could take it myself) would be to find something fun to do with a friend in the very near future and get it scheduled. GL to ya. I know where you are coming from!

Once a month my mom takes my kids for the whole day (if she can't, I pay a sitter to make this happen). I do the shopping that requires thinking for a couple hours or just browse at a favorite store like Pier 1. I spend a couple hours in an art museum. I spend a couple hours on something for my spirituality. I buy myself a treat to eat. I spend some time reading. I do only minimal cleaning because that's something that can always be done with the kids around. I try to focus the whole day on doing things that are more difficult or even impossible to do with the kids around. I may work only a few hours, but never a full shift or that will defeat the purpose of the day. I watch a movie. I call friends and talk freely. I sleep in the next day if the kids spend the night at grandma's. Usually I have a long list of things I want to do on this day and end up doing half. But I always feel good after and by the end of the day I am missing my kids and tired of the quiet.

I drink ALOT!!!!!!!! I am just kidding, I but with my friends on FB I rate my days as: Wine, ok day, I need Vodka - things a little crazy, give me that flipping bottle of tequila - these kids are driving me CRAZY!!!

Sometimes I just give myself a little timeout, I have the kids go to their rooms and play for a while and I make a cold (or hot, in the winter) of tea and put on some good music or veg in front of some dumb tv show for a while. But when I am in a real rut, it just seems to take time and then suddenly somthing snaps me out! Good Luck!

Sometimes I get the feeling that the other shoe is about to drop. I have my personal list of things to do, "just in case." Doing them makes me feel like I am being proactive against the unexpected, both good AND bad.

1. Clean the toilets. Glamorous, I know, but: if you have unexpected guests, at least the toilets are clean. Plus, if there is a tornado and you are holed up in the bathroom, at least the toilet is clean. If, after the tornado, you have to fetch your stuff - including the toilet - out of the neighbor's yards, well, at least it's clean.

2. Do all the laundry. If you have an unexpected dinner date (husband has a big deal go through at work, and big boss wants to take y'all out to celebrate!); if an out-of-town relative is sick or has an accident and you have to pack quickly; if you get an unexpected job interview - all of your laundry is clean, and all of those things are sooo much easier!

3. Update your resume. Whether you are looking or not. If an opportunity comes along, and you need a resume, you've already got it. Plus, it feels good to tally up your accomplishments.

4. Drink a glass of water. Being well-hydrated just makes you feel good. Plus, if you have a health emergency, being well-hydrated makes getting an IV easier. Or, if a girlfriend calls you up and says the bloodbank is visiting, we should help - again, easier if you're well-hydrated.

5. Call a girlfriend and kvetch. Or call a girlfriend and let HER kvetch, so you can bank up the return favor. Keeping up with relationships - you never know when you need each other.

None of this stuff will necessarily make everything all better, but it will probably be worse if you don't do them. Again, it gives me something tangible to DO.

And, at the end of the day, there is always a hot bath and a glass of merlot.

Now, excuse me. I have to run some laundry and drink a glass of water...

Hey there,
first of all you are getting exercise, which is so cool. Going along with that you probably have a good feel for where your body is at. So in those moments, make sure your posture is great. Don't let your shoulders sag, pull your belly in as if you were doing Pilates, stand up straight. This sends positive messages to your brain, makes you feel stronger.
Also: When you don't have a positive outlook, don't force yourself into it, as it causes additional stress. "This too shall pass" is what you'll think, and allow yourself to feel negativity. By allowing it, you are taking away most of its power. By fighting it you get tense and it may persists. Pat yourself and your emotions on the back.
And when you don't get to play tennis for a while, if you have a tiny bit of energy left, do a POP Pilates video. They are 10 minutes long, you can find them on youtube, and they kick your butt. I started to force myself to do them even after a long with kid/conservatory/husband... even at midnight, and am now doing several ones in a row. My abs are as tight as when I was a dancer, my butt totally rocks, and my legs are of steel. Feeling my muscles all day long gives me sense of power, and it makes me feel sexy.
Hope this helps, and it sounds like you're managing a lot of things really well anyway!

Something that always makes me feel better is reading about people who have it worse then you. Sounds bad, but I am talking about a inspirational book about a third world country, volunteer at a homeless shelter, help out with wounded warriors. It will give you a new perspective, as well as make you feel good that you are helping someone else. Your kiddo's could be involved too. Going out with a girlfriend for lunch.....taking a nice long walk with some music. Nice book!

i think with the way life is these days is easy to get caught in the woes of YUCK - i know for me, i want happiness and peace and kindness and when i see kids not being nice or people not being kind to each other it bums me out - i have to look at my little life and be thankful for my beautiful family - we are all (knock on wood) healthy and happy on most days .... little things happen but we have to stop and smell the roses - honestly -- it can always be worse... find something that makes you smile - and your heart and life will feel better.... happiness to you!

Though it's not often enough, I play Bunco once a month. I have an incredible group that I've been playing with for 12 years, so there is quite a bond. We all know each other's stories and issues. And we have an ambitious group--we cook each other a full on meal (appetizers, meal, dessert). So that means once a month (other than the month I host) I feel pampered with a meal and no prep or clean up! We talk more than we play. It's really just an excuse to get together. There is plenty of alcohol flowing too for those who want (some months 'need' might be a better word!). I have it to look forward to and do not miss it. Hubby supports me in it and is sure to come home in time from work for me to leave. If his work schedule is such that I need to hire a babysitter, I will.

These 12 women have helped each other through marriages, divorces, infadelity, surgeries, abusive or addicted partners, births, and deaths. We have a pretty good range of ages, too, from those having their first baby to those becoming grandparents for the first time. No matter what it is, someone else has 'been there, done that' so it helps knowing there will be encouraging words and support.

Get a good group of friends and go do something you love--hiking group, book club, Bunco, or drumming...anything to get some you time and honor it!