7 Simple Ways to Reconnect (And Stop Having a Crap Day)

It started off like a normal Sunday. A little cooler than usual, perhaps, not like that was telling of the events of the day to come.
My muscles felt sore and tired, as they usually do, so I didn’t pay any particular attention to them. Looking back, I wish I had. Maybe, then I could’ve stopped it… The Mother of All Bad Moods! I was cranky, annoyed and generally irritated. If you know me, this is not a usual state of affairs. I HATE bad moods, but like everything else in life, when they happen, it’s usually got a lesson or two hanging around.

Vegging out feels great in the moment, but it is just an excuse…

Do Life? Naaaahhhh!! How come this pup can chill so easily?

I spent all day just lazing and I mean won’t-eat-won’t-read kinda lazing. I could feel my emotional balance was compromised and yoga encourages us NOT to take action when our mental state is unstable. And that’s how I felt. Unstable. Hanging out on the dark side of the moon for no reason whatsoever. I won’t call it anything more than a low feeling, because that’s exactly what it was. A temporary cloud of yuckiness.

It was in fact, a tiny little dose of loneliness.

Not the kind that you choose for yourself, when you clear your schedule and sit in silence in order to take care of yourself. No sirree! It was a sense of being disconnected-alone. Disconnected from other humans and living beings. When you feel like no one understands and you’re all on your Jack Jones (that’s Cockney for alone).
I forgot about it in the moment, but an alarming number of people today feel utterly alone despite being surrounded by hordes of people all around. Sad isn’t it?

Feeling connected and being connected is important for your soul and your sanity.

We are social beings and there isn’t anything wrong with wanting to spend time with people. Friends, family, social structures exist to provide this level of connected beautiful existence and meaning to our lives. Without it we are insignificant specks in an uninterrupted universe. Without that sense of meaning, it’s easy to lose balance and purpose. Support and sanity go hand in hand. It gives us strength and hope to be connected.

 Important: Who are you Connected to?

Can you only connect to people then? Only friends and family?
What about the millions of us who are digitally connected to bunches of people but still feel disconnected from reality and are tragically depressed?
Who and what you connect to and stay connected with will decide how stable and emotionally secure you feel. Animals, nature and even God (or whatever you call the Dude Upstairs) are beautiful sources to plug into for a grounded sense of connection. One that will fill you up with joy and meaning. Not to mention keep you sane and give you a deep sense of relief from daily-life-stress.

Connection inspires us to be more, be bigger.

Next time you feel disconnected and alone, give one (or all) of these options a try:

1. Pray
   Pray for your problems to get easier to handle, pray fro strength, pray for ice cream. Just get on your knees and let go of your desire to control whatever is bugging you. Give it up and let some peace in.
2. Hug a Tree
   They are old souls, adept at chilling and only serve humankind in silence. The power that a tree holds is awe inspiring and even though it has no way of speaking, you will feel the love rushing in to you. (Pro tip-If you don’t feel the love, try again)
3. Play
   With children, dogs, your friends/family or even by yourself. The act of play is one that automatically lifts your mood. You cannot be upset when you’re fully engaged in a game of catch. And a lifted spirit is easier to connect with..
4. Notes and Letters
   I love writing my feelings. It’s therapeutic. Write a note of love and appreciation to someone (dead or alive) and pour your heart out. You never have to give this letter to anyone, so feel free to be as honest as you like. Feeling the love you have for this person connects you to the universal flow of love which can feel pretty amazing.
5. Talk to somebody
   This is an obvious one. Talk about anything. The weather, their annoying mailman, a terrible movie you watched. Talk gibberish if you must. This is an instant connector. I also talk to myself, plants, birds and animals. Remember though the Universe is listening so make it as love filled as possible (for best results).
6. MUSIC!!
   You’re all alone at home, right? Crank up some tunes and SINGGGGG! Music you like will not only lift your mood but connect you with creative genius, yours if not that of the songwriters. You don’t need to listen to Bach and Beethoven, Taylor Swift is my go-to on bad mood days. Pop music serves its purpose!
7. Service
   While you may think of a church or fine dining, I mean be of service. Find a way to help someone or contribute to something else to pull you out of your own funky mood. Donate something you don’t use, hold the door for a stranger or find your own good deed of the day. Not only will the recipient feel great, but you’ll have added to the forces of Good in the world and that’s a great club to be part of.

Feeling lonely sucks. It can throw the best of us and you are one of the best of us. Now that you’re armed, why not build some of these practices into your everyday life so you never feel disconnected again?

As your feeling of connection deepens and your sense of purpose strengthens, you may find yourself making better self-affirming decisions rather than self-destructive ones! Yay! Sounds like a win to me.

Do you feel lonely too, sometimes? What do you practise to stay connected?
Leave a comment if you already do any of these rituals!!

As always
With love and butterfly kisses
Aakriti